ABSTRACT
This chapter will systematically investigate what working-class clothing was available for purchase in the towns and villages of provincial England. The best approach would appear to be a detailed regional study of the type offered here. Results can be analysed and contextualized with other similar surveys, for example, John Styles in the north of England and Christina Fowler in the south of England. 1 This chapter will therefore examine the development of clothing shops that were used by working-class consumers in Herefordshire and Worcestershire during the first half of the nineteenth century. It will begin with a brief examination of the history of shopping, within the social and economic context of the two counties. This will be followed by an investigation into the distribution of working-class clothing retailers in Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The development of clothing shops in the towns and rural hinterland of the two counties will be analysed on the basis of evidence from the trade directories. It will also discuss what types of goods were stocked and whether shops catered for specific types of working-class consumer. Finally, the question of how frequently such consumers entered and used shops will be addressed. Any differences in clothing provision between genders and across geographical areas will also be considered.
