ROUND OAK STEEL WORKS BRIERLEY HILL

This film was made in the memory of Round Oak steel works and the men who worked there. The steel works has now gone and sadly some of the men who worked there have since died but the memory lives on. Regards to All Mike Burke

[@finleydoyle]

My Great-Great-Grandad worked here and sadly passed away from a molten metal accident here. My Great-Grandad, who also worked here, used to clean out the furnaces, however he also sadly passed away in his 50s. We think this was mainly due to the amount of asbestos which were within the furnaces. In the 90s when Brierley Hill 'died' as some say when all the industry shut down, my Nan and Grandad permanently moved to the Devonshire countryside to start a new chapter, where most of my family reside today. Although I was never born in the West Midlands, I do love to come back from time to time and see my heritage.

[@iainclark5964]

I grew up in Wordsley in the 1970s and remember seeing them rolling out hot steel in dark evenings while on the Bus to Brierley Hill. Have great memories of the Black Country and go back regularly.

[@stevehiscox1473]

I was born in Dudley and lived in wrensnest rd. In 1969 my mum and dad moved down to South East London sadly. Although we had a financially better life, I missed our relatives so badly. My mum and dad moved back to lower gornal and my brother lives on a narrow boat in Birmingham. Still follow the wolves and can't believe Just how many wolves fans there are nearby. My heart is still in the industrial black country

[@das5813]

Can't blame your parents. Our Labour government tried they're best to help people improve their lives with the grants system and free training in technical colleges. Just that many of the people didn't want to do anything else with their lives except stay close to their relatives. I too ended up moving to South Wales after getting a skill in electronics because there wasn't any suitable jobs in Dudley for my profession.

[@sniperHEX]

Great video Mike. I started there in 82 on the inspection, moved to the labs in 83 with Mike Smith, Don and Cyril (can't remember their last names). I was still in the labs when they pulled the shops down. We watch the whole place raised to the ground before the ground works started for the dreadfull merry hill. Sad times mate, ....LONG LIVE THE ROUND OAK !!!

[@mikemallen9378]

Fantastic documentary on an important piece of local and UK history, many thanks for posting this video, Cheers Mike Mallen.

[@jaywass7150]

What a great video Mike. I was only young when ROSW was at its height, i lived on the lodge farm estate opposite the steel works, and i can still remember at night when the furnaces were tipped it would light up my bedroom with an orange glow. I also remeber taking a short cut to brierley baths walking along the rail track on level street. Although my father didnt work there alot of my friends fathers did. If anyone has any photos of lodge farm from the late 70s - 80s i would love to see them.

[@dodgeboy9052]

In the 60s I worked at Stanton & Staveley iron works... near Derby ..I was in the concrete reinforced pipe plant But at the end of night shift quota I use to creep over to the Iron n Steal moulding plant turning out Ductile Iron pipes ...flames n sparks flying everywhere...it was so interesting...thats when men was made of iron and the ships made of wood ..now its men made of wood and the ships made of iron...the men. that put the Great. in Great Britain. thank-you...

[@techdiveuk]

mate that's bought back a few memories I worked there the last year before it closed but had been going there with my farther from an early age. the top and bottom of it closing was simply that Margaret thatcher was waging war on steelworkers, miners dockers etc and despite The fact that Round oak could produce some of the highest quality steels anywhere in the world and had a really healthy order book (straight from the accountants mouth yes i met him) it was really shut down out of spite.

[@raymondkirkham3815]

And to appease EU and strip Britain of industry

[@jgh548]

And with Brexit, we might see the return on manufacturing to the UK, albeit in a very different way. Plus, ironically, Merry Hill is now in decline.

[@davidjones6778]

Not really sure the EU had anything to do with it (by the way I am anti EU and glad we're out). Thatcher's new UK - no manufacturing - all service industries, I remember it well. We are out of the EU and the Tories have closed down Port Talbot or are about to let it die as quietly as possible. .It's the nature of the beast. @@raymondkirkham3815

[@KingswinfordHalt]

Round Oak Rail is a steel distribution centre.. it has 3 trains a day from Llanwern or Port Talbot. Its a mistake to say Merry Hill is on the site of the steel Works.. the Waterfront offices and bars are on the site. As you travel down Level Street Waterfont is on left Merry Hill on right. I was an apprentice at RTB Cookley works down the road from Round Oak..As a lad in Kingswinford I remember seeing the sky glow red when they tapped the furnace.. and remember hearing the 10 oclock "Bull"...

[@das5813]

We used to drink in the Pack horse pub up the road from Lodge Farm. We used to watch the sky glow red when they dropped the bottom out of the cupolas to clean the slag out of the furnaces so they could recharge it for the next batch. I also worked at maypole field grey iron foundry bottom of quarry bank so I'm familiar with their operations. Round Oak Steelworks was also called Round Oak Steel Powders where technical steels were made.

