Tour Scotland Video Old Photographs Dundee

Tour Scotland video of old photographs of Dundee, Scotland. The discovery that the dry fibres of jute could be lubricated with whale oil, of which Dundee had a surfeit, following the opening of its gasworks, to allow it to be processed in mechanised mills resulted in the Dundee mills rapidly converting from linen to jute, which sold at a quarter of the price of flax. Interruption of Prussian flax imports during the Crimean War and of cotton during the American Civil War resulted in a period of inflated prosperity for Dundee and the jute industry dominated Dundee throughout the latter half of the 19th century. Unprecedented immigration, notably of Irish workers, led to accelerated urban expansion, and at the height of the industry's success, Dundee supported 62 jute mills, employing some 50,000 workers. Cox Brothers, who owned the massive Camperdown Works in Lochee, were one of the largest jute manufacturers in Europe and employed more than 5,000 workers.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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