Objects of Poverty

Objects of Poverty is the first volume dedicated to analysing the material culture of poverty in British history from 1700 to the present.

The book examines the history of poverty through the objects ‘owned’ by the poor and those crafted, repurposed, or simply encountered by them, offering critical new insights into the experience of being impoverished.

This collection brings together leading and emerging scholars who draw on a wide array of 'objects of poverty.' These range from items that survive today, such as dolls, whistles, and textile samples, to those that have long since disappeared and now only exist in visual and written sources.

The contributors trace the importance of materiality in eighteenth-century and modern life, covering objects connected to sustenance, home, the makeshift, childhood, animals, money, workhouses, and injury and death.

In its 23 chapters, along with some 77 illustrations, the book provides a detailed exploration of the history of poverty in Britain. Each chapter is based on original research and makes a new contribution to the literature.

This book will be fascinating reading for history enthusiasts, students, and established academics across multiple disciplines.