Leisure in an industrial town : A case study of Rochdale, Lancashire, 1880-1939

摘要

The thesis contains two complementary strands ofudinquiry. On the one hand, there is an examination of theudway leisure was included within a way of life; the home andudthe neighbourhood being key elements in this account. Thereudis a description of the parameters set by paid and unpaidudwork on the extent of people's spare time, and what moneyudthey were able to spend during it. Note is taken of howudpatterns of activity and spending differed when childhood,udyouth and adulthood are compared. On the other hand, thereudis a survey of the provenance and growth of those institutionsudarising in the period, together with a picture of the progressudof those already present by 1880. The six decades precedingud1939 witnessed a massive growth in the commercial provisionudfor spare time activity; the pub, music hall, and railwayudcompanies provide a basis for this, but the cinema, dance hall,udradio and gramophone soon outpace them. Over the same spaceudof time, the church and secular societies cease to retainudtheir role as an amenity and as a force for the organisationudof people's spare time.udiv