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Needle-making equipment, 1819
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Needle-making equipment, 1819
Needle-making equipment, 1819. The large machine at bottom right is George Priors dry grinder with a box partly enclosing the grindstone to minimise dust (1813). Needle grinders were some of the best paid industrial workers but the dust from the grinding wheels and the metal of the needle wire was a lethal mixture and they often died in their early 30s from lung disease. From Encyclopaedia Londinensis. (London, 1819)
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Media ID 14865092
© Oxford Science Archive / Heritage-Images
Danger Dangerous Disease Grinding Grinding Wheel Grindstone Hazard Health And Safety Industrial Disease Industrial Revolution Machine Tool Manufacturing Mechanisation Metal Industry Needle Occupational Disease Oxford Science Archive Steel
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases needle-making equipment from the year 1819. The focal point of the image is George Priors' dry grinder, a large machine located at the bottom right corner. This innovative tool featured a partially enclosed grindstone, designed to minimize dust during operation. The engraving originates from Encyclopaedia Londinensis in London. During this era, needle grinders were among the highest-paid industrial workers due to their exceptional skills. However, their occupation came with great risks and dangers. The combination of grinding wheel dust and metal particles from the needle wire proved lethal for these workers, often leading to fatal lung diseases that claimed their lives prematurely in their early 30s. The photograph sheds light on both the advancements made during the Industrial Revolution and its detrimental impact on worker health and safety. It serves as a reminder of how mechanization transformed various industries while also highlighting hazardous working conditions prevalent at that time. With its vibrant colors and intricate details, this image transports us back to 19th century England—a period characterized by rapid industrialization and technological progress. It offers valuable insights into Britain's metal industry, occupational diseases associated with it, as well as societal concerns surrounding health in an increasingly mechanized world.
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