The Car in British Society : Class, Gender and Motoring, 1896-1939

The car was first introduced in British society over 100 years ago.

This study offers a radical way of looking at the history of motoring; focusing on issues of class, gender and consumption, the author argues that the technology and use of the motor car was hugely influenced by the way it was adopted by society in the first year of its history. Taking as his starting point the growth of car ownership in Britain, Sean O'Connell reveals the role that the perceived status conferred by ownership played in car sales, and the class divisions which emerged in the different types of ownership and use.

Following on from this he looks at the way cars were used to open up a whole new leisure industry of the trips to the countryside and the seaside, and conversely how the threat to the "old ways" it represented was dealt with.

He goes on to discuss how the debate about safety on roads was influenced by the car users, and how legislation came to reflect the interest of the members of this group rather than the population at large.

Finally, the book includes a discussion of the gendered nature of car ownership and use, these becoming firmly associated with masculinity. As issues of car pollution and road building become increasingly important and hotly contested, this book seeks to enhance understanding of how the car came to occupy such a dominant position in British society.