20 ENGLISH Ar.RIfULTURAL LABOURER. 



a labourer being ijs. (>d. to i-js. (>d. per week. In Northamp- 

 tonshire boys \\vre employed as early as eight years of age, 

 the man gelling from us. to Jjs., and the woman from 8d. 

 to is. a day. Lincoln and Nottingham presented a con- 

 trast. There were men employed at yearly contracts of from 

 1 t -15 an< -l ;l hwer stratum of men, almost paupers, 

 irregularly employed, moving about on the gang system, 

 under which were also found children of the tenderest years. 

 In one half of Nottinghamshire gangs of children went 

 stone-picking practically all the summer, and even through 

 part of the winter, and at. eight years of age \vere con- 

 sidered old enough to lead plough horses ! 



In Leicestershire the standard of life was very low. 

 Wages ranged from us. to jjs., and boys of nine to twelve 

 year.- of age were regularly employed for ploughing, whilst 

 those even younger were put into the fields to scare birds. 



In Oxfordshire and Berkshire wages were said to 

 range from i-2s. (>d. to i-js. (>d., though this statement has 

 been qualified by another ihat young men of eighteen or 

 tweiiiy received from 8s. to us. pel' week, 1 lads of fifteen 

 and upwards, 5s. to los., whilst boys of ten or twelve 

 received _)s. to 4-. 



A- glove-making and the slop clothing trade were in com- 

 petition with agriculture in these counties it seems strange 

 that women could be found to work for 8d. per day, which 

 was the usual rate ; but possibly, as elsewhere, pressure 

 was brought i< bear upon the husbands. 



Shropshire presenud a picture of serfdom similar to that 

 whieh flourished in l);>r-et. Wages or allowances seemed 

 to be a matter whi'-h depended upon the- goodwill of the 

 farmer. No contract seem- to have been entered into 

 between master and man. II<>urs were unlimited, and the 

 pay men I for ov rtime t'.nk th>' foi m of a meal given or not 

 ai ill' 1 pleasure of the employer. So bad were the cottages 

 : !; iboii rei'- were often b;irded in the farmhouses. 

 i' 1 v vari ! as luuch as from us. in western 



o 15-. iu the' neighbourhood of London; in War- 



