Made by Labour: A Material and Visual History of British Labour, C. 1780–1924

An accessible, lavishly illustrated overview of British labor history.

This book presents a lavishly illustrated history of British labor, represented by the material objects that were made, used, and cherished by working people from the late eighteenth to early twentieth centuries. In addition to an extensive collection of photographs, each expertly described and contextualized, the book includes a thoroughly researched introduction examining the nature of labor’s material and visual culture, a chapter on the conservation and preservation of labor’s material heritage, a directory of places where items may be viewed, and a full bibliography. It is a scholarly resource, an image gallery, and a student handbook—all rolled into one.

Martin Wright is senior lecturer in history at Cardiff University and the author of Wales and Socialism: Political Culture and National Identity Before the Great War.

Nick Mansfield is professor of history at University of Central Lancashire.