Its a biography of William Armstrong of the large Engineering firm in Elswick and of his businesses and science. The book has a little too much about Cragside and not enough for me about his technical achievements.
Much is made of his discovery of hydraulics and his exploitation of that in industry, but I am not so sure that his work in armaments counts as science. Inventiveness no doubt, but not original science. He did well in business, coming along at the same time as the UK needed to build up its navy and it was apparent that we needed better guns. He certainly threw himself into their manufacture, although what this actually involved was not explained, beyond uncertain references to wrought iron wires.
The author has interesting stuff about people's reaction to science, and how it altered as the century progressed. At first delight in the discoveries of Watt, Brunel and Armstrong but later concern about the resultant slums, and destruction and undermining of morals, together with worries about our "Origin of Species" and Essays and Reviews.
Armstrong and the other owners came out badly in the 9 hours strike of 1871 ending the friendly or even paternalistic relationship between the hands and the bosses. But till then he had been very supportive of his workers education and very involved in Newcastle charities.
His marriage was happy but childless, and his chosen successor made a mess of his inheritance. Armstrong seemed to get distracted by the Bamburgh folly, his photos of electricity and of course by Cragside; but in his 80s there was surely no need for him at the works. Could he have given better thought to his industry's future, or do these things never last? ( )