1/19 Thanks @louisemiskell and @steelworlds for having me. I'm Matt Bristow and I'm a landscape archaeologist and local historian. I split my time between the @VCH_London at the @ihr_history and @HistoricEngland. This morning I'll be taking you to Corby New Town #SWOS20 
2/19 Corby retains a certain notoriety in the UK. A 1st phase New Town, devastated by closure of the steel works, it is perhaps best known for its isolation following the closure of its railway station and its strong, enduring link with Scotland #SWOS20 bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan…
3/19 In this paper I'll examine the physical development of Corby after 1950, arguing that its status as a New Town and the its phases of expansion, were entirely the product of the needs of the Stewarts & Lloyds steel works and that it was really a New Town in name only #SWOS20
4/19 The town of Corby, located in north Northamptonshire, spread out from the manor recorded in 1086 as a small settlement of c.50 people. Reliant on agriculture, the late-medieval village was characterised by small, thatched cottages constructed of local ironstone #SWOS20
5/19 The journey to New Town status began in the 1870s when ironstone deposits were uncovered during the construction of the Kettering-Manton branch line. Exploited by the landowning Cardigan's, Samuel Lloyd bought the family company and founded Lloyds Ironstone in 1881 #SWOS20
6/19 On 28th Oct. 1932 the Glasgow steel firm Stewarts & Lloyds elected to concentrate their manufacturing at Corby, choosing a large site NE of the village. To house their workforce, S&L built a small town complete with shops and a cinema, all designed by L. M. Gotch #SWOS20
7/19 In 1939 Corby UDC was established taking responsibility for housing. After WWII, Ministry of Supply tasked S&L with producing 500,000 ingot tonnes of steel PA to aid national recovery. The larger workforce needed for expansion created a housing shortage for the UDC #SWOS20
8/19 In 1945 with 500 steel workers living in former POW camps, the UDC began a house building programme. Extending north and west from the company town, new streets were laid out populated by non-traditional housing made of steel (BISF) and concrete (Wates and Easiform) #SWOS20
9/19 In 1944, Sir Patrick Abercrombie (of the 1940 Barlow Commission) acted on its call for reducing London's population by producing the Greater London Plan. He proposed that 1,033,000 people needed to be relocated to 10 new satellite towns to achieve desired densities #SWOS20
10/19 Not all of the 10 New Towns ringed London. 3 outliers Corby, Newton Aycliffe and Peterlee were created to support local industry. On 1 Apr 1950 Corby was designated and William Holford & H M Wright tasked with giving homogeneity to the existing town and new estates #SWOS20
11/19 Additional to the challenge of blending the ad-hoc collection of S&L and UDC housing with new estates and creating a town centre as part of a coherent plan, the planners were also constrained by a tight ring around the designation area defined by ironstone quarries #SWOS20
12/19 In addition to securing New Town designation, S&L's need for expansion can be linked to each phase of physical development through the output stats in the British Steel archive at Northants Record Office. They also show the change from Bessemer to BOS in the mid-60s #SWOS20
13/19 Between 1960-61 S&L sold their 30s houses to the Development Corporation to raise capital for a major expansion. The likely resulting spike in Corby’s population led the Corporation to submit proposals to the Ministry for the designation area to be expanded by 1500a #SWOS20
14/19 In 1967 the works was Nationalised but the Govt. still expected the expansion plan to continue. Anticipating population growth, the Devel. Corp. deviated from low density housing and charged architect John Stedman with creating a high density scheme for 7,000 people #SWOS20
15/19 Stedman's award winning Lincoln Sector was arranged around a footpath system and gave all dwellings private outdoor spaces. 119 dwellings of 507 were stacked along a central, pedestrianised spine, arranging them so that they all had south-facing open living areas #SWOS20
16/19 Hope of continued expansion was short-lived and in Feb 1979, the closure of the works was announced with the loss of 6,000 jobs. It coincided with the winding-up of the Devel Corp in Apr 1980 - a stark reminder of the intertwined fortunes of the works and the town #SWOS20
17/19 In the New Towns story, Corby is often overlooked. It doesn't fit into the 'Relocating Londoners' narrative of those located near the capital. In most senses it is a New Town in name only, especially given the extent of pre-existing settlement prior to designation #SWOS20
18/19 Corby's growth from a village, New Town designation and phases of development were the product of the demands of the steelworks in the same way that decline during the 80s and 90s was the result of the its closure. In all respects, Corby is a town shaped by steel #SWOS20
19/19 This paper stemmed from work by @VCH_London, of the @CHPPC_IHR. A comprehensive history of Corby can be found in Northants Volume VII published by @boydellbrewer and available here boydellandbrewer.com/a-history-of-t…. Excellent photos can be found here ourcorby.org.uk #SWOS20
