Pre-industrial trade on the River Severn : a computer-aided study of the Gloucester port books, c1640-c1770
This thesis addresses aspects of internal trade in pre-industrial England and Wales in order to shed new light on its volume, patterns, contents, conduct and development, and to develop new methods for its study. It focuses on the evaluation, computerisation, and analysis of coastal Port Books for Gloucester to undertake a case study of trade on the River Severn, one of the most important navigations in Europe. The Introduction establishes the place of internal trade in the pre-industrial economy and argues that quantitative evidence about its detailed character is crucial to further exploration of a wide range of themes. Quantitative studies of coasting trade have been limited by difficulties in utilising Port Books, and have not been undertaken for inland transport. Chapter 1 assesses previous uses of Port Books and provides a detailed evaluation of the coastal Port Books for Gloucester in order to establish a sound basis for their interpretation. Chapter 2 sets out new methods devised for the comprehensive computerisation of Port Books and analytical techniques for utilising the data they contain. The remaining chapters employ the database to provide new data and interpretations concerning the volume, goods
Wakelin, Alexander Peter
Economic history of England
Pre-industrial trade on the River Severn : a computer-aided study of the Gloucester port books, c1640-c1770. This thesis addresses aspects of internal trade in pre-industrial England and Wales in order to shed new light on its volume, patterns, contents, conduct and development, and to develop new methods for its study. It focuses on the evaluation, computerisation, and analysis of coastal Port Books for Gloucester to undertake a case study of trade on the River Severn, one of the most important navigations in Europe. The Introduction establishes the place of internal trade in the pre-industrial economy and argues that quantitative evidence about its detailed character is crucial to further exploration of a wide range of themes. Quantitative studies of coasting trade have been limited by difficulties in utilising Port Books, and have not been undertaken for inland transport. Chapter 1 assesses previous uses of Port Books and provides a detailed evaluation of the coastal Port Books for Gloucester in order to establish a sound basis for their interpretation. Chapter 2 sets out new methods devised for the comprehensive computerisation of Port Books and analytical techniques for utilising the data they contain. The remaining chapters employ the database to provide new data and interpretations concerning the volume, goods
pre_industrial trade river severn computer_aided study port book address aspects internal_trade pre_industrial england_wales order shed_new_light volume pattern content conduct development develop_new method study focus evaluation analysis coastal port books undertake case_study trade river severn one_important navigation europe introduction establishes place internal_trade pre_industrial economy argue quantitative_evidence detail character crucial exploration wide_range theme quantitative_study coast trade limit difficulty utilise port books undertaken inland transport ass previous port books provide_detailed evaluation coastal port books order_establish sound basis interpretation set new_method devise comprehensive port books analytical_technique utilise_data contain remain employ database provide_new data interpretation concern volume good