The Development of Power 1700–1850

The development of steam-power was arguably the most vital element in the industrialisation of Britain; in the opinion of T. S. Ashton, ‘steam was the pivot on which industry swung into the modern age’. Certainly, to be able to mass-produce goods in factories a reliable form of motive power was needed — and steam supplied this need. Just how rapid was the development of the steam-engine is a matter of conjecture. Recent research suggests that the transformation from traditional forms of power (wind, water and animals) was relatively gradual and took some time to come about.