
Manchester and Beyond – Living History of Industry in the UK
- Manchester During the industrial revolution, Manchester played a crucial role in the textiles industry (amongst others), and distributed large amounts of cotton, wool and yarn. ...
- London The capital city has continued to be a hub of business and trade for many years, and its industrial history dates back to the 19 th century and beyond. ...
- Birmingham ...
What events happened during the Industrial Revolution?
Important events during the Industrial Revolution. By SophieMarie. Period: May 10, 1740 to May 10, 1920. Industrial revolution inventions May 10, 1752. Invention of the Lightening Rod Benjamin Franklin invented the lightening rod during this time. May 10, 1764. Invention of the Spinning Jenny ...
What was the enclosure movement during the Industrial Revolution?
This was important to the overall Industrial Revolution, because it helped create a system that created a large workforce for the factories and mines. In general, the Enclosure Movement involved the British parliament passing a series of acts that allowed increased private ownership, which was a key characteristic of the Industrial Revolution.
Is the Industrial Revolution really a revolution?
The Industrial Revolution was truly a revolution. It brought about many changes that impacted many people. The Industrial Revolution changed the working environment significantly. Before the...
What are facts about the Industrial Revolution?
Problems of the Industrial Revolution
- Pollution was a major problem in the industrial revolution, caused by burning coal, high population density and no regulations on factories.
- The West Midlands became known as the ‘Black Country’ because of its landscape of dark foundries, furnaces and smoky atmosphere.
- Average life expectancy in 1837 was in the high 30s ( 1 ). ...
- Child labour. ...

What was Manchester known as during the Industrial Revolution?
Industrial Revolution Manchester acquired the nickname Cottonopolis during the early 19th century owing to its many textile factories.
What industry is Manchester known for?
Manchester was right at the heart of the Revolution, becoming the UK's leading producer of cotton and textiles. Manchester is also famous for being the first industrialised city in the world. Manchester was responsible for the country's first ever working canal in 1761 and the world's first ever railway line in 1830.
Why is Manchester the perfect example of the new industrial city?
From a climate conducive to the cotton trade to existing canals and transportation mechanisms, Manchester was primed to become an efficient industrial city once cotton mill technology caught up to the existing infrastructure.
What inventions came from Manchester?
Manchester is the birthplace of nuclear physics, where Ernest Rutherford first split the atom. The world's first stored-program computer was developed here, and Alan Turing pioneered artificial intelligence during his time at the University.
What inventions were made in Manchester?
10 Manchester Inventions That Shook the WorldJohn Kay's Fly Shuttle, 1733. ... Britain's 1st canal – the Bridgewater, 1761. ... Atomic Theory, 1803. ... Vegetarianism, 1809. ... First Passenger Railway, 1830. ... The First Submarine, 1878. ... Competitive Football, 1888. ... Rolls Royce, 1904.More items...
Why did people move to Manchester during the industrial revolution?
Young men and women poured in from the countryside, eager to find work in the new factories and mills. The mills paid relatively high wages and they also employed large numbers of children. As a consequence, families migrating to the city often saw a considerable rise in their incomes.
What is unique about Manchester?
Manchester was the first city in the world to commemorate its LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) past by commissioning a local artist to set rainbow tiles into flagstones across the city, marking historical LGBT places of interest. Manchester was the birthplace of Vegetarianism.
What are some positive effects of industrialization on Manchester?
It created wealth. It created jobs for work- ers and over time helped many of them live better lives. It produced better diets, better housing, and better clothing at lower, prices.
What is the main economic activity in Manchester?
Agriculture, bauxite mining and processing, small scale manufacturing and livestock rearing are the main economic activities in Manchester. The major towns are the capital, Mandeville, Christiana, Devon, Mile Gully, Newport, Porus, Williamsfield.
Is Manchester an industrial city?
It also became the largest primary producer of cotton. In the 19th century, the city was at the centre of a global trade network, with textiles as the driving force. With towering mills and busy warehouses at its core, Manchester became a melting pot of production and saw rapid expansion.
Why is Manchester famous for textiles?
The city of Manchester is well known for its cotton mills around the globe. The temperate climate of the region is ideal for cotton thread spinning. The city is also located on the River Mersey banks, making it easier to dry the cotton threads.
What factories are in Manchester?
Top Manufacturing Companies in ManchesterIceland Manufacturing Ltd. UK Manufacturing Company. ... British Millerain Co Ltd. UK Manufacturing Company. ... Bim (UK) Ltd. UK Manufacturing Company. ... Need help selecting a company? ... British Drum Co. ... The Soft Brick Company Ltd. ... Bolton Gate Company Ltd. ... Glendale Foods Ltd.More items...•
Why is Manchester so famous?
