Manchester, a city located in northwest England, has a population of 440,000 people and is known as the world’s first industrial city (Williams 1). From 1750-1850, industrialization roared in the city; this boost in industry and economic opportunity was, in part, thanks to the factories that supplied work to both city and rural laborers as well as immigrants from other countries. Gwyndaf Williams, author of the essay “Manchester” writes “Machine based manufacture of cotton was the driving force for this expansion…” (1); also important in the city’s expansion were the growing careers in metals, engineering, chemicals, transportation, spinning and weaving. Inspired by this boom of activity, social relationships progressed and produced businessmen, unionists, politicians and later, reformers. 

While Manchester was the scene of newness, opportunity and business, it also became a stratified city in terms of...