Home town history VI

Bardon Hill, the highest point in Leicestershire 257m (912ft) above sea level, used to be a volcano. 
I’m no geologist, but when it blew the landscape was literally set forever.. 
Until the mid 18th Century, folks in these parts relied heavily on agriculture; however, the poor climate (being relatively high above sea level) and the poor soil conditions (loamy, stony and clay subsoil) were not conducive to crop growing. Consequently, there were frequent bad harvests, resulting in famine for the inhabitants. Nowadays, although a lot of land is still given over to farming, there are actually few crops grown, and it is used mostly for grazing cattle. In the early 18th Century, framework knitting became an important cottage industry in the village taking over from agriculture. It makes sense to assume that people were drawn to this occupation - particularly in this area - because of the difficulties in deriving a reasonable living from the land.
Around the mid 1800s, following the establishment of Whitwick colliery, coal mining began to take over from hosiery as the primary means of employment in the area. Subsequently, the population increased and the community expanded.

I’m just about done with the section on social history. 
I’m no social historian, but I guess the thing with social history is to decide where to drawn the line: where to finish, or where to start for that matter.
As always, my personal perspective derives from a social class perspective. So, my analysis begins around the time of the onset of the industrial revolution and the advent of the working-class.
My objective has been to put myself in context. These are my working-class credentials.​
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Seriously, I know who I am. 
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ooh just found this... the wilderness, I live amidst...(well, not all that wild, having been subject to various human interventions over the years: field enclosures, farming, quarrying, forest management, housing etc).
In the clip, the bit with the footpath overlooking the quarry with the wire fence is where I used to walk my dogs (2 Jack Russells) - just saying.
The old quarry which used to be next door is now filled in and landscaped (reclaimed). There was a stony ledge known as 'dead man's drop', because so many people threw themselves off - intentionally...hard times. 
There is some beautiful countryside around here though, no denying.