This article examines the relationship between gender, occupation, illiteracy and economic development in Leicester from 1760 to 1890. Although Leicester's economy was at a proto-industrial stage of development, heavily dependent on domestic and workshop-based industries, interesting comparisons may be made with industrializing factory towns. There was similar reliance on child and female labour, and the industries appeared to develop in a climate of illiteracy. This new local case study is especially important for previous research concerning gender, occupation, illiteracy and economic development has tended to focus on urban market towns or newly developing factory towns.