History

The real William Dodd was born (most likely in Kendal) in 1804. He became a factory worker, but later developed various physical difficulties and eventually had his right forearm amputated. He went on to write several books detailing the harsh conditions of Victorian factory life and the realities of living as a disabled person in this period. His most famous work was A Narrative of the Experience and Sufferings of William Dodd, which was published in 1841. For more on Dodd and other similar working-class commentators, see the book Factory Lives: Four Nineteenth-Century Working-Class Autobiographies, edited by James R. Simmons, Jr. (Broadview, 2007).

Backstory

A former factory labourer severely injured in an industrial accident. He wants improved workers’ rights.
Start with £2.