Question 53. Can you give the Commissioners any information. respecting the causes and consequences of the agricultural riots and burnings of 1830 and 1831 ?

We then extracted the Answers to these Questions from the first seven counties of England, taken alphabetically, that is to say, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, and Cumberland. We might have made a selection which would have given much more striking results; but we think that a fairer estimate of the general bearings of the evidence may be made by the mode which we have adopted, than if we had picked out and contrasted the very best and the very worst examples. The counties which we have taken comprise each extremity of England, and some of its central districts. Some are maritime, others inland: some thickly and others thinly peopled. Some contain mining, others manufacturing, and others only agricultural districts. In some the management of the poor is bad, in others excellent. We believe, in short, that a fairer average of the whole country cannot be taken. To reduce the extent of this Supplement, we have omitted the returns from the parishes mentioned in the note.* On referring to them, as printed at length in Appendix (B.) it will be seen that they afford no material information with respect to the selected Questions.

66

Questions 24 and 25.

Of the 14 parishes in the county of Bedford which reply to the Questions Have you any, and how many, able-bodied labourers in the employment of individuals receiving allowance or regular relief from your parish on their own account, or on that of their families; and if on account of their families, at what number of children does it begin?" and "Is relief or allowance given according to any, and what scale?" allowance is refused in 4a, scarcely exists in 1, begins with the fifth child in 1e, with the fourth child in 14, with the third child in 4o, "whenever the family is large" in 1', “cases of allowance for large families are so various that no specific answer

* BedfordshirE:-Cardington. BERKSHIRE:-Padworth, Sunningwell.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE :-Datchet, Fingest, Hambleden, Hedsor, Horton, Ibstone, Iver, Langley Marish, Marsh Gibbon, Great Marlow, Little Marlow, Medmenham, Stoke Pogis, Whitchurch.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE:-Cherry Hinton, Comberton, Doddington, Duxford, Fulbourn, Little Gransden, Harston, Isleham, Newton, Orwell, Sawston, Tyd St. Giles, Wisbech St. Mary, Wisbech St. Peter.

CHESTER:-Dutton, Landican, Little Leigh, Leighton.

CORNWALL:-Cardynham, St. Enoder, St. Ewe, Morval, Ruan Major.
CUMBERLAND:-Belbank, Culgaith, Greystoke, Melmerby, Skirwith.

Caddington, Maulden, Northill, Southill-cum-Warden.

a

C

Cople.

d Sharnbrook.

Bromham, Kempston, Lidlington, Puddington,

Willington.

! Turvey.

can be given" in 1a, and allowance begins with the first child, whether the man be in employment or not, in 1.

Of the 28 parishes in the county of Berks, allowance is not granted in 7°, in one of which (Winkfield) occasional relief is sometimes given when there are more than five children; in 2 others d there is no stated allowance, but relief is given to large families; it begins with the sixth child, according to earnings, in 1°; with the fifth child in 1', and is increased if bread is dearer; with the fourth child in 65; with the third or fourth child, according to the price of the gallon loaf, in 1; with the third child in 5; with the second child in 1; and according to a rule, if any, not stated, when the family is large, in 3'. In almost all these cases it is regulated by the price of bread.

Of the 21 parishes in the county of Bucks, allowance is not granted in 2m; given at " times," "in winter," in 2n; begins with the fifth child in 1°; " seldom under five" in 1o; begins with the fourth child in 44; with the third in 1'; all the children whom the labourer cannot maintain are taken into the poor-house in 18; and in the 8 remaining, allowance is given according to rules which the answers do not clearly indicate.

Of the 29 parishes in the county of Cambridge, regular allowance is not given in 8t, in one of which (Wimpole) the labourers are employed by an agreement of the nature of a labour rate; it begins with the sixth child in 1"; with the fourth child in 4"; in winter, sometimes with the third, in 1; in 1, in the case of large families, "the children are sent to school and allowed 1s. each; and in another”, “they are sent to the gravel-pit and allowed from 1s. 6d. to 2s. a week in idleness:" and in the remaining 13 it is given generally when the family is large, or the children uuemployed, or the wages earned are insufficient to purchase a definite quantity of flour per head.

Of the 13 townships in the county of Chester, allowance is re

a

Meppershall.

C

b Westoning.

Burghfield, Cookham, Great Faringdon, Hurley, Shottesbrook, White Waltham, Winkfield.

d Binfield, Bray.

• Ufton Nervet.

