Industry

Sheffield’s industrial collection celebrates the city’s rich history of industrial innovation, the skills of its people and their role in its success. The collection was formed ahead of the opening of Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet in 1970 and Kelham Island Museum in 1982.

There are now over 80,000 objects in the collection spanning over 300 years of history. It covers a wide range of manufacturing, from the tools and cutlery made by Sheffield’s famous ‘Little Mesters’, to the mass industrial production of iron, steel and associated products. Significant objects include the 12,000 horsepower River Don steam engine, a clock made by Benjamin Huntsman, inventor of the crucible steel process, and metallurgical specimens belonging to Harry Brearley, who was central to the development of Stainless Steel.

The collection also represents the wider industries that Sheffield was home to, from brewing and food production to retail and transport. Kelham Island Museum houses two of the last three remaining Simplex cars made in Tinsley in 1920.

The collection continues to grow with support from people whose families worked in the trade and whose labour and skill laid the foundations of industry. Contemporary industry is reflected both through individual’s own stories and connections with Sheffield’s many businesses. Research also continues in order to better understand the international impact of Sheffield’s historic industrial output, from its key role in global export to its connection to the exploitation of enslaved people.

If you want to search for a specific item, phrase or object number, enter your search term in speech marks e.g. "Benty Grange".

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