©Andrew Crawford (UK), Heartlands 1, 2018, Heartlands Metal Craft specialise in the manufacture and installation of contemporary and traditional gates. Their team of highly experienced craftsmen work with mild steel, cast iron, stainless steel and wood and pride themselves on the quality and durability of their work. I hope these images bring their craft and dedication to life. ,

©Andrew Crawford (UK), Heartlands 3, 2018, Heartlands Metal Craft specialise in the manufacture and installation of contemporary and traditional gates. Their team of highly experienced craftsmen work with mild steel, cast iron, stainless steel and wood and pride themselves on the quality and durability of their work. I hope these images bring their craft and dedication to life.

©Bradley Pearce (UK), The Forge 4, 2018, The photographs are of a process in which metal is smelted into ingots before they are shipped across the globe. The process took about twenty minutes from start to finish and these photographs show key parts of this.

©Bradley Pearche (UK), The Forge 2, The photographs are of a process in which metal is smelted into ingots before they are shipped across the globe. The process took about twenty minutes from start to finish and these photographs show key parts of this.

©Bradley Pearce, Canal 2, 2018, The Canal is a project by Midlands-based photographer Bradley Pearce taken at Hawne Basin, Halesowen. Hawne Basin is situated in an industrial area of Halesowen. The original basin was opened in the early 1800s to serve Hawne Colliery. By 1898 the basin was enlarged to include railway access and sidings, and later served local industries including Walter Somers, Stewards and Lloyds, as well as those further away on the canal network. On 5 June 1967, traffic ceased and the basin closed. Today, the basin is managed by Coombeswood Canal Trust, and is now home to a small number of permanent residents who restore working boats to their original condition and continue to preserve the industrial heritage of the area.

©Bradley Pearce (UK), Canal 3, 2018, Walter Somers, Stewards and Lloyds, as well as those further away on the canal network. On 5 June 1967, traffic ceased and the basin closed. Today, the basin is managed by Coombeswood Canal Trust, and is now home to a small number of permanent residents who restore working boats to their original condition and continue to preserve the industrial heritage of the area.

©Bradley Pearce (UK), The Foundry 3, 2018, The Foundry is a project by Midlands-based photographer Bradley Pearce taken at Boro’ Foundry. The photographs depict a traditional iron foundry and machine shop. The combined skills show some of the old with the new, with patterns, castings and machining being carried using some of the latest sand printing technologies and CNC machining techniques. The environment is taken into consideration using some materials that are 100% recycled and other by products being found alternative uses down the line.

©Bradley Pearce (UK), The Foundry 4, 2018, The Foundry is a project by Midlands-based photographer Bradley Pearce taken at Boro’ Foundry. The photographs depict a traditional iron foundry and machine shop. The combined skills show some of the old with the new, with patterns, castings and machining being carried using some of the latest sand printing technologies and CNC machining techniques. The environment is taken into consideration using some materials that are 100% recycled and other by products being found alternative uses down the line.

©Ken Harrison (UK), Soho Foundry Office Row, These images for the display are part of a set of over 40 photographs from my 2011 exhibition and self-published project, “A Picture of Smethwick’, showing the listed buildings in Smethwick. All of the images were taken on black and white film, scanned from original negatives.

©Ken Harrison (UK), Soho Foundry Pattern Store, These images for the display are part of a set of over 40 photographs from my 2011 exhibition and self-published project, “A Picture of Smethwick’, showing the listed buildings in Smethwick. All of the images were taken on black and white film, scanned from original negatives.

©Peter Hodgson (UK), New Main Line. Albion Industrial Estate, Sandwell, 2016, Once the beating and blackened heart of British Industry, the 14 mile stretch of land between Birmingham and Wolverhampton has undergone many transformations since its heyday with its original canal highways superseded by rail and later road networks. These portraits represent some of the people who live and work within this landscape and reflect the ongoing reclamation and rejuvenation of these once neglected waterways and the role they play in the Black Country’s industrial heritage and ongoing redevelopment.

©Peter Hodgson (UK). Old Main Line. Boatyard, Tipton, 2016 , Once the beating and blackened heart of British Industry, the 14 mile stretch of land between Birmingham and Wolverhampton has undergone many transformations since its heyday with its original canal highways superseded by rail and later road networks. These portraits represent some of the people who live and work within this landscape and reflect the ongoing reclamation and rejuvenation of these once neglected waterways and the role they play in the Black Country’s industrial heritage and ongoing redevelopment.

©Phil Loach (UK), Factory Women, 1974, Women workers in a machine shop in Lye Stourbridge.

©Phil Loach (UK), Gents 1976, Supporters at Brierley Hill FC take a half-time toilet break, in the shadow of Round Oak steelworks. The images for the display formed part of my exhibition “A Time it Was”, at Himley Hall last year, showing people, places and events around the Black Country, from the 1970’s to the 1990’s.