' Wargrave.

Boxford, Bradfield, Kintbury, Long Wittenham, Milton, Shrivenham.

h Wasing.

Leckhampstead.

t

Beaconsfield, Bledlow, Great Missenden, Turville.

Bassingbourne, Foxton, Melbourn, Over, Papworth St. Agnes, Royston, Wimpole, Wisbech.

" Sutton.

y Meldreth.

W

Histon, Linton, Littleport, Thorney Abbey.

Little Shelford.

* Chatteris.

fused in 10; house-rent only is paid in 1b; allowance has been. given with the third child in 1°; "relief is given on account of families," but by no regular scale, in 1a.

Of the 25 parishes in the county of Cornwall, allowance is not granted in 15; house-rent is paid where there are more than four children in 1; assistance is given where there are more than four children under 10, and they apply to the parish, in 4; with the fourth child in 4h; and with the third, occasionally, in 1'.

Of the 42 parishes in the county of Cumberland, in 27 allowance to the able-bodied is unknown; in 11" the allowance on account of families varies from 21. 10s. to 5l.;" it is given sometimes and begins with the second or third child in 1m; one shilling is sometimes given for each child under nine years of age in 1"; rent has been paid or occasional relief given, on account of large families, in 90; "it depends on father's earnings P in 1;" several receive "small allowances" in 19; and in 1, (Bewcastle, population 1336) three able-bodied labourers, with families, receive constant relief.

Question 29.

That the married men, even when employed by individuals, are generally or frequently better paid than the single, is admitted,

In Bedfordshire, by 9 parishes out of 15.

In Berks, by 14 out of 28.

In Bucks, by 11 out of 21.

a Audlem, Childer Thornton, Eastham, Hooton, Leftwich, Overpool, Great Sutton, Little Sutton, Thelwall, Whitby.

b Bostock.

Handforth-cum-Bosden.

a Rostherne.

St. Agnes, St. Antony in the East, Botusfleming, Buryan Deanery, Calstock, St. Gluvias, Gwennap, Kea, Landewednack, West Looe, Mawnan, Penzance, Roche, St. Stephen by Saltash, St. Winnow.

St. Merryn. Falmouth, Newlyn, Northhill, Talland. h St. Columb Minor, St. Kew, Lanreath, South Petherwin. iSt. Ive. Aikton, Borrowdaile, Brampton, Caldbeck, Cumrew, Dacre, Edenhall, Farlam, Gamblesby, Glassonby, Holme Cultram, Hunsonby, and Winskill, Hutton in the Forest, Irton, Kirkandrews-upon-Esk, Kirkandrews-upon-Eden, Kirkland, Kirkoswald, Loweswater, Nicholforest, Plumbland, Ponsonby, Little Salkeld Staffield, Walton, Waterhead, Waverton. Hayton.

"Nether Denton.

1

Burtholme. Alston, Arthuret, Hesket, Langwathby, Wetheral, Wigton, Bootle, Great Salkeld, Renwick.

P Bowness.

r

Ainstable.

Bromham, Cople, Lidlington, Maulden, Puddington, Sharnbrook, Southillcum-Warden, Westoning, Willington.

8

Boxford, Bradfield, Burghfield, Drayton, Great Faringdon, East Hendred, Lambourne, Letcombe Regis, Long Wittenham, Milton, St. Mary Reading, Sutton Wick, Uffington, Wasing.

Adstock, Bledlow, Steeple Claydon, Denham, Leckhampstead, Oving, Sherrington, Thornton, Turville, Upton, Woolston.

In Cambridgeshire, by 14a out of 28.

In Chester, by none.

In Cornwall, by 3b out of 25.

In Cumberland, by 3 out of 41; and in one of these, (Hesket,) the ground assigned is totally unconnected with the administration of the Poor Laws.

We will now take the 37th Question.

Question 37.

"Is the industry of the labourers in your neighbourhood supposed to be increasing or diminishing; that is, are your labourers supposed to be better or worse workmen than they formerly

were?"

In Bedfordshire, out of 14 parishes which answer the question, 14 states the industry of the labourers to be increasing, owing to gardens having been let to them; 5° that it is much the same, or not diminishing; and 8' that it is diminishing.

In Berks, out of the 28 which answer, 2, Cookham and Faringdon, in each of which an amendment in the administration of the Poor Laws has taken place, state that the industry of the labourers is increasing: 78 say, "much the same, not diminishing, or as good as formerly;" or, "not increasing:" 18", "diminishing," or," worse workmen." In 1 parish', of three respondents two say, "dimi"much the same as for many years past," and one says, nishing."

