Course Programme
10:00 Session 1: Who, when and where? The impact of the consumer revolution.
11:15 Coffee
11:45 Session 2: Food, drink and clothing.
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Session 3: Brass pots to clocks: household goods.
15:15 Tea
15:30 Session 4: Changing beliefs and consumption patterns.
16:45 Day school ends
Course Aims:
- To introduce students to an important aspect of social history which has a strong correlation with local history and which will illuminate their understanding of the domestic lives of people over a period of six hundred years;
- To encourage reflection upon the extent to which the standards of living and consumption patterns of English people changed over the period.
This course will explore the type of material goods commonly consumed from the late medieval period through to the beginning of the nineteenth century including pewter, bedding and small items of silver in the late medieval period and clocks, looking-glasses and goods associated with the increased popularity of coffee and tea in the early modern period. As well as household goods, the course will touch on changing clothing fashions and the use of materials such as silks and satins, through to calicoes and fine linens.
Based on the largest database of probate records ever assembled, the course will explore the extent to which ownership of goods was related to time, social hierarchy and geography. For example, possessions of clocks varied widely by social group and geographical location until the second half of the eighteenth century when ownership became widespread.
Consideration will also be given to the various sources that are available to historians exploring the history of consumption.
Tutors biographies
Dr Joanne Sear
Jo lectures in local history for the Institute with a particular emphasis on the late medieval period. She has taught on the 'Introduction to Local History' and 'World of Material Goods' courses for the certificate as well as presenting 'Medieval Towns' at the diploma level and 'Manors' for the MSt in History.
Jo is working on a volume for the Suffolk Records Society on the manorial records of late medieval Newmarket which she is co-authoring with Dr James Davis of Queen's University, Belfast.
She likes to combine a range of approaches and media when presenting and makes particular use of handouts and visual images. She encourages students to ask questions and to debate and always welcomes input and observations. In addition, she is keen to encourage and facilitate students in undertaking their own research and tries hard to identify websites, online tutorials, etc. which can be easily accessed and explored.
Dr Ken Sneath
Ken lectures in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century history and in local history at the Institute. Until his recent retirement, he was also Assistant Director of Studies for Economic History at Peterhouse College, Cambridge. He has supervised on both the History and Economics Tripos and gave the Wolfson Lecture in local history, 'A consumer revolution in Huntingdonshire?' in 2009 (published in The Local Historian, 2011).
He has written four books on the history of Godmanchester. He has also contributed to the forthcoming volume on the Huntingdonshire Hearth Tax scheduled for publication in 2020.
His teaching style might be described as enthusiastic and lavishly illustrated.
Jo and Ken have recently written The Origins of the Consumer Revolution: From Brass Pots to Clocks which is published by Routledge in March 2020:
https://www.routledge.com/The-Origins-of-the-Consumer-Revolution-in-England-From-Brass-Pots-to-Clocks/Sear-Sneath/p/book/9780367341114
Accommodation
Although this is a non-residential course, students requiring accommodation may be able to book B&B at Madingley Hall, as availability permits.
Please contact reservations@madingleyhall.co.uk or +44 (0)1223 746222 for availability and booking enquiries.
Dietary requirements
If you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies please inform our Admissions Team on ice.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746262 if you have not already advised us of your requirements.
Additional requirements
ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.
Further information about student support.
Course materials
A booklist, course syllabus and detailed timetable are circulated as far as possible in advance of a course. You will receive these documents by email if you have provided us with your email address; please check your spam folder if you have not received these documents. You can also download material from the Documents section at the bottom of this page.
