About the data
This classic study, known as 'The Edwardians' comprises 453 digitised interview transcripts and audio recordings from life-story interviews collected in the early 1970s The interview schedule covered: roles and work of family members meals, domestic routine, child-rearing and school, emotional relationships, family values, leisure, religion and politics. The interviews are all open-ended and are between one and six hours long and formed the basis of the first national oral history project in the UK.
How the data were used
The project on Liquid Politics, funded by ESRC and AHRC, looked at conflicts over water and the creation of a 'consumer' in battles over water and in droughts in the Victorian and Edwardian periods. For this research, the Edwardians data provided rich material about daily water practices, the diversity of routines, and conflicts linking private and public realms.
About the author
Frank Trentmann is Professor at Birkbeck College and Programme Director of the ESRC-AHRC Research Programme on Cultures of Consumption
To view and download the data GO TO ESDS