The Last Shift: The Decline of Handloom Weaving in Nineteenth-Century Lancashire

Abstract

Introduction: technological change during British industrialization sectoral studies of domestic outwork the cotton industry and outwork. Part 1 The changing balance in weaving technology - an overview: the rise of the powerloom the demise of hand weaving. Part 2 The economic importance of hand weaving in the early 18th century: numbers of handloom weavers geographical variation impact on settlement formation. Part 3 The nature of the hand weaving labour force: the emergence of the specialist weaver the change to cotton weaving. Part 4 The onset of decline in cotton hand weaving: the impact of the mid-1830s trade upturn intra-regional variation. Part 5 The survival of hand weaving in the mid-Victorian period: overall numbers and dependancy age/sex distribution. Part 6 The means of survival: hand weavers and family income type of fabric. Part 7 Mid-Victorian hand weavers - reasons for survival: historiographical issues new perspectives.