About the book

This regional study centred on the coalfields of the North Midlands investigates the development of a series of model colliery villages, chief among them New Bolsover and Creswell (both in Derbyshire) and Woodlands/Brodsworth (South Yorkshire). Based on original archival research, the book considers the phenomenon of such ‘model villages’ to be inextricably linked to a wider set of political, religious and social concerns; the established interpretations of them – either as acts of philanthropy on the part of enlightened industrialists, or merely as a means of guaranteeing a supply of labour – are thereby considerably developed.

Building on the work of earlier industrialists such as Titus Salt and experiments in ‘model housing’ in Victorian cities (by the likes of Octavia Hill), a number of highly motivated individuals attempted to impose a particular social vision on the North Midlands coalfield during a period of rapid industrialisation. Rooted in late-nineteenth-century paternalism, this vision also formed part of a broader ‘progressive’ Liberalism and the key figures in this account all had strong links with the pre-1914 Liberal Party. In an era often characterised by optimism and a belief in progress, they demonstrated the ‘Nonconformist Conscience’ in action. All of them saw improved housing as a vital first step in creating communities that would offer moral uplift as well as social and environmental improvement, albeit while preserving the existing social hierarchy. They played a key part in elevating the political importance of housing and planning issues in this period and paved the way for widespread social improvements after 1918. Their legacy was considerable, architecturally, politically and socially, and was still relevant after 1945.