Interacting with the Past: The Coalbrookdale searchable database

History is all about bringing the past to life, and in this activity you will do this is in a very unusual and interesting way.

Coalbrookdale, a small town in Shropshire, is famous as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution: a place of blast furnaces, roaring forges and busy factories. Its iron bridge (right) – the very first ever made – still attracts visitors from all over the world. In the 19^th Century some people thought it was hell on earth; others thought it was an industrial wonderland at the heart of the British Empire.

This activity allows you to investigate which of these interpretations is most accurate by interacting with the 1861 Census (government survey) of the town. A powerful, searchable database will provide you with very specific information: how many people lived in overcrowded houses, for example, or how many people under the age of 12 were in full-time work.

Now choose an option:

Instructions on how to use the Database (recommended for beginners)

Select a Task

Proceed straight to the Database