Britain's Most Historic Towns

Professor Alice Roberts travels to Glasgow to investigate the profound impact of steam technology on the development of major towns in the 18th and 19th centuries. During her study she learns about the arrival of migrant workers who came to the cities as industry expanded.

Glasgow’s Age of Steam is a television programme presented as a single episode that focuses on the city’s industrial heritage. The series falls within the documentary genre and follows a clear investigative format, with each instalment examining a particular aspect of steam‑driven change. In this episode the spotlight turns to Glasgow, a key hub during the era when steam power reshaped urban life. The episode follows Professor Alice Roberts as she travels to Glasgow to assess how the advent of steam power altered the development of major towns throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. While tracing the technological impact, she also uncovers the story of migrant workers who arrived in the city to meet the growing demand for labour in steam‑related industries. Her on‑the‑ground research links the rise of steam machinery with the influx of these new residents. Throughout the programme, Roberts examines the ways in which steam technology transformed the physical layout and economic activity of the towns she visits. She highlights how the need for a larger workforce prompted significant demographic shifts, with migrant labour becoming an integral part of the city’s expansion. The episode therefore ties together technological progress and social change, showing how steam power not only powered factories but also reshaped the human fabric of Glasgow. By the end of the episode, Roberts has pieced together a picture of Glasgow’s transformation, illustrating how steam power and the arrival of migrant workers together forged the modern city’s character. The narrative remains firmly anchored in the historical period of the 18th and 19th centuries, offering viewers a concise yet thorough look at this pivotal chapter in Glasgow’s past.