ABSTRACT
Along with the rapid growth in population, the economy of London expanded substantially during the nineteenth century. This chapter looks at employment and the changing industrial structure of the capital. It relies on the main statistical source available, the census, which, from 1841, included questions on employment. This enables a picture of industry to be built up, but it has limitations, both in terms of definition and geographical spread, particularly when the capital expanded beyond the boundaries of the County of London. As well as looking at the general picture, and changes within it, the information examined here enables consideration of some important questions about the role of London in the wider British economy. There are a number of commonly held views about London’s uniqueness that do not seem to conform to the available information.
