The Victorian era's class divide in Manchester has long been seen as a stark contrast between the haves and have-nots, thanks to the influential writings of Friedrich Engels. But new research suggests that his portrayal of a city sharply divided by class may be an exaggeration.
Dr Emily Chung's meticulous mapping of 1851 census data reveals a more complex reality than Engels' account in The Condition of the Working Class in England. While not refuting Engels outright, Dr Chung suggests that his narrative took "creative liberties".
The study found that over 60% of buildings housing Manchester's wealthiest residents also accommodated unskilled labourers. In areas considered "slums" like Ancoats, more than 10% of the population consisted of individuals from better-off classes, including doctors and shop owners, living alongside weavers and spinners.
Dr Chung's research highlights instances where different social groups shared not only neighbourhoods but even the same buildings. For example, families from various backgrounds were found to be inhabiting the same addresses. This nuanced understanding of social interaction in one of the world's first industrialised cities challenges long-held assumptions about class segregation.
Engels' radical ideas were shaped by the inequalities he observed while working in Manchester's cotton mills from 1842 onwards. Dr Chung acknowledges that some level of segregation did exist, but her research suggests that daily routines and policing limited social interactions between people from different classes even if their living arrangements weren't as segregated.