Clydebank in the inter-war years: a study in economic and social change

Watson, William Carrick (1984) Clydebank in the inter-war years: a study in economic and social change. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The main theme of this thesis is the social, economic and political
response of a single community to economic dislocation in the interwar
years. The community under consideration is Clydebank.,
The thesis is divided into several parts. Part I establishes the
development of the burgh and considers the physical framework of the
community, mainly in the years before 1919. The town's characteristics
are examined in terms of population structure and development between
the world wars. In the last part of this section there is a review
of the economic structure of the burgh and changes occurring in it
between 1919 and 1939.
In Part II consideration is given to the actual extent and form of the
unemployment affecting Clydebank at this time, and comparison is made
with other communities and geographic/economic areas. Attention is
then focussed more narrowly on the actual individuals suffering
unemployment in the burgh during the 1930s, in an attempt to personalise
the experience of the unemployed.
Part III reviews central and local government responses to the situation
in which Clydebank found itself oetween 1919 and 1939. Central government
policies discussed include unemployment insurance, public works,
the Special Areas legislation, assistance in the construction of the
534 "Queen Mary" and the direction of financial support to areas of
particular need. Amongst local authority actions described are
additional local support for the poor, public works, efforts to attract
new industry to the town, attempts to deal with the housing problem
which was particularly acute at times of high unemployment and measures
to maintain health standards in the community.
In Part IV the responses of the community to unemployment and government
policies are detailed. The burgh's commercial sector is surveyed as
are developments in leisure provision, religion, temperance and crime,
and local politics. A number of individual responses are also given
consideration such as migration, commuting, changes in birth and marriage
rates and suicide.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions; H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Economic and Social History
• Supervisor's Name: Slaven, Professor A and Hart, Mr T
• Date of Award: 1984
• Depositing User: Adam Swann
• Unique ID: glathesis:1984-7371
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 22 Jun 2016 08:42
• Last Modified: 22 Jun 2016 08:42
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/7371