The early 1700s were vital to the growth of the
textile trade in Lancashire, which became the
worlds leading industrial region by 1800. However,
apart from a few local case studies, historians have
often overlooked sources revealing the nature
of Lancashires industry at this time. While these
years were crucial to the subsequent development of
textile production, much work to date has focused on
a theoretical approach lacking in empirical data.
This book offers a fresh interpretation of
industrial activity in Lancashire two to three
generations before the arrival of the factory...