In Bucks, of the 21 parishes which answer, 1k says, "rather increasing;" 41, "no great difference;" "they work as well;" "they are industrious while at work, but less careful of their earnings, owing to their dependence on relief;" "they know how to work as well, but are more artful:" in 2 parishes", of two respondents, one says, "much the same," the other, worse;" and 14", "industry diminishing," or, "worse workmen."

a

66

Bassingbourne, Bottisham, Bourne, Foulmire, Fordham, Foxton, Histon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Over, Royston, Great Shelford, Little Shelford, Wimpole. Hesket, Kirkoswald, Staffield. Botusfleming, Northhill, St. Winnow.

d Turvey.

e

Bromham, Caddington, Meppershall, Southill-cum-Warden, Willington. Blunham, Cople, Kempston, Lidlington, Maulden, Puddington, Sharnbrook, Westoning.

h

Boxford, Uffington, Ufton, White Waltham, Thatcham, Wasing, Winkfield. Binfield, Bradfield, Bray, Burghfield, Coleshill, Drayton, East Hendred, Hurley, Kintbury, Lambourne, Letcombe Regis, Long Wittenham, Milton, Shottesbrook, St. Mary Reading, Speen, Sutton, Wick, Wargrave.

i Shrivenham.

Farnham Royal.

1 Burnham, Denham, Beaconsfield, Upton.

m

Taplow and Great Missenden.

Adstock, Amersham, Bledlow, Chenies, Cholesbury, Steeple Claydon, Fawley, Leckhampstead, Oving, Sherrington, Thornton, Turville, Wexham, Woolston.

In Cambridge, out of the 27 parishes that answer the question, 5a say that the labourers are "much the same;" that "there is no difference;" "not much difference;" "no material change;" no reason to complain:" 1", "less industrious in winter, in summer no material difference:" le says, "the labourers are generally as good as formerly, except those deteriorated by the operation of the Poor Laws:" 14, "that their industry is not increasing" 1o, 1, "farmers sometimes complain of diminishing industry, but are unable to substantiate their complaints; I imagine that the labourer works more unwillingly, but not less skilfully, and, as might be expected, feels less interest in his employer:" 2 state that industry is diminished in part, but not generally; and 16%, that it is diminished, or that the labourers are worse workmen.

In Cheshire, out of 13 parishes, only 1h states that the industry of the labourers has diminished: 6 give in fact no answer, and 6 give an answer which states or implies that the answerer is not aware of any difference having taken place.

In Cornwall, out of 26 parishes, 7 state that the industry of the labourers is increased, or that they are better workmen : 2*, that those who occupy cottages, with a portion of land attached, are very industrious, or most industrious: 11 says "the greater part are very industrious:" 1m, "the labourers that have small families and good masters are as industrious as ever; the opposite class have lost their independence:" 2", the same as ever they were: 2o, not materially diminished: 1o, industry diminished, but they have more knowledge, and are better workmen : 99, industry diminished, or worse workmen: 1' labourers less able-bodied.

Of the 42 parishes in Cumberland, 21' state that the industry of the labourers is increasing, or that they are better workmen ; 4' say

a

Bourne, Stetchworth, Sutton Thorney Abbey, Upwell. b Holy Trinity (I. of Ely.) e Papworth St. Agnes.

c Linton.

d Little Shelford.

f Trumpington, Waterbeach.

Bassingbourne, Bottisham, Chatteris, Foulmire, Fordham, Foxton, Histon, Littleport, Melbourn, Meldreth, Over, Royston, Great Shelford, Wimblington, Wimpole, Wisbech.

h Thelwall.

Buryan, Falmouth, Gwennap, St. Merryn, Newlyn East, Northhill, Penzance.

St. Ive, Kea, St. Kew, Lanreath, Westlooe, South Petherwin, Roche, Talland.

St. Antony in the East.

Alston, Arthuret, Bootle, Bowness, Burtholme, Caldbeck, Dacre, Nether Denton, Gamblesby, Glassonby, Holme Cultram, Hunsonby and Winskill, Kirkandrews-upon Esk, Loweswater, Ponsonby, Great Salkeld, Little Salkeld, Walton, Waverton, Waterhead, Wetheral.

'Borrowdaile, Brampton, Hayton, Staffield.