Objects of Poverty

Focusing on the history of poverty through the lens of objects crafted, owned, and used by the impoverished, this book demonstrates how objects, or the lack of them, allow us to understand the experience of impoverishment from new and innovative perspectives. Spanning British history from 1700 to the present, Objects of Poverty is the first volume dedicated to analysing the material culture of poverty. Whilst the study of materiality is a well-established discipline, the objects that feature in the lives of the poor is a field that has remained opaque. To address this gap, Harley and Holmes bring together a diverse cohort of leading and emerging scholars to examine the significance of objects to the impoverished across four centuries, and approach the history of poverty from a dynamic new perspective. Including 80 illustrations, and drawing on a variety of historical sources - including objects that survive today - this book traces the importance of materiality across all aspects of early modern and modern life, including the domestic sphere, fashion, healthcare, institutional life, and leisure. Throughout its 20 chapters, this book crafts a detailed exploration of the history of poverty in Britain, and offers an excellent introduction to the study of materiality.