A Companion to Nineteenth-Century Britain / Edition 1

by Chris Williams

Overview

A Companion to Nineteenth-Century Britain presents 33 essays by expert scholars on all the major aspects of the political, social, economic and cultural history of Britain during the late Georgian and Victorian eras.

• Truly British, rather than English, in scope.
• Pays attention to the experiences of women as well as of men.
• Illustrated with maps and charts.
• Includes guides to further reading.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780631225799
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	07/16/2004
Series:	Blackwell Companions to British History , #13
Pages:	624
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.47(d)

About the Author

Chris Williams is Professor of Welsh History at the University of Wales, Swansea. He is an editor of the Studies in Welsh History monograph series and a committee member of Llafur, the Welsh People’s History Society. He is the author of Democratic Rhondda: Politics and Society, 1885–1951 (1996), Capitalism, Community and Conflict: The South Wales Coalfield 1898–1947 (1998), and editor (with Duncan Tanner and Deian Hopkin) of The Labour Party in Wales, 1900–2000 (2000) and (with Jane Aaron) of Postcolonial Wales (2005).

Table of Contents

List of Maps, Diagrams and Tables x

Contributors xi

Introduction 1
Chris Williams

Part I Britain and the World 15

1. Britain and the World Economy 17
Anthony Howe

2. Britain and the European Balance of Power 34
John R. Davis

3. Britain and Empire 53
Douglas M. Peers

4. The Armed Forces 79
Edward M. Spiers

Part II Politics and  Government 93

5. The Monarchy and the House of Lords: The ‘Dignified’ Parts of the Constitution 95
William M. Kuhn

6. The State 110
Philip Harling

7. Political Leadership and Political Parties, 1800–46 125
Michael J. Turner

8. Political Leadership and Political Parties, 1846–1900 140
Michael J. Turner

9. Parliamentary Reform and the Electorate 156
Michael S. Smith

10. Politics and Gender 174
Sarah Richardson

11. Political Thought 189
Gregory Claeys

Part III Economy and Society 203

12. Agriculture and Rural Society 205
Michael Winstanley

13. Industry and Transport 223
William J. Ashworth

14. Urbanization 238
Simon Gunn

15. The Family 253
Shani D’Cruze

16. Migration and Settlement 273
Ian Whyte

17. Standard of Living, Quality of Life 287
Jane Humphries

18. Class and the Classes 305
Martin Hewitt

19. Economic Thought 321
Noel Thompson

Part IV Society and Culture 335

20. Religion 337
Mark A. Smith

21. Literacy, Learning and Education 353
Philip Gardner

22. The Press and the Printed Word 369
Aled Jones

23. Crime, Policing and Punishment 381
Heather Shore

24. Popular Leisure and Sport 396
Andy Croll

25. Health and Medicine 412
Keir Waddington

26. Sexuality 430
Lesley A. Hall

27. The Arts 443
Patricia Pulham

28. The Sciences 457
Iwan Rhys Morus

Part V The United Kingdom 471

29. Politics in Ireland 473
Christine Kinealy

30. Economy and Society in Ireland 489
Christine Kinealy

31. Scotland 504
E. W. McFarland

32. Wales 521
Matthew Cragoe

33. British Identities 534
Chris Williams

Bibliography of Secondary Sources 553

Index 591

Editorial Reviews

"This book is an excellent companion... It is an ideal book for anyone interested in the history of the nineteenth century." Reference Reviews

"This most recent addition to the ambitious Blackwell 'Companions' series in British history is thorough and up-to-date ... For scholars, it will become a well-thumbed historiographical source on their office shelves. Essential." Choice

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year

“The Companions to British History…is [an] example of how organization has made a difference in terms of informing the wider public about serious history.”
H-Net Reviews

From the Publisher