Switch to English Switch to French

The Open University  |   Study at the OU  |   About the OU  |   Research at the OU  |   Search the OU

Listen to this page  |   Accessibility

the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
  RED International Logo

RED Australia logo


RED Canada logo
RED Netherlands logo
RED New Zealand logo

Record Number: 5015


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Methodist millworker Thomas Wood attended a school where there was only one book, the Bible, which was never read beyond the first chapter of St John. Therefore he later "read everythig I could lay hands on", which was precious little... He worked his way through most of the library at an independent Sunday school, and joined a mechanics' institute for 1 1/2d a week. His reading, though "very heterogenous" and undirected, could be quite intensive, as when he devoted almost a year to the six volumes of Rollin's Ancient History. That "left an impression on my mind which 40 years of wear and tear has not effaced".'

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

unknown

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bingley

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Thomas Wood

Age:

Child (0-17)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1822

Socio-Economic Group:

Labourer (non-agricultural)

Occupation:

millworker

Religion:

Methodist

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Charles Rollin

Title:

Ancient History

Genre:

History

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

borrowed (institution library)
mechanics' institute library


Source Information:

Record ID:

5015

Source:

Print

Author:

Jonathan Rose

Editor:

n/a

Title:

The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes

Place of Publication:

New Haven

Date of Publication:

2001

Vol:

n/a

Page:

372

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Jonathan Rose, The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes (New Haven, 2001), p. 372, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=5015, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

See Thomas Wood "Methodism in Bingley Over 130 Years Ago", Keighley News (10 March 1956, 24 March 1956)

   
   
Green Turtle Web Design