“Sawyer 2s. 6d. per hundred. a farm carpenter 1s. 6d. per day. or, ‘I finding him,’ 1s. per day. common labourers, generally 1s. per day; sometimes, but less frequently, 9d. per day
} in 1849, 2s. threshing wheat, 16d. per quarter in 1849, 3s. mowing, from 1s. to 1s. 8d. per acre in 1849, 3s. 6d. mowing oats, 1s. 3d. per acre in 1849, 2s. 6d. mowing clover, 1s. 6d. per acre in 1849, 2s. 6d. hayers, 2s. and 2s. 6d. per week in 1849, 6s. reaping, 2s. per acre in 1849, 10s. to 14s. sheep shearing, 1s. per score in 1849, 2s. 6d. hedging 2-1/2d. per rod in 1849, 4d. hoeing, 6d. per acre in 1849, 4s. women 8d. per day in 1849, 1s., and 1s. 4d. boys, 4d. per day in 1849, 6d. and 3d. making faggots, 18d. and 20d. per hundred; in 1849, 3s.”
| “Sawyer | 2s. 6d. per hundred. | |
| a farm carpenter | 1s. 6d. per day. | |
| or, ‘I finding him,’ | 1s. per day. | |
| common labourers, generally 1s. per day; sometimes, but less frequently, 9d. per day | } | in 1849, 2s. |
| threshing wheat, 16d. per quarter | in 1849, 3s. | |
| mowing, from 1s. to 1s. 8d. per acre | in 1849, 3s. 6d. | |
| mowing oats, 1s. 3d. per acre | in 1849, 2s. 6d. | |
| mowing clover, 1s. 6d. per acre | in 1849, 2s. 6d. | |
| hayers, 2s. and 2s. 6d. per week | in 1849, 6s. | |
| reaping, 2s. per acre | in 1849, 10s. to 14s. | |
| sheep shearing, 1s. per score | in 1849, 2s. 6d. | |
| hedging 2-1/2d. per rod | in 1849, 4d. | |
| hoeing, 6d. per acre | in 1849, 4s. | |
| women 8d. per day | in 1849, 1s., and 1s. 4d. | |
| boys, 4d. per day | in 1849, 6d. and 3d. | |
| making faggots, 18d. and 20d. per hundred; | in 1849, 3s.” |
A reference to the household-books of the Derings, in East Kent, gives the same results.
The wages given by Sir Roger Twysden to his household servants at this time were:—
“Housekeeper 5l. per annum. maids 2l. 10s. and 3l. men 5l. 10s., 5l. and 4l.”
| “Housekeeper | 5l. per annum. | |||
| maids | 2l. 10s. and 3l. | |||
| men | 5l. 10s., 5l. and 4l.” |
I have added, in most instances, the prices now paid to labourers in these parts, having obtained my information from the farmers of the neighbourhood.
The price of butchers’ meat at present, in this neighbourhood, is from 6d. to 7 1/2d. per lb.; by wholesale, 3s. 6d. or 3s. 8d. per stone.
As far, then, as the relative prices of wages and meat can guide us, the labourer, in these parts, was as well able to purchase meat in 1670 as he is now.