Geographical Change and Industrial Revolution: Coalmining in South West Lancashire 1590–1799

The economic changes of the industrial revolution came to different parts of England at different times. By examining the geography of these changes, this book shows how the pattern of production in an important coalfield changed as it became part of the regional economic system developing around the port of Liverpool. In the first part of the book the author develops a model for studying the geography of economic change by combining the economic location theory of August Losch with concepts from systems theory. He concludes that normative theories possess great value in allowing an ordered description of the process of growth, if not an explanation of it. The theoretical model allows the author to analyse the complex process of change in the coalfield. The combination of theoretical enquiry and detailed archival work provides a thorough account of the transformation of an important industry. In doing so, the book casts considerable light on the process of regional economic development in the English industrial revolution.