Losing the Thread: Cotton, Liverpool and the American Civil War

This book is the first full-length study of the effect of the American Civil War on Britains raw cotton trade and on the Liverpool cotton market. It includes an analysis of primary sources never used by historians and establishes the facts of Britains raw cotton supply during the war, including the causes of the Lancashire cotton famine. It also demonstrates how reckless speculation infested and distorted the market and lays bare the shadowy world of the Liverpool cotton brokers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2023
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

This groundbreaking study is the first comprehensive exploration of the profound impact of the American Civil War on Britain's raw cotton trade and the Liverpool cotton market. It delves into a wealth of primary sources that have never been utilized by historians, providing a fresh and insightful perspective on the subject.

Prior to the onset of the Civil War, America accounted for an astonishing 80 percent of Britain's cotton supply. However, a dramatic shift occurred in August 1861, when this supply plummeted to nearly zero, remaining at that level for a staggering four years. Despite the influx of additional supplies from various sources, Britain's largest industry, cotton manufacturing, received only 36 percent of the raw material it required from 1862 to 1864.

This book sets out to establish the factual contours of Britain's raw cotton supply during the war. It provides a comprehensive account of the quantity, source, cost, and consequences of the reduced supply on cotton manufacture. The book also conducts an in-depth inquiry into the causes of the Lancashire cotton famine, challenging the prevailing historical consensus on the matter. By examining the impact of the Civil War on Liverpool and its raw cotton market, the book sheds light on the pervasive influence of reckless speculation and exposes the shadowy world of Liverpool cotton brokers, who reaped enormous profits at the expense of the suffering of the rest of Lancashire.

This thought-provoking and meticulously researched work offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Civil War's far-reaching consequences on global trade and economics. It underscores the profound impact of political and economic decisions on the lives of ordinary people and highlights the urgent need for historical inquiry and analysis to shed light on the complex and often overlooked aspects of our shared past.

Weight: 410g
Dimension: 156 x 234 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781837644346