Artisans & the Commissioner Churches in 19th century Sheffield

This talk will explore the lives of the working-class families who were buried in one of Sheffield's
four Anglican Commissioner Churches.
About this Event

Commissioner Churches were funded by a government in financial crisis after the Napoleonic Wars to tackle 'urban godlessness' and to combat the growing popularity of nonconformist faiths in towns, and have been little studied, despite providing a rich source of data on what the Victorians called 'the industrious classes'. The talk will investigate where these families came from, the work they did, the households they put together, how long they lived, and how they fought for political control and better living conditions through their involvements in Chartism and trade unionism. It explores the many choices they made, both in life and in deciding how to bury their loved ones. The talk will particularly focus upon the lives of those whose stories are most difficult to find; women, and especially widows.

About the speaker: Dr Kate Faulkes has recently completed her PhD in Historical Archaeology at the University of Sheffield. Her thesis focused on the Sheffield Commissioner Churches, and their underused potential for informing themes of class development and state intervention, gender and radicalism across the socio-economic spectrum. Her particular research interest is uncovering narratives for those most invisible in the historic record, particularly women. Thirty years of work in community development in disadvantaged communities have left her passionate about helping others to access their own heritage, and she regularly gives public lectures, works in schools, and leads historic walks for Canal and River Trust. She is very happily retired and lives on a narrowboat in Sheffield with her husband and two large overfriendly dogs.

The picture is of the Inspection and Packing Warehouse of George Wostenholm Cutlery Makers at their Washington Works on Wellington St c1880.