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Article: The development of the UK clothing industry, 1850-1950: output and productivity growth.
- Article from:
- Business History
- Article date:
- October 1, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1995 Frank Cass & Company Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The clothing industry was of great importance to the British economy of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Employment peaked before the First World War at well over 800,000, making the garment trades one of the single most important sources of employment in Britain, especially for women.(1) Much historical research has concentrated on this labour market, reflecting contemporaries' concerns with 'sweating' and the allegedly related influence of Jewish immigration from East Europe.(2) Despite this, relatively little is known of the industry's development. In particular, there is currently no series of estimates for clothing industry output or productivity growth ...