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Apprenticeship and economic growth in early modern England

Hosted by the Department of Economic History

In-person and online public event (Old Theatre, Old Building)

Speaker

Professor Patrick Wallis

Chair

Professor Eric Schneider

In his latest book, The Market for Skill: apprenticeship and economic growth in early-modern England, which forms the basis of this event, Patrick Wallis shows how apprenticeship helped reshape the English economy between 1500-1800.

By detailing the activities of apprentices and masters, the strategies of ambitious parents, the interventions of guilds and the decisions of town officials, he shows how the system contributed to the growth of cities, the movement of workers, and the spread of new technologies. He argues that this success was because it was a flexible institution which allowed apprentices to change their minds and exit contracts early, providing a vital training accessible to most young people, whatever their background.

Meet our speaker and chair

Patrick Wallis (@phwallis) is Professor of Economic History in the Department of Economic History at LSE. His research explores the economic, social and medical history of Britain and Europe from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.

Eric Schneider (@ericbschneider) is Professor of Economic History in the Department of Economic History at LSE. He is currently conducting research on three broad topics in the history of health and historical economic demography.

More about this event

Join us on campus or register to watch the event online at LSE Live. LSE Live is the home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

The Department of Economic History (@LSEEcHist) is one of the world's leading centres for research and teaching economic history. It is home to a huge breadth and depth of knowledge and expertise ranging from the medieval period to the current century.

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This public event is free and open to all. This event will be a hybrid event, with an in-person audience and an online audience.

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For the online event: Registration for this event via LSE Live will open in mid April.

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