True history - 7th August 2023

Britain became rich in the late 18th century. It made and sold iron. But new research shows that this success started in Jamaica. 76 slaves invented an ironworking technique that made Britain rich.

The metal workers copied part of the technique for making sugar from sugar cane. They replaced beating waste metal by hand with this new technique. They could melt waste metal for reuse very quickly.

For centuries, people thought Henry Cort invented this ironmaking technique. But Cort learnt the technique while he was visiting Jamaica. After his visit, the iron factory closed. Cort shipped all the equipment to Britain. He became successful.

The 76 metal workers in the Jamaican factory were slaves. They were taken from Central and West Africa, where ironmaking was big business. The ironworkers used their knowledge from Africa. They developed this new technique. Historians found some of their names which included Devonshire, Mingo, Friday and others. Historians say these men were the true inventors of the iron trade and Britain’s economic success.

This new finding changes the traditional view of inventors. It shows the importance of finding the truth.