Manchester is also famous for its rich sporting culture, tight-knit community, strong identity, and working class history.
What is the biggest band in Manchester?
Oasis just might be the biggest band to come out of Manchester, taking the rock ‘n’ roll world by storm during the 1990s and early 2000s. Taking a lot of inspiration from Manchester’s other famous artists, notably The Stone Roses and The Smiths, the Gallagher brothers have always embraced their utterly Mancunian identity, from their football team, to their accent, to their instantly recognizable swagger. Responsible for such huge songs as Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back In Anger, Oasis truly is the jewel in Manchester’s musical crown.
What is the Smiths famous for?
The Smiths. Manchester is famous for its music and musical legacy , with The Smiths being one of the most well-known bands to come out of the city. Big in the 1980s, The Smiths are a hugely influential indie rock band, with the lead singer, Morrissey, going on to have a successful solo career after The Smiths broke up.
Where did Madchester come from?
The Madchester scene was a unique moment in time, originating from Manchester in the late 1980s. This music scene characterizes Manchester and its eclectic and strong identity. Madchester saw a perfect fusion of alternative indie rock with acid house and rave culture, psychedelia and 1960s elements, culminating in an exciting burst of Manchester-centric music and fashion.
Which is the most famous football club in the UK?
Manchester United is probably the most famous football club in the UK and potentially the world. Every football fan knows the success and fame of Manchester United, its players, and its home ground of Old Trafford. 9. Manchester City Football Club.
Which is the most popular football team in the UK?
Manchester United Football Club . Everyone knows that football is the most popular sport in the UK, and Manchester is famous for its rich footballing legacy, and intense rivalry between its two football clubs. Manchester United is probably the most famous football club in the UK and potentially the world.
Where did the Buzzcocks come from?
Although 1970s Punk music was much more of a London scene in the UK, the Buzzcocks were one of the UK’s biggest Punk bands, and hailed from Manchester. Even if you don’t know much about Punk music or the Buzzcocks, you will undoubtedly be familiar with their most famous song ‘Ever Fallen In Love’. 5.
What was Manchester known for?
Having evolved from a Roman castrum in Celtic Britain, in the Victorian era Manchester was a major locus of the Industrial Revolution, and was the site of one of the world's first passenger railway stations as well as many scientific achievements of great importance.
What was Manchester's role in the 19th century?
Manchester also led the political and economic reform of 19th century Britain as the vanguard of free trade. The mid-20th century saw a decline in Manchester's industrial importance, prompting a depression in social and economic conditions.
What is Manchester's history?
The history of Manchester encompasses its change from a minor Lancastrian township into the pre-eminent industrial metropolis of the United Kingdom and the world.
Where does the name Manchester come from?
The name Manchester originates from the Latin name Mamucium or its variant Mancunio. These names are generally thought to represent a Latinisation of an original Brittonic name. The generally accepted etymology of this name is that it comes from Brittonic * mamm- (" breast ", in reference to a " breast-like hill "). However, more recent work suggests that it could come from * mamma (" mother ", in reference to a local river goddess ). Both usages are preserved in Insular Celtic languages, such as mam meaning "breast" in Irish and "mother" in Welsh. The suffix -chester is from Old English ceaster ("Roman fortification", itself a loanword from Latin castra, "fort; fortified town").
When did Manchester expand?
Manchester began expanding "at an astonishing rate" around the turn of the 19th century as part of a process of unplanned urbanisation brought on by a boom in textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. The transformation took little more than a century.
Which kingdoms struggled for control over North West England?
Between the 6th and 10th centuries, the kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex struggled for control over North West England. In 620, Edwin of Northumbria may have sacked Manchester, and the settlement may have been sacked again in 870 by the Danes.
Who was the king of Manchester in the 13th century?
In the early 13th century, Manchester for a period was not under the control of the Grelleys. Robert Grelley was one of the barons who made King John sign Magna Carta. Grelley was excommunicated for his role in the rebellion and when King John later ignored the terms of Magna Carta, Grelley forfeited his lands.
What is the industrial area of Manchester?
The urban structure of metropolitan Manchester is determined largely by its industrial zones. By far the most important of these is the one bisecting it from east to west. This contains most of the heavier industry—petrochemicals on the Ship Canal near Irlam, electrical engineering in Trafford Park and Salford, and machine tools and metal fabrication in eastern Manchester. Industry in the south is confined to a few compact, largely planned factory estates, notably at Altrincham and Wythenshawe. North and east of Manchester, ribbons of long-established industry follow every railway, river valley, and abandoned canal. The electrochemical industries of the Irwell valley, the dyestuffs of the Irk, and, everywhere, the old textile mills (many converted to new industrial uses) are the dominant features.
What was Manchester's population in 1911?
