History in pictures... book sheds new light on steel town's growth

A new book, packed with 200 photos from the archives of North Lincolnshire Museum, shows how the town developed in under a century from five villages into the town it is now.

Like many other towns and cities in the North, Scunthorpe experienced rapid growth and industrialisation in the second half of the 19th century on the back of the steel industry.

Britain in Old Photographs – Scunthorpe and District, compiled by David J Taylor, an author and local history assistant at the museum, shows how the town developed from cobbled streets for horse-drawn carriages to widened paved roads.

The majority of the images, including some of the earliest photos of Scunthorpe, have never been published before.

It also shows life in surrounding villages including Normanby, Keadby, Messingham, which remain primarily rural and agricultural to this day.

Despite the huge cuts in recent years, the steel industry is still the major employer in the area – with the largest operator being the Indian-owned firm Corus.

The paperback book is available to buy online at www.thehistorypress.co.uk and will be on sale in local bookshops from October, priced 12.99.