Furnace of Change

The Industrial Revolution turns Wales into a global player, bringing unimaginable wealth - and desperate poverty. From Parys Mountain on Anglesey to Copperopolis, Swansea, in the south, the copper trade transforms the landscape and economy. Iron does the same for Merthyr Tydfil, making it a world-class centre of technology. This brave new Wales fuels massive social turmoil, riots and uprisings - and leads to the first national demands for democracy and workers' rights.