[@meljohn73]

I knew people who worked here,. Sad this form if work has almost gone now.

[@wildyuk1]

Hi I was born in the house's that used to back onto Road Oak by Bent Street in 1969 . My dad worked there and had the sack for going throught the back fence to work he went strate in to anouther job the same day but left that one after one day and went back to work at R/Oak . I also remember being at school when the roof was blown off by a gas cylinder i think it was in the late 1970's and all the children in the school started crying because we all had Dad's or uncles working there .

[@angeladowning1422]

Hello Dave - or as I remember you "David" :) Yes, I knew your Dad very well and I'm glad to hear he's still going strong - he did the best John Cleese "Silly Walk" I've ever seen. I really enjoyed working at Round Oak - (In my case it was working with family - Marjorie Downing (later Quarry) worked closely with your Dad - she was my mother in law). Please pass on my best wishes to your Dad. Tell him I'm a grandmother four times over - that should make him smile. All the best, Angie :)

[@christinegarratt7128]

Angela Downing ij

[@TonysMum1972]

I worked in The Transport Department from 1975 til closure - I loved being part of the Round Oak "family".

[@MrPamanne]

Hi i enjoyed your film i too have and interest in round oak steel works, having known people who worked there and living nearby.i took some photographs just before it was demolished and created pen and ink drawings from them which i still have.

[@robinct20]

I was chaplain at ROSW from 1976 until closure. Harry Powell worked in the Water Treatment department, in the "hinterland" of the main site. Lovely man, he retired and (as far as I know, is still alive and living in Bridlington. He had a daughter Janie who was trying to get on to the stage but I've forgotten her stage name. His wife died some years ago, I believe. Robin Blount

[@AngloSaxon449]

my grandad worked at round oak steel as bricklayer on the furnaces

[@bethanyfinch9481]

Lovely film. Does anyone remember Dennis Mitchell? He is my grandpa, I think he worked in the management. Would love to hear if you remember him.

[@AngloSaxon449]

I wish it was still open I'd be working there it was a job for life until thatcher put the working class out of a job (steel workers, miners etc) I Despise merry hell with every ounce of my being if I won the Euro I'd flatten it and rebuild round oak steel

[@raymondkirkham3815]

Worked in level St mill granddad bill Kirkham worked their all his life first hand smelter top works would not believe what happened last of a skilled generation gone forever sad

[@VIDEOFILMCLIPS]

Hi i worked at ROUND OAK about 1975 as a contractor up at the crane fitters. I never thought i would see the day when it would close. Regards Mike

[@cookleywolf644]

Hi Angela, you must have known my dad, Ron Jones, who was the Road Transport manager there. He's 80 now and still going strong. As a kid, I remember him occasionally mentioning some of the names of people at work, including Norman Hall, Avril and, if I remember correctly, Angie rather than Angela. Regards, Dave

[@wattage2007]

Britain's industrial swan song. So sad to see this.

[@andrewbelfield1052]

Kenny Harris at 1:58

[@wildyuk1]

When i was at school at Brockmoor infants, Bent Street for 1 year before moving back to Brockmoor i used to think thats were i would be working .How time's change ? My Dad is no longer with us and had to have oxygen piped all round the house and used to say it was because of the work he did .I remember asking him dont you regret working in a smelting work and he used to say no beause the steel thay made would be around for a long time after he as gone , and you no what he was right.

[@shaungreen4756]

A massive steel works and then it was knocked down and turned into The Merry Hill Centre.

[@SaraMommyof3]

Does William kettley ring any bells? He lived in pensnett, any ingo would be awesome and very much appreciated xxxxx

[@sgbh8874]

Does anyone remember someone called John who used to work there?

[@bullyinspace]

My dad is Leonard Whitehouse. Do you have any of him

[@ItsSamHussey]

At 2:17 my grandad is in the corner and at 2:44 he is the one on the right!

[@VIDEOFILMCLIPS]

Hi pdaniels i am curious how do you still work there when its not there anymore merry hill is there now? Regards Mike

[@ItsSamHussey]

My grandad= George Hussey

[@46FreddieMercury91]

my granddad was Charlie Attwood, he was a security guard there.

[@439bananas]

My grandmother's maiden name was Attwood, she was from Quarry Bank

[@Andy-oe4wb]

I lived in turks head pub for 3 years the smoke and steam what used to come out was unbelievable my dad banned workers from there till he got money to spray his car after all the crap out of chimneys took paint off car 😂😂

[@williampinchers]

Hi is this Mike Burke .

[@MrPamanne]

Hi mike thanks for your reply would you like a set of prints of my round oak drawings free of charge i would be happy to send them Pam

[@lee2003uk]

What have we let them do to our country

[@strawnob1]

Does the name Edward Shenton mean anything to anybody?

[@Domdeone1]

I bet they didnt have he,they/she,them shared toilets on site back in the day!