Smog Stories: Lived Experiences of Air Pollution in Twentieth Century Britain
Name
Fellowship_Report_-_Davies_SMOG_STORIES.pdf
Description
visibility:open
Size
146.42 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (CRC64NVME)
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Resource type
Research report
Creator (person)
Davies, Kathy
Date published
May 27, 2026
Abstract
The aim of this project was to progress historical knowledge of air pollution beyond the science, politics, and policy approaches to ‘Clean Air’. The research positioned personal testimonies at the centre of this history for the first time to develop understanding of the ‘everydayness’ of poor air quality in Britain. Thinking beyond legislative developments and well recorded events like the Great London Smog 1952, this research revealed how smog, smuts, smoke, and dustroutinely intersected with experiences of work, leisure, education, health, and home. It has also given attention to the affective and bodily nature of atmospheric pollution to demonstrate the deeply personal impact of pollution on human lives. Detailed findings of this project will be published in a special issue of Social and Cultural History on ‘Everyday Environments’ in 2026.
Publisher
British Library
Place of publication
UK
Official URL