This study reveals aspects of Victorian Dundee that have been hidden from history. It looks behind the traditional view of Dundee in this period as a grim industrial town marred by social deprivation and riven by workplace conflict. It shows that this image of the city was only part of the story and explains how the town provided regular work and better wages than were available in the countryside (many of the town's inhabitants were migrants), offered a range of social amenities, and had a strong sense of civic pride.