The Industrial Revolution was not just a story of machines and inventions — it was a profound transformation of everyday life. This talk traces the journey from cottage industries and rural handcrafts to the rise of factories, steam power, and bustling industrial towns. We’ll explore how these changes affected the work our ancestors did, the homes they lived in, and the communities they built.
Drawing on vivid examples from textiles, railways, and local trades, the session will show how industrialisation created new opportunities but also new challenges, from child labour and urban overcrowding to migration and social mobility. Alongside the big picture, we’ll highlight the human dimension: how ordinary men, women, and children navigated this upheaval, leaving behind records in census returns, parish registers, and family stories.
By connecting economic history with genealogical sources, the talk will help family historians see the Industrial Revolution not as distant history, but as a living context for their own ancestors’ experiences — a time when the rhythms of work, home, and community were reshaped forever.
For LWMFHS members only
Membership starts at £12, to join or find out more follow this link [London Westminster & Middlesex FHS | Parish Chest]
Doors open at 7.45 for an 8pm start.
Contact: virtualbranch@lwmfhs.org
