Employer Housing and Company Towns

Saltaire, once an isolated company town established during the mid-nineteenth century, exemplifies the transition from employer-provided housing to urban integration. The study reveals that the advent of cheap public transport, such as workers' trains and trams, rendered company towns like Saltaire obsolete by connecting them to broader industrial populations. This shift marked a significant departure from earlier models of company-owned settlements, such as Port Sunlight and Bourneville, which maintained their distinct community structures. The decline of such towns was attributed to deep-rooted economic factors predating the Industrial Revolution, highlighting the complex interplay between urban development and societal change.

Gauldie, E. (2023). Employer Housing and Company Towns. Cruel Habitations, 187–195. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003450672-20