New Books in History Joseph Harley and Vicky Holmes eds., "Objects of Poverty: Material Culture in Britain from 1700" (Bloomsbury, 2025)
Dec 5, 2025
Historian Joseph Harley, co-editor of 'Objects of Poverty', unpacks the hidden narratives of materials owned by the impoverished in Britain since 1700. He highlights the surprising variety of objects, from dolls to reusable egg boxes, illustrating how possessions shape identities and social histories. The conversation delves into the precarious nature of poverty, the evolution of poor laws, and the emotional ties to companion animals. With insights from emerging scholars, the book invites readers to rethink material culture and its profound impact on lives.
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Poor People Had Objects By 1700
- By 1700 poor people owned many everyday and nonessential objects, contradicting assumptions of extreme sparsity.
- Joseph Harley argues those objects reveal work, comfort, and social meaning across classes.
Make Research Accessible And Affordable
- Accessible academic writing broadens impact and readership beyond specialists.
- Harley and Vicky aimed for an affordable, readable edited volume to reach students, enthusiasts, and scholars.
Patchy Sources Demand Mixed Methods
- Material culture sources are fragmentary for the poor because many objects didn't survive and were discarded.
- Harley and contributors pair surviving objects with inventories, diaries, and welfare records to reconstruct poor households.
