Shropshire Routes to Roots

Pigot's Directory, 1821-1822
This short extract summarises Shropshire's agriculture and industry. By examining the extract, can you work out:

• The main types of farming produce
• The mineral resources to be found in the "bowels" of the county
• What sort of goods were manufactured

Based on this extract, did Shropshire appear to be a predominantly agricultural or industrial county, or were both important to its economy?

Slater's Directory, 1850
Shropshire certainly seems a lovely place to live. Slater's reports that "few counties possess a greater variety of soil, or are more diversified in appearance", with "romantic valleys" and a climate which is "highly salubrious". But of historical importance, can you find out what the county's industry is like now? You may notice:

• Different agricultural produces in the east, north and south of the county
• Changes in the Madeley and Bridgnorth area
• The main manufactures in Shrewsbury and Oswestry
• The main manufactures in Madeley, Coalport, Bridgnorth, Broseley, Hales Owen and Ludlow

Kelly's Directory, 1895
The more factual style of writing in Kelly's Directory allows us to put numbers on Shropshire's produce. By looking at this summary, can you work out:

• How many separate coalfields there were in 1895?
• How many tons of coal, iron, lead and limestone were raised in 1893? Which of these was the most valuable mineral?
• What other industries were there, and how significant were they?

By exploring the Shropshire's industrial heritage theme, you can find out why and when industry declined in the county in the twentieth century.

Pigot's Directory, 1821-1822
In this very brief section, can you find how many canals were present and where they ran to?

Slater's Directory, 1850
Looking at this more extensive description, can you find out:

• Whether any new canals were built after 1821
• What new form of transport was in use
• A particular form of transport used in the Coalbrookdale area

Kelly's Directory, 1895
Compare the order in which the types of transport are listed in Kelly's directory with the order of transport in the other two directories. Is there a difference, and why do you think this might have been?

Pigot's Directory, 1821-1822
This extract gives the population of Shropshire all the way back to 1700. Considering the first official census was only carried out in 1801, the accuracy of the early figures must be in some doubt. Nevertheless, you can still use Pigot's Directory to work out:

• The population in 1700
• The population in 1801
• The population in 1811
• The total population in 1821
• Was the population increasing or decreasing?

Slater's Directory, 1850
Thirty years later, with official censuses being carried out every ten years, it is possible to get a good picture of how the population was changing by looking at:

• The population by the 1841 census
• The increase over the 1831 census
• What the population might have been in 1851, if this increase was repeated

Kelly's Directory, 1895
Kelly's Directory reports some interesting population figures:

• Did the population increase or decrease dramatically from 1871 to 1891
• Can you find out why this might be? Read 200 Years of the Census (opens in a new window) from the Office of National Statistics for clues.