The British Wool Textile Industry, 1770-1914

This book analyses the progress and performance of the wool textile industry, both nationally and in various regions where it was concentrated. It examines the development of the industry in terms of its structure and location, its transition to factory production, its use of raw materials and new technology, and the variety of its finished products. It considers the competitive position of the industry in home and foreign markets both in the halcyon days of trade expansion and in the changing economic circumstances after 1870. The authors review the differing fortunes of woollens and worsteds, the rise of low woollens and the decline of some of the traditional wool textile manufacturing districts. Whilst highlighting the difficulties encountered by the industry, the overall conclusion of the volume is an optimistic one in terms of entrepreneurial performance and adaptability in production methods and to market circumstances.It is the first overall study of the economic history of the industry nationally from the Industrial Revolution to the First World War. The volume will be of great interest to economic historians and to all interested in the history of technology, the development of design, costume and fashion and to local historians in those many parts of Britain where wool textile manufacture was carried out.