The Economy of Kent, 1640-1914 (Kent History Project)

In recent years, historians' interpretations of the economic history of Britain from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century have changed significantly. There is less emphasis on the idea of a cataclysmic 'industrial revolution' pioneered in and confined to the northern and midland counties; rather, a gradualist and evolutionary approach to the subject has been taken, with increasing attention devoted to the long-neglected economic history of the southern counties. The Economy of Kent, 1640-1914 is among the first full-length studies to embody this new approach. Subjects considered include the population of Kent, its growth, mobility and distribution; agriculture; industry; transport; labour; and the importance of the sea to Kent. Through these detailed analyses, Kent can be seen to have retained its place as an important constituent of the expanding British economy throughout the period. Its steady economic progress avoided many of the strains and stresses experienced by counties more directly touched by industrialisation, along with the consequent processes of readjustment faced by those regions.