TALK Norwich at Work . Speaker: Adrian O’Dell

Norwich buzzed with industry in the 19th-20th centuries, transforming from a medieval trading hub to a manufacturing powerhouse. Key sectors included shoe-making, food processing, brewing and engineering. The city's river and rail links fuelled growth, while gas and later electricity works powered homes and factories. Though many traditional industries declined, Norwich's legacy as a hard-working, innovative city endures, now shifting towards services, education and creative sectors.

Adrian O’Dell was raised in Norwich to which he returned following an international career in the oil industry and running his own computer printer business in Scotland. Since retiring he has devoted himself to the study of Norfolk and Norwich’s history as well as being a freelance city tour guide. He has been studying for an MA in Landscape History at the UEA and is chair of the Norfolk Polish Group.