Made by Labour

This is the first full-length study of the material and visual culture of the British labour movement in almost half a century. It draws together the fruits of recent research into a comprehensive material and visual analysis of the nineteenth-century labour movement’s development. It analyses the meaning of ‘labour things’, the role they played in the lives of working people and the ways they have influenced the writing of labour history. Over ninety beautifully illustrated, expertly contextualised objects are used to narrate the history of British labour in its most crucial phase of development. Chapters on curation and preservation, a directory of museums where labour things may be seen, and a full bibliography complete the treatment of this important and rapidly developing field, making the book not just essential academic reading but a handbook for anyone who wishes to explore this vital part of our shared culture.

'Drawing on a wide range of artefacts, Mansfield and Wright provide a fresh approach to British labour history. The large number of beautiful illustrations are a pleasure to view, accompanied by astute assessments of each item. Much was new to me. Very enjoyable and enlightening.', Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester

'The dedicated work of Mansfield and Wright has given us a model that other authors and institutions should replicate.', Labour History