Established in 1832, The Mechanics Institute Library was part of a national initiative to provide adult education, especially in technical subjects for working men. During this illustrated talk hosted by Institute President Tricia Restorick, we aim to find out how crucial this institute was in imparting knowledge to the workers of Victorian Bradford.
In previous years, we’ve explored the untold histories of Bradford’s mill and warehouse owners. Now, we turn our attention to the city’s workforce and how the Mechanics Institute taught weaving, literacy and numeracy skills to common workers, forever changing the city’s future.