Yuhan (Year 9 student)
Editor’s note: This carefully researched and well-written essay was submitted to the annual Perse Aristotelian Award Essay Competition. CPD
One major impact of the Industrial Revolution on Leeds is the quality of life led by residents. From when Maurice Paynel founded Leeds in 1207 [1] to today, the quality of life in Leeds, and England overall, has gradually increased. However, how did the Industrial Revolution impact the quality of life in Leeds? In Medieval times, Leeds was seen as a small village with only 36 households [2] living in it. The living conditions were barely adequate, and human waste contamination with food and water was common [3]. Bacteria were easily spread, causing disease and significantly impacting the quality of life during medieval times. People often die at a young age, with an average lifespan of 33 years [4]. However, the residents did have access to the River Aire, which provided them with water. Fast forward to the 16th century, the population of Leeds dramatically grew to 3,000 people, and in the 17th century, it reached 6,000 [5]. The increase in population was due to the growth of the wool trade, which had now expanded so much that people would come from all over Yorkshire to buy wool and textiles [5].
Over the next hundred years, the population of Leeds would continue to grow rapidly. However, the population’s quality of life would also begin to decline. Some parents were barely able to feed their children, let alone themselves. The average lifespan during the 18th century was 39-40 years old [6] for both the rich and poor. Despite that, the quality of life began to rise gradually during the Industrial Revolution, which brought the ideas of factories and large-scale manufacturing. The Industrial Revolution paved the way for the building of personal wealth. [7] The rise in mass production meant that items such as clothes, food, and household items were now cheaper to buy. People could now save money from their wages and gain personal wealth, which some then invested into profitable businesses, leading to the growth of the middle class [7]. In 1834, a railway connecting Leeds to Selby was built, the first main railway line built in Yorkshire. In the coming few years, two other railways linking Leeds to York and Derby were completed [5]. These railways further improved the quality of life in Leeds because they provided quick and convenient transport for individuals to find and acquire jobs, visit family and reach leisure activities more often and freely [8]. The Leeds and Selby line is still used today by train companies such as Northern Rail and LNER, with roughly the same route as when it was first built [9]. People continue to use this railway to commute in everyday life and live a higher quality of life.
Another important impact of the Industrial Revolution on the urban living conditions of Leeds is the appearance of Leeds itself. Written in 1086, the Domesday Book gives us the first evidence of Leeds. It describes Leeds as follows: “27 villagers. 4 freemen. 4 smallholders. 1 priest. [3]” As said before, only 36 households were living in Leeds during 1086 [3], showing truly how small the town was. During the early 18th century, writer Daniel Defoe wrote, “Leeds is a large, wealthy and populous town. It stands on the north bank of the River Aire, or rather on both sides of the river, for there is a large suburb or part of the town on the south side of the river. [5]” The stark difference between a village of only 36 households and this description of Leeds by Daniel Defoe as a “large wealthy and populous town” shows us how Leeds grew in size and wealth between these two descriptions. The increase in wealth was due to the textile industry in Leeds, which boomed during the Industrial Revolution. Suddenly, new inventions, such as the flying shuttle or the spinning jenny [10], made producing textiles cheaper and more efficient.
By 1801, the population of Leeds reached 30,000, and it was seen at that time as a large town. Then, by 1851, the population had grown to 101,000 [5], and approximately 27,500 people were employed in textiles [11]. The increase in population was due to the surge of job opportunities during the Industrial Revolution in Leeds, which acted as a magnet for people all over the country, leading the population in Leeds to increase. However, with this rapid incline in population also came problems. The new houses built for the influx of people were poor quality and small. Overcrowding and bad hygiene were everywhere, and the streets of Leeds were squalid. These conditions led to the outbreaks of cholera in 1832 and 1849, which, in total, killed over 2,500 people [5].
Old textile mills like the East Street Mills have been repurposed as modern apartments and studios [12]. Many buildings constructed during the Industrial Revolution in Leeds still stand today as key aspects of Leeds’s culture, with their silhouettes contributing to the skyline. One example is the Leeds Corn Exchange; it was built in 1863 and was a hub of the trade of grain and corn in the city. This building has improved the quality of life in Leeds to this day because it promotes tourism and creates jobs for the local people [13]. The Corn Exchange attracts tourists as it is one of Leeds’s most famous and historic buildings. It also creates jobs as many small independent businesses within the Corn Exchange [13], so many residents find it easy to find a job.
The historic buildings and monuments from the Industrial Revolution in Leeds remind us that, in the words of Sir Francis Drake, “From small beginnings come great things.” We are prompted to strive for our goals and passions, ready to believe, more than ever, in a brighter future.
Bibliography
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The GSAL Journal 