PRICE OF LABOUR

(A. Young, Northern Tour, Letter XXXIX, pp. 445 et seq.)

Averages

Harvest10/8

Pay per week
Hay9/5
Winter6/5

I do not think there is much reason to find fault with any of these average prices as exorbitant or higher than a flourishing agriculture can well afford to pay, nor are any of them so low as to oppress the labouring poor; there not being above one or two places where any allowance is made for piece work, whereas much is everywhere done; and it is universally known that they earn more in that manner than the weekly pay of the country.

Servants’ wages are higher than I conceived. £10 8s. 6d. for upper farming men is out of proportion to the average pay of labourers.

The rates of labour admit of prodigious variations.... I apprehend that Chance has been the mother of three fourths. Famine before the exportation of corn was encouraged, and extreme high prices locally heightened the prices of labour, as the richer inhabitants were more or less willing to assist the poor. The rates so raised in some places continued after the occasion, in others were reduced.

In some places I was informed of the value of servants’ board, washing and lodging; average £9.

PRICES OF LABOUR IN THE MANUFACTURING TOWNS (SUMMARIZED)

Men:from15/- or 11/- (colliers) to
7/6 or 7/1 (textile)

per week
Women:„6/6 (potteries) or
5/4 (textile) to
3/3 (textile)

„ „
Children:„5/- or 4/- (textile) to
1/8 or 1/-

„ „
Average of poor rates: 1/1.

Poor rates are never nicely proportioned to the prices of provisions and the necessities of the poor, but depend on the temper of individuals, the caprice of parish officers and justices of the peace. They are as often raised by clamour as by real necessity.