The industrial revolution, which took place in the reign of Queen Victoria I and began in around 1760 was one of the main reasons that Burton grew. It was where people had to stop working at home and work in factories instead. Factories were in the middle of towns so that people that worked in them could get to them easily. People moving to Burton to get work contributed to its growth.
Burton did not grow very much in the 1770s due to the lack of roads. The roads were in an appalling state which the transport of beer difficult.
However, the first canal in Burton, the Trent and Mersey Canal, was opened in 1770. It was completed in 1777 and allowed beer to be transported across the country. In the 1790s, well over 200 boats and barges were operating through Burton, with 147 passing regularly through the town. This opened up new markets to the Burton brewing industry. The canals allowed the beer to be transported across the country to bigger towns and cities like Manchester and Leeds, who could sell it and grow too. From these towns and cities the beer was transported across the world, giving Burton's brewing industry a worldwide reputation and allowing it to grow.
In 1835, Michael Thomas Bass, Samuel Ratcliff and John Gretton formed a new partnership and over the next 15 years had an incredible success. This was due to the shrewd management of the company. They increased the firm's output from 18,000 barrels to 78,000 barrels.
At the time of the 1851 census, the firm had 367 employees, and the total population of Burton was 9768, compared to 1760 when there were just a few thousand people living in Burton. This was just a gradual growth compared to after 1850 because the brewing industry was only just beginning.
Another aid to Burton's growth was the railways, which also helped beer to be transported across the country before being exported across the world. The West branch of the Midlands railway was opened in 1839. It increased communications and was cheaper than the use of the canals. The brewery buildings were systematically and continuously connected by chains of railways which allowed the brewery to grow and progress.
As well as the brewing industry there were also other industries which contributed to Burton's growth. There were engineering industries, one of the main ones were Thornewill and Warham, who manufactured locomotives for the breweries, and by 1870 had a national reputation as steam engine producers.
These industries exported engines all over the world, which helped to raise the reputation and profile of Burton and encouraged further growth of the town. The company was also noted for its constructions in Burton in the period between 1850 and 1890. This industry helped the growth of Burton, as it ensured that the brewing industry had a regular and ready supply of all iron-work needed for the brewing factories.
The biggest increase in Burton's population was after 1850, when the brewing industry was at it's best. People moved to Burton from all across the country because they knew they would be able to get work. The population went from being 9768 in 1851, to 17,357 in 1861. As more people moved to Burton, more houses and factories were built and Burton became much bigger. The population of Burton continued to rapidly increase for the next 30 years, up to the 1890s.
