A Model for Industrialisation in the Derwent Valley: Application of the Manchester Methodology in the North East of England Modified to Demonstrate the Benefit of the Process on the Local Social Structure

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper contributes a case study on the Manchester Methodology — a tool for studying the process of industrialisation — focusing on the Derwent Valley in the North East of England and discussing the social structure relevant for industrialisation. In this case study the social structure has been moved from a top-down hierarchy of ownership to a bottom-up concept of social benefit, thereby reflecting the improvement of the condition of the working masses during industrialisation. The paper also reflects on the use of quantitative data within the Manchester Methodology rather than the qualitative data originally employed. This approach has produced a clearer picture of the relative dominance of some industries over others which may not be evident from the qualitative method alone, and demonstrates how this can be used to create a refined model of the industrial landscape.