Grant awarded for research into consumer behaviour in 18th Century England
Professor Jon Stobart, School of Social Sciences, The University of Northampton has been awarded £160,139 by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for a major research project which explores the identity, supply networks and consumption practices of the gentry in 18th century England.
The project is entitled ‘Consumption and the country house, 1730-1800’ and will run for 20 months from April 2010.
The project builds on Professor Stobart’s recent work on shopping and consumption in the eighteenth century and links closely to work being undertaken by Northampton PhD student Rosie MacArthur on consumption and material culture at Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire.
The grant will support detailed archival research on two Warwickshire estates and will assist in the dissemination of the findings via public exhibitions.
The intention is to focus on everyday consumption as well as the luxury spending usually associated with country houses, and to explore both the motivations of elite consumers and the supply systems through which the their wants and desires were met. The more rounded picture of the country house which this research provides will help to inform new ways of presenting the history of these key sites in our national heritage.
Each year the AHRC provides funding from the Government to support research and postgraduate study in the Arts and Humanities. Only applications of the highest quality and excellence are funded and the range of research supported by this investment of public funds not only provides social and cultural benefits but also contributes to the economic success of the UK. For further information on the AHRC, please see our website www.ahrc.ac.uk.
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