Lawbreakers or Steelmakers?

This part of the world has some fantastic scenery, but for over four hundred years we have been supplying Britain with many of its Chemicals, and for nearly two hundred years much of its iron and steel, so we also have some ugly structures. Most of the disused mining and quarrying sites have gone back to nature, but because of our present heavy industries the “Green Valley Brigade” are reluctant to promote stories about out industrial heritage. (Its better we are seen to be descended from law breaking smugglers than hard working steelworkers.) In 2003 English Heritage carried out an archaeological field survey and investigation of the old Loftus Alum Works and produced a book called Loftus Alum Works, Redcar and Cleveland, a few weeks ago I tried to borrow a copy from the local library, but despite the name been in the title I was told there were no copies of the book available within Redcar and Cleveland Libraries, there were, I was told, copies of the book in libraries outside the borough and I would have to pay £2 of the £8 it would cost to bring the book into the borough, and then presumably it would be sent back to the region that was interested in our heritage. I bought a book for £15 from English Heritage.