We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Course image

Working Lives in the Factories and Mills

Textile History and Heritage

Kirstie Blair and Michael Sanders

Kirstie Blair and Michael Sanders

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is designed for anyone interested in working-class history and literature, the Victorian period, industrial heritage or museums, and those exploring family or local histories related to this industry. You can use the hashtag #FLtextilemillsheritage to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Read more

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course is designed for anyone interested in working-class history and literature, the Victorian period, industrial heritage or museums, and those exploring family or local histories related to this industry. You can use the hashtag #FLtextilemillsheritage to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Explore the range of activities involved in working in factories and mills in the long nineteenth century, and how these changed during the period covered by the course.
Assess representations of millworkers from this period, as well as writings by the workers themselves, and discuss how they relate to wider questions of class, gender, and professional identity.
Investigate how museums represent factory workers.
Locate material relevant to this field through online archives.

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.

Save

Reviews summary

Textile history and industrial heritage insights

According to students, "Working Lives in the Factories and Mills: Textile History and Heritage" offers a largely positive and enriching experience for those interested in industrial and working-class history. Learners praise the course for its deep dive into the Victorian textile industry, covering the daily lives of millworkers and the evolution of factory work. Many found the focus on representations of workers and museum interpretations particularly insightful. The course is highlighted as well-researched and provides valuable resources for archival exploration, making it ideal for history enthusiasts, local researchers, and those exploring family heritage.

Some desire more in-depth focus on specific sub-topics.

"I wished there was a bit more discussion on specific regional textile differences within the UK."

"While excellent as an overview, I found myself wanting even more granular detail on the technology of the mills."

"The pace was generally good, but sometimes I felt rushed through certain complex social issues."

Offers a university-level experience for serious learners.

"The course felt like a true academic module, challenging me to think critically about historical representation."

"While comprehensive, I felt there was still ample room for me to pursue deeper independent research."

"It provides a solid foundation if you want to explore topics like textile history further at a university level."

Well-structured lectures and highly informative readings.

"The instructors presented the material in a clear and engaging manner, making complex topics accessible."

"I particularly enjoyed the selection of primary source readings that brought the history to life."

"The resources provided, especially on online archives, were incredibly helpful for further study."

Highly valuable for specific interests like family history.

"As a local historian, I appreciated how the course connected broader history to regional textile heritage."

"It gave me new perspectives on how to research my own family's industrial past."

"The insights into how museums represent industrial heritage were very useful for my work."

Provides a comprehensive and engaging look into textile history.

"I found the historical context incredibly well-presented, offering a thorough understanding of the textile industry."

"The course delved deeply into the lives of factory workers, far beyond what I expected from an online course."

"It was fascinating to learn about the social and economic changes in the Victorian era through the lens of the mills."

Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for Working Lives in the Factories and Mills: Textile History and Heritage. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

Career center

Learners who complete Working Lives in the Factories and Mills: Textile History and Heritage will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.

Cover image

Cover image

England in the Age of Dickens

Save

Provides a comprehensive overview of the Victorian Era, covering its social, economic, and political aspects. It is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn more about this period of British history.

England in the Age of Dickens

England in the Age of Dickens

Cover image

Cover image

Victorian Cities

Save

This anthology of primary sources provides a firsthand account of life in Victorian Britain. It includes excerpts from diaries, letters, newspapers, and other documents.

Victorian Cities

Cover image

Cover image

Inventing the Victorians

Save

Provides a detailed and scholarly overview of the Victorian Era. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about this period of British history.

Inventing the Victorians: What We Think We Know...

Inventing the Victorians: What We Think We Know...

Cover image

Cover image

Victorious Century

Save

Provides a concise and accessible overview of the Victorian Era. It good choice for students who are new to the topic.

Victorious Century

Victorious Century

Cover image

Cover image

Speculative Modernism

Save

This anthology of primary sources provides a firsthand account of the development of science in the Victorian Era. It includes excerpts from the works of Charles Darwin, Thomas Huxley, and other leading scientists.

Speculative Modernism: How Science Fiction, Fantasy...

The Spark of Modernism: Twenty Speculative Stories...

Speculative Modernism: How Science Fiction, Fantasy...

The Spark of Modernism: Twenty Speculative Stories...

Victorian Architecture

Save

Provides a comprehensive overview of Victorian architecture. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about this important period in architectural history.

By Stefan Muthesius Roger Dixon Victorian...

Unknown Binding

Cover image

Cover image

Save

Provides a detailed and scholarly overview of the Victorian Empire. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about this important period in British history.

Empire Ways: Aspects of British Imperialism

Cover image

Cover image

The Age of Improvement, 1783-1867

Save

Provides a detailed and scholarly overview of the Victorian Era. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about this period of British history.

The Age of Improvement, 1783-1867

The Age of Improvement, 1783-1867

Cover image

Cover image

Prostitution and Victorian Society

Save

Examines the lives of women in the Victorian Era. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the social and cultural history of this period.

Prostitution and Victorian Society: Women, Class,...

Prostitution and Victorian Society: Women, Class,...

Cover image

Cover image

Manliness and Masculinities in Nineteenth-Century...

Save

Examines the changing concepts of masculinity in Victorian Britain. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the social and cultural history of this period.

Manliness and Masculinities in Nineteenth-Century...

Manliness and Masculinities in Nineteenth-Century...

The Victorian Internet

Save

Examines the development of the telegraph and its impact on Victorian society. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of technology and its impact on modern life.

The Victorian Internet

The Victorian Internet

Share

Help others find this course page by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Copy Link

Similar courses

Similar courses are unavailable at this time. Please try again later.

Course image

Time

8 hours

Via

FutureLearn

Institution

University of Strathclyde

Instructors

Kirstie Blair

Michael Sanders

Share this

Share to help others discover this course.

Link

Begin learning today

Enroll now to gain full access to Working Lives in the Factories and Mills.

Enroll now Enroll in this course

Save for later

Add this course to your list. Find it anytime.

Save

Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser