Greenfield Docks in the 18th century
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During the 18th and 19th centuries, Flintshire sadly played a key role in the transatlantic slave trade and in what became known as the triangular trade. The triangular trade is a term used to refer to the trade during these centuries that involved shipping goods from Britain to West Africa to be exchanged for slaves. These slaves were then shipped to America and the West Indies and exchanged for tobacco, sugar, rum, cotton and other commodities which were in turn shipped back to Britain.
Flintshire's industries were at the forefront of producing manufactured goods for use in the triangular trade's slave business as well as goods that slaves themselves used whilst toiling on the slave plantations. The profits gained from them enabled Flintshire and other areas' industrialists to invest and innovate by producing more manufactured goods with new technologies. Such investment and innovation formed the basis of the British Industrial revolution, which brought immense wealth to Britain during these centuries. Greenfield Valley and Greenfield Docks in Flintshire were two key industrial areas that made significant contributions to Britain's wealth based on the slave trade.
In the mid-1700s, the Holywell stream in the Greenfield Valley was repeatedly advertised in newspapers across the North West as “one of the most powerful streams of water in the country”, over one mile long it provided a continuous water supply that “discharged 25,200 gallons or 100 tonnes of water per minute”. This source made it ideal to power many water wheels for large industries. Greenfield Valley was regarded as a perfect location for such industries, due to its close proximity to Greenfield Docks. From these docks, goods produced locally could be transported to Liverpool faster and cheaper than from anywhere else. For this reason, many prominent businessmen seized the opportunity to build their mills and factories along the Holywell stream.
Within the valley, trading products used in the slave trade such as tobacco snuff, copper manillas (copper bracelets), brass pots and pans, copper sheeting and bolts and cotton threads were manufactured. This website will show how each of the products produced across Flintshire was essential to the creation and expansion of White indenture, African enslavement and Indian indenture.
Flintshire's industries were at the forefront of producing manufactured goods for use in the triangular trade's slave business as well as goods that slaves themselves used whilst toiling on the slave plantations. The profits gained from them enabled Flintshire and other areas' industrialists to invest and innovate by producing more manufactured goods with new technologies. Such investment and innovation formed the basis of the British Industrial revolution, which brought immense wealth to Britain during these centuries. Greenfield Valley and Greenfield Docks in Flintshire were two key industrial areas that made significant contributions to Britain's wealth based on the slave trade.
In the mid-1700s, the Holywell stream in the Greenfield Valley was repeatedly advertised in newspapers across the North West as “one of the most powerful streams of water in the country”, over one mile long it provided a continuous water supply that “discharged 25,200 gallons or 100 tonnes of water per minute”. This source made it ideal to power many water wheels for large industries. Greenfield Valley was regarded as a perfect location for such industries, due to its close proximity to Greenfield Docks. From these docks, goods produced locally could be transported to Liverpool faster and cheaper than from anywhere else. For this reason, many prominent businessmen seized the opportunity to build their mills and factories along the Holywell stream.
Within the valley, trading products used in the slave trade such as tobacco snuff, copper manillas (copper bracelets), brass pots and pans, copper sheeting and bolts and cotton threads were manufactured. This website will show how each of the products produced across Flintshire was essential to the creation and expansion of White indenture, African enslavement and Indian indenture.
References
- Thomas Pennant, The History of the Parishes of Whiteford and Holywell (1796)
- Edward J. Foulkes, The cotton-spinning factories of Flintshire 1777-1866 https://www.themeister.co.uk/hindley/flintshire_cotton.pdf
- YouTube video- Greenfield Docks courtsey of Robert Davies https://greenfieldvalley.com/
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Get in touchRegistered charity no. 1116970
Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01492 622233 The Equality Centre Bangor Road Penmaenmawr Conwy LL34 6LF |
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