The social history of the Scottish shale oil industry, 1850-1914
This thesis sets out to examine the social consequences of industrialisation in a rural area. The industry chosen - the shale-oil industry - was confined to a relatively small, well-defined geographical area in the valley of the River Almond on the boundary of the old counties of West and Mid Lothian. The area was thus relatively free from industrial influence other than that of the shale industry. An obvious starting point was the industry itself. Its technology, capital structure, entrepreneurship and management have been considered in depth in Part I. In Parts II and III the main body of the thesis deals with the consequences of industrialisation - the environmental and economic effects on the area; population growth and movement; housing; working conditions; wages and standards of living. In the final section there is an exploration of people's reactions to the difficulties inherent in working and living in an industrial society. Throughout an attempt has been made to place local developments in the larger Scottish and United Kingdom context. This is particularly the case where the local situation might provide illumination on subjects of general debate such as the quality of entrepreneurship in British
McKay, John Henderson
History
The social history of the Scottish shale oil industry, 1850-1914. This thesis sets out to examine the social consequences of industrialisation in a rural area. The industry chosen - the shale-oil industry - was confined to a relatively small, well-defined geographical area in the valley of the River Almond on the boundary of the old counties of West and Mid Lothian. The area was thus relatively free from industrial influence other than that of the shale industry. An obvious starting point was the industry itself. Its technology, capital structure, entrepreneurship and management have been considered in depth in Part I. In Parts II and III the main body of the thesis deals with the consequences of industrialisation - the environmental and economic effects on the area; population growth and movement; housing; working conditions; wages and standards of living. In the final section there is an exploration of people's reactions to the difficulties inherent in working and living in an industrial society. Throughout an attempt has been made to place local developments in the larger Scottish and United Kingdom context. This is particularly the case where the local situation might provide illumination on subjects of general debate such as the quality of entrepreneurship in British
social_history scottish oil industry set_examine social_consequence industrialisation rural_area industry chosen oil industry confine relatively_small well_defined geographical_area valley river boundary old county west mid area thus relatively free industrial influence industry obvious start_point industry itself technology capital structure management consider depth part parts iii main_body deal consequence industrialisation environmental economic effect area population_growth movement housing work condition wage standard live final_section exploration people reaction difficulty inherent work live industrial_society throughout attempt_make place local development large scottish united_kingdom context particularly case local situation might provide illumination subject general debate quality british