~Strawopolis~ : the transformation of Luton, 1840-1876
Luton's development in the nineteenth century was largely governed by the fortunes of the straw hat industry, studies of the workings of which have already been produced (Dony 1941, Pindar 1970). The reason for the ascendancy of Luton, an imimportant market town with commimications inferior to its neighbours, has never been explained convincingly. This thesis contends that the fundamental reason for Luton's swift dominance, and consequent rapacious urbanisation, lay with the abundance of freehold building ground which became available from the 1830s. This allowed for the widespread growth of the domestic production imits which were the distinctive feature of the hat industry in Luton in its earliest phase. It was not only the economic base of Luton that was transformed: the abandonment of the market town by a substantial proportion of its landowning elite left a vacuum which was filled by a new generation of entrepreneurs who can loosely be placed within the ranks of the petty bourgeoisie, and by a small number of larger manufacturers, professionals and theologians. United by politics (overwhelmingly Liberal) and by religious denomination (nonconformists outnumbered anglicans by a ratio of three to one in
Bunker, Stephen Thomas
Urban development; Economy; Society; Politics
~Strawopolis~ : the transformation of Luton, 1840-1876. Luton's development in the nineteenth century was largely governed by the fortunes of the straw hat industry, studies of the workings of which have already been produced (Dony 1941, Pindar 1970). The reason for the ascendancy of Luton, an imimportant market town with commimications inferior to its neighbours, has never been explained convincingly. This thesis contends that the fundamental reason for Luton's swift dominance, and consequent rapacious urbanisation, lay with the abundance of freehold building ground which became available from the 1830s. This allowed for the widespread growth of the domestic production imits which were the distinctive feature of the hat industry in Luton in its earliest phase. It was not only the economic base of Luton that was transformed: the abandonment of the market town by a substantial proportion of its landowning elite left a vacuum which was filled by a new generation of entrepreneurs who can loosely be placed within the ranks of the petty bourgeoisie, and by a small number of larger manufacturers, professionals and theologians. United by politics (overwhelmingly Liberal) and by religious denomination (nonconformists outnumbered anglicans by a ratio of three to one in
transformation development largely governed fortune hat industry study working already produce reason ascendancy market_town inferior neighbour never explain convincingly contend fundamental reason dominance consequent urbanisation lay abundance building ground become_available allow widespread growth domestic production distinctive_feature hat industry early_phase economic base transform abandonment market_town substantial proportion landowning elite left vacuum fill new generation entrepreneur loosely place_within rank petty bourgeoisie small_number large manufacturer professional theologian united politics overwhelmingly liberal religious denomination nonconformist anglican ratio