The peak and demise of the working horse : Britain's transition from equine to motor power, c. 1870-1950

Abstract

The utility of horsepower did not end with the invention of the coal-powered steam engine in the eighteenth century. The British economy remained horse-drawn until the 1950s. Drawing on archival research in the UK, the thesis contributes to an understanding of the material basis of the economy through a history of consumption. This thesis frames human reliance on horsepower following Erich Zimmermann’s functional resource theory, whereby resources acquire or lose (social) value depending on social, cultural, political, or technological change. Resources in this sense are not fixed, but open-ended and reversible. Thus, horsepower is made in the way society perceives, experiences, and knows this animal resource. The thesis starts by discussing the varying uses of horsepower in the British economy and its eventual demise. It shows how producers and users of horsepower both influenced and were affected by the horse’s disappearance. Moreover, the thesis highlights the role of institutional actors in this process. It eventually studies the decision of businesses to replace horsepower with fossil fuel powered technology and the impact that had on those working closely with the horse. Furthermore, the thesis pays attention to the external factors that unmade horsepower, such as the role of globalisation, social structures, users’ preferences, or shocks. The study considers the lessons from previous energy transitions, the reasons for the longevity of horsepower, and its (dis-) use. It argues firstly that shifts in energy usage take a long time. Secondly, this process needs to be situated its regional, national, and global context, and thirdly, requires a high degree of political and entrepreneurial imagination and willingness to take risks. Lastly, shifts and dynamics in the cultural perception of horsepower in society determine its use.