By 1911 it had a population of 2,350,000.
How tall is Manchester?
It lies at a height of 133 feet (40 metres) above sea level , enclosed by the slopes of the Pennine range on the east and the upland spur of Rossendale on the north.
What county is Manchester in?
Manchester, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester urban county, northwestern England. Most of the city, including the historic core, is in the historic county of Lancashire, but it includes an area south of the River Mersey in the historic county of Cheshire. Manchester is the nucleus of the largest ...
What was Manchester's golden age?
If the 19th century was Manchester’s golden age, when it was indisputably Britain’s second city, the 20th century was marked by increasing industrial problems associated with the decline of the textile trades (the result of foreign competition and technological obsolescence). Area city, 45 square miles (116 square km);
When did Manchester expand its boundaries?
In 1930 the city extended its boundaries far to the south beyond the River Mersey, to annex 9 square miles (23 square km) of the northern portion of the former administrative county of Cheshire. Two large metropolitan boroughs adjoin the city of Manchester on the west and southwest: Salford and Trafford.
Is Manchester a city?
Manchester is the nucleus of the largest metropolitan area in the north of England, and it remains an important regional city, but it has lost the extraordinary vitality and unique influence that put it at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. Skyline of Manchester, England.
When was Manchester made into a town?
The village of Manchester was made into a town in the early 13th century . The Lord of the Manor, a man named Robert De Grelly built a manor house nearby. He also built the church of St Mary. He divided up some of his lands into plots for building and rented them to craftsmen.
How many people lived in Manchester in the 16th century?
During the 16th century and the 17th century, Manchester grew steadily larger and more important. By the late 16th century it may have had a population of 4,000. By the mid 17th century Manchester probably had about 5,000 inhabitants. However, Tudor Manchester still wasn’t a particularly large town.
What were the worst slums in Manchester?
In some of them, rubbish such as rotting vegetables was piled in heaps. It was only removed at intervals to be sold as fertilizer. People used cesspits, which were only cleaned infrequently. The worst slums were the cellar dwellings. Whole families lived in 1 room cellars. Sometimes they had no furniture and slept on piles of straw. They were damp and poorly ventilated. Because of these horrid conditions, diseases were rife. In 1832 a cholera epidemic in Manchester killed 674 people.
What was the wool industry in Manchester?
In Medieval Manchester, there was a wool industry. After the wool was woven it was fulled. That means it was beaten in a mixture of water and clay to clean and thicken it. Wooden hammers powered by a watermill beat the wool. When it dried the wool was dyed. There was also a leather tanning industry in the town.
What was the fair in the Middle Ages?
In the year 1222 Manchester was granted the right to hold an annual fair. In the Middle Ages, a fair was like a market but was held only once a year. It would attract buyers and sellers from all over Lancashire. In the Middle Ages Manchester was, at best, a medium-sized town. It was not nationally important. It is not known what its population was. An educated guess is 2,500. It would seem very small to us but settlements were tiny in those days.
Why is Manchester called Reddish?
At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 a village called Mamecester existed. In time the name changed to Manchester. There is a story that Reddish is called that because there was once a battle there and the blood left ‘reddish’ stains.
What was the charter of Manchester?
In 1301 Manchester was given a charter (a document granting the townspeople certain rights). Before that date, the Lord of the Manor appointed a bailiff who ran the town day to day. Afterward, the merchants of Manchester were allowed to elect an official called a Reeve who did the job.
What were the characteristics of the Industrial Revolution?
It, first and most important, brought about the substitution of machines for human skill and effort; secondly, it substituted inanimate for animate sources of power (especially engines that converted heat into work), allowing the production of an almost unlimited supply of power; it set off a search for new and more abundant raw materials; it introduced the factory system as a method of organizing the productive process; it set in motion a self-sustaining process of innovation that is still with us; and it introduced a new value system, that of the "economic man" who is motivated primarily by the lure of profit. The Industrial Revolution allowed man for the first time in human history to control and truly manipulate the environment. It also, despite the hardships it brought to millions, offered material abundance to the many, rather than the fortunate few. And it brought about profound changes in man's ideas and assumptions, leading to the emergence of new ways of looking at oneself, society, and the natural world.
What were the problems of industrialists?
With regard to labor, industrialists faced three major problems. Up to about the 1780s, there was a labor shortage in Great Britain , and it further stimulated the introduction of labor-saving devices. Second, workers were largely immobile, whether due to custom or law ; hence some industrialists used child labor, occasionally getting their workers from orphanages until the practice was banned in 1816. Finally, the worker had to abandon traditional work habits and adapt to factory life and to adopt the values of economic man, a process which required almost three-quarters of a century. Learning to work by the clock and according to a pre-set regime, to work at the pace of a machine, to work out of the home, and to work for a supervisor all transformed the lifestyle of the working classes; and the idea of earning more than was necessary to support oneself and provide for one's family introduced a revolution in values.
