Monstrous Spectres: Chimneys and Their Smoke in Industrial Britain

ABSTRACT

What does a chimney mean? As Britain industrialised, chimneys and smoke grew out of technological change and expanding manufacturing. Yet, as I demonstrate here, the substances of brick and particulates had – and have – more than material meaning. This article offers a brief ethnography of industrial chimneys and their smoke in Britain, from the nineteenth century to the smokeless, postindustrial present. Taking as my concern how chimneys and smoke have been ‘written’ into socio-spatial symbolism, I show their polarisation between triumphant spectacle and savage monstrosity. I then reflect on their current, spectral, presence.

KEYWORDS:

• Industrialism
• Britain
• space
• anthropology and literature

Acknowledgements

My thanks go to Yasmine Musharbash and Simone Dennis for convening ‘The Smoke Panel’ at AAS 2016. Thanks are also due to those colleagues who have commented upon this article and supported its becoming. As ever, love and gratitude is due to ‘Clogger’ and ‘Lottie’.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.