The Economic and Social Development of Merseyside

Merseyside conjures up strong emotions of love or hate, of respect or contempt, but few people regard the region dispassionately. It has attracted a great deal of publicity as a particularly strike-prone region and has been the scene of some of the worst riots in Britain. Yet the region also included attractive holiday resorts and extensive well-to-do and comfortable residential areas at the time. Historically, too, Merseyside is renowned for many activities: as the birthplace of world-famous shipping companies and the testing ground for canals and railways. But although a good deal has been written about these aspects of the area’s economic and social development, there was no attempt to summarise the results in an easily readable form. First published in 1982, The Economic and Social Development of Merseyside takes a broad view of the region so that the area covered is extremely varied both in economic and social terms. It includes rich agricultural districts, extensive industrial areas, and important commercial and maritime activities. Topics and regions are presented in a clear form so that the book will appeal to those interested in the history of Merseyside.