Why were the working conditions in the factories so poor?
Working conditions were likewise poor in what one contemporary called the "dark, satanic mills" of industrial Britain; because wages were so low that a man could not support a family, women and children also worked in the factories. Workers worked 6 days a week, and the working day was often 14 hours in length, and there were virtually no holidays and no benefits of any sort.
Who said "Getting of money is the main business of the life of men"?
Strutt , a cotton manufacturer: "Getting of money . . . is the main business of the life of men." A Manchester manufacturer described Robert Southey of the benefits of child labor.
Why was cotton cloth so popular in the 18th century?
Early in the 18th century, demand for cotton cloth grew dramatically, because of both an internal and an overseas market. But existing methods of production, the so-called domestic or putting out system, were inadequate to meet this demand. Entrepreneurs took unfinished wool or cotton fiber to rural peasant homes, where it was spun into thread. The entrepreneur then took the thread to a weaver, and so on through a complex series of stages until a finshed piece of cloth was ready for the market. The putting-out system was a social as well as an economic system, for the work was done in the home and all members of a family took part. But the cumbersome nature of this system of production limited the amount of cloth that could be produced.
Why did the Duke of Manchester build a canal?
He then built a canal across the land so that his supply could reach the growing town. 3. Atomic Theory, 1803.
What was the first machine to be used in the cotton industry?
1. John Kay’s Fly Shuttle, 1733 . Crucial to the development of the cotton industry, in which Manchester led the world from the late 18th century until the Second World War, was this simple machine. Before John Kay’s Fly Shuttle, workers threw the shuttle with their hands.
What was the first city to create the modern world?
Meet: on your computer. Manchester invented the modern world, for this was the first city of the industrial revolution, and its inhabitants have given society some of its greatest creations. These are the ones we detail on this most inventive of walks (in chronological order). 1. John Kay’s Fly Shuttle, 1733.
Who built the first canal in Britain?
Britain’s 1st canal – the Bridgewater, 1761. Britain’s first man-made waterway, with a route independent of rivers, was financed by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, who needed to find a way of reducing flooding in his Worsley mine.

Overview
20th century
By 1900 the Manchester city region was the 9th most populous in the world. In the early 20th century Manchester's economy diversified into engineering chemical and electrical industries. The stimulus of the ship canal saw the establishment of Trafford Park, the world's first industrial park, in 1910 and the arrival of the Ford Motor Company and Westinghouse Electric Corporation from …
Etymology
The name Manchester originates from the Latin name Mamucium or its variant Mancunio. These names are generally thought to represent a Latinisation of an original Brittonic name. The generally accepted etymology of this name is that it comes from Brittonic *mamm- ("breast", in reference to a "breast-like hill"). However, more recent work suggests that it could come from *mamma ("mother", in reference to a local river goddess). Both usages are preserved in Insular Celtic langua…
Prehistory
Prehistoric evidence of human activity in the area of Manchester is limited, although scattered stone tools have been found.
There is evidence of Bronze Age activity around Manchester in the form of burial sites. Although some prehistoric artefacts have been discovered in the city centre, these have come from redeposited layers, meaning they do not neces…
Roman
The Roman fort of Mamucium was established c. AD 79 near a crossing point on the River Medlock. The fort was sited on a sandstone bluff near the confluence of the rivers Medlock and Irwell in a naturally defensible position. It was erected as a series of fortifications established by Gnaeus Julius Agricola during his campaign against the Brigantes who were the Celtic tribe in control of most of …
Post-Roman
Once the Romans left Britain, the focus of settlement in Manchester shifted to the confluence of the rivers Irwell and Irk. During the Early Middle Ages that followed – and persisted until the Norman conquest – the settlement of Manchester was in the territory of several different kingdoms. In the late 6th and early 7th centuries, the kingdom of Northumbria extended as far south as the Ri…
Medieval
Manchester was administratively part of the Salford Hundred. In 1086 the hundred covered about 350 square miles (910 km ) and had a population of about 3,000. It was given to Roger de Poitou; Roger divided the hundred into fiefdoms and made the Gresle family barons of Manchester. Albert de Gresle was the first baron of Manchester. Although the Gresle family did not reside at the …
Growth of the textile trade
By the 16th century the wool trade had made Manchester a flourishing market town. The collegiate church, which is now the cathedral, was finally completed in 1500–1510. The magnificent carved choir stalls date from this period, and in 1513 work began on a chapel endowed by James Stanley, Bishop of Ely, in thanksgiving for the safe return of his kinsman (sometimes said to be his son…