Spaces of Consumption: Leisure and Shopping in the English Town, c.1680-1830

Consumption is well established as a key theme in the study of the eighteenth century. Spaces of Consumption brings a new dimension to this subject by looking at it spatially. Taking English towns as its scene, this inspiring study focuses on moments of consumption – selecting and purchasing goods, attending plays, promenading – and explores the ways in which these were related together through the spaces of the town: the shop, the theatre and the street. Using this fresh form of analysis, it has much to say about sociability, politeness and respectability in the eighteenth century.

About the Author

Jon Stobart is Professor of History at the University of Northampton. His current research focuses on the history of shopping, leisure and consumption, in both urban and rural contexts. He has also published widely on urban space, urban and regional identity and the industrial revolution. Andrew Hann is a Research Fellow at the University of Greenwich and County Editor of the Victoria County History of Kent. His research interests include the history of retailing and consumption, urban and industrial change and the writing of community histories. Victoria Morgan gained her doctorate at the University of Coventry where she was a Researcher in Historical Geography. She now works as a barrister in London and maintains a strong interest in eighteenth-century urban development and local history.