In the early 1830s, while most households still relied on smoky coal ranges and temperamental open fires, something remarkable was happening in Northampton. Inside a lecture room belonging to the town’s Mechanics’ Institute, a crowd gathered to watch what must surely count as the world’s first gas-cooked dinner party. A full meal. Multiple courses. All… Continue reading The World’s First Gas Cooked Dinner Party
Category: Industry
Swing Riots in Northamptonshire
History is all around us, the past leaves footprints everywhere. You wouldn’t know it to look at them, but the stretches of farmland in Northamptonshire, a county which has long been prone to rebellion, were once almost battlegrounds of resistance… The Swing Movement When the fields of southern and eastern England were swaying in the… Continue reading Swing Riots in Northamptonshire
Kettering’s Wool Industry
Kettering’s worsted wool industry flourished from local resources in the 17th and 18th centuries, becoming a vital part of community life, before declining in the 19th century due to industrialization and global market changes.
Jack Preston 