Social developments 1846-1885 Flashcards
What two important works were published in 1859?
On the Origin of Species
Samuel Smiles’ ‘Self Help’
When did the first Barnardo’s Home open in East London?
1867
When was the Torrens Act passed
1868
When was Bazalgette’s sewage system for London completed
1870
When was the Bank Holiday Act introduced?
1871
When was the Artisans’ Dwelling Act introduced
1875
When did William Booth found the Salvation Army?
1878
What does HCG Matthew say about working class living standards during this time
By the mid 19th century urbanisation had had profound social consequences for all classes. Most industrial workers left nothing behind aside from the products of their labour. Complex and varied patterns of life with religion and regionalism playing an important part. The standard of living if some of the working class began to increase quite fast. A significant number began to enjoy leisure time. Some money was available for more of the essentials of food, housing and clothing. Strikingly this rise coincided with a fall not a rise in birth rate. The extra cash was not absorbed by extra children. Unprecedented development which contradicted the thoughts of political economists that the labouring classes were condemned to never achieving above subsistence leves because any rise in wages would be absorbed by extra children. This development opened the way to the relative prosperity of the working class
What did mid 19th century census returns reveal about the extent of urbanisation and how did this continue to develop
That about half of Britain’s pop had become town dwellers. The escalation of economic progress and pop growth that followed changed the balance so that by 1871, 65% of the pop lived and worked in urban areas
Compare the pace of change in town and contryside
Much quicker in the towns
What class had developed as a result of industrialisation
A large prosperous middle class
What helped create the towns
Economic progress
Describe the social structure in the countryside at this time
Landowners and farmers
Tenant farmers
Agricultural labourers
Small number of professionals and tradesmen
The social structure was much the same as before, but many areas were adversely affected by rural depopulation
Who was Joseph Bazalgette
Chief Engineer on London’s Metropolitan Board of Works and was primarily responsible for the creation of the extensive network of sewers under London’s streets. One of the greatest contributions to improving the health of London’s poor. Most of it remains in use today. Transformed the appearance of the banks of the Thames
What was life becoming for many working class urban dwellers
Less harsh
What had the factory reform movement managed to achieve by 1870
They had successfully campaigned for better conditions and limited hours in many major industries
Give some examples of the simple commodities that were becoming more available and affordable at this time
Soap and matches
How did the quality and availability of food improve
Fresh food was quickly brought in from the surrounding countryside by train and food was cheaper. Diets became more varied with meat, milk and veg
What kind of public institutions did local authorities begin to open
Libraries, parks, baths and wash houses
What kind of developments created an impression of prosperity and well being in the towns
Visible improvements in town planning and amenities
When did Bazalgette design the sewage system
1860s
What was the most important impact of Bazalgette’s sewage system
It reduced mortality rates
Describe in birth and death rates at this time
From 1865 death rates began to show and overall decline, but so did birth rates. There are no solid explanations for the drop in birth rates as this occured before the creation of birth control. The trend was started by the middle class and mirrored by the working class a little later.
Describe the issues posed by cyclical unemployment at this time
In spite of the higher living standards, there was little security when workers lost their jobs, possibly through being laid off or through ill health. They might have set some money aside in the Post Office saving banks introduced by Gladstone in 1861, or in their Friendly Society. They could have resorted to a kind of self help by looking for the support of family or neighbours or accepting charity. It was the unskilled workers who ended up turning to the only form of state provision available - poor relief and the workhouse, with all the humiliation and stigma that brought to a working man and his family. Economic prosperity could not banish poverty
Why was the situation in terms of housing in the towns so dire
Lack of commitment to improving housing and as demand for houses exceeded supply rents began to rise
Why was little progress made with slum progress?
Little enthusiasm among landowners because there was not enough profit in it for them, as they could make more money from rents, and there was no compulsion to comply
How did the treasury make an ineffective bid to help with the housing situation in 1866
They made loans available for the local authorities for house building, but there was little interest
What did the 1868 Torrens Act do
Bound landlords to keep property in a good state of repair
Generally there was limited action by central govt and local authorities to improve the housing stock. What city provided the exception here?
Birmingham, where Joseph Chamberlain carried out far reaching improvements in both housing and municipal buildings
What societal point was Disraeli trying to make in his 1845 novel, Sybil
Outlined the concept of Britain being two nations, which exposed the appalling living conditions of the working classes, which carried on all the way up to the 1880s. A different interpretation of two nations could be the difference between countryside and town. In the 1870s living conditions for agricultural families seemed to be much worse than living conditions for industrial families on the face of it
FLM Thompson on the position of the rural working class
Many features of rural life unconnceted to wages, earnings and standard of living that could have led agricultural workers to see themselves as part of an ailing industry and living in times of depression. Living conditions, especially their housing, remained for the most part poor, rudimentary or downright squalid; improved communications, increased literacy and the spread of info were breaking down rural isolation, and may well have made labourers increasingly aware of their socio economic position as virtually at the bottom of the heap
What did the wages of agricultural labourers and industrial workers depend on
They fluctuated according to the state of the economy
What was an indicator that living standards rose across the board during this period
Rising wages in both towns and countryside
Did industrial or rural workers generally have higher wages
Industrial workers
How much did real wages for industrial workers increase between 1850-75
Wages rose by an average of about 50% while prices rose by around 20%, meaning a 30% increase in real wages
What does FLM Thompson say about the wealth of agricultural workers at this time?
He looks at movements in the earnings of farm labourers alongside a cost of living index for the period and concludes that their wages rose in real terms from 1860, dropping to a low point only between 1878-1886. He also points out the meagreness of their money wage, which at best rose to about 20 shillings a week. Comparisons are difficult because agricultural labourers received food, fuel and shelter from their employer in differing quantities and varying quality. Their dependence on their employer for housing meant living conditions for the most were basic and sometimes squalid. Thompson suggests that improved communications, literacy and the spread of info would have made these people increasingly aware of their position as being at the bottom of the socio economic heap
What benefits of working in the towns encouraged rural depopulation
Shorter working hours and higher wages. The railways also made the towns easier to reach
What does Matthew say was the negative impact of rural depopulation on rural areas
He says that it left ‘rural society demoralised’
What does Keith Robbins say was the impact of urbanisation on those in the countryside
He said that the rural countryside had to surrender before the advance of urban values and attitudes. Country cousins became more aware of the inferiority of their facilities. Advancement and urban life became synonomous
What did many town dwellers come to see the country side as
An amenity
Describe the development in leisure time for industrial workers
With the gradual introduction of the five and a half day week in the 1870s urban workers could contemplate a stretch of leisure time, not experienced before. With more money in their weekly wage packet they could take their family on a cheap day excursion to a seaside town on the train
What did the 1871 Bank Holiday Act do?
Provided statutory holidays for workers, many of whom otherwise worked year round with the exception of religious traditions and festivals like Easter and Christmas
Which kind of counties suffered from serious depopulation in England and Wales
Those in regions remote from industrial towns, such as Cornwall, Shropshire, Somerset and Westmorland
What happened in the counties like Cornwall and Shropshire that underwent serious depopulation
The local economy stagnated and the wages of agricultural labourers, already low, dropped beneath the level of farm workers in other areas of the country
