Reports of special assistant poor law commissioners on the employment of women and children in agriculture.

  • Board of guardians
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reports of special assistant poor law commissioners on the employment of women and children in agriculture. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/402 (page 6)
    The ages at which women are employed vary from 15 to 70, or even older. But there are few employed so early as 15, and they do not often work regularly in farm-labour till they have reached the age of 20 : the desire of their parents to get them out to service prevents their being much employed before that age in agricultural labour. But 1 am inclined to believe, though it. is difficult to procure any very decisive evidence upon such a point, that the majority of women who work in the fields are above the age of 30; and perhaps I may add, that they are generally mar- ried, and sometimes are widows with children. The wages received by women do not vary in different counties more than in adjoining parishes: even in the same parish it occasionally happens that one woman is paid let. °r 2a. a-day- more than another. A woman situated, with regard to her 'arm y, so as to be always at liberty to go out to work when wanted by the farmer, and upon whose services he can always depend, gets higher wages than one who can only now and then manage to get out to work, on account of young children, or other circumstances There is also a great difference in the strength and capacity ot women for working in the fields; and a woman who is strong anc active, and a good work-woman, is paid higher than one ot inferior strength, or who is slow at her work. In piece-work, especially, this difference in the strength and capacity of women lor work influences their earnings. r The wages of women also depend a great deal on the larmei himself, and the way in which he likes the work on his farm to be done. It is no uncommon thing to see one farmer pay ing - • or 2rh a-day more to women than his neighbour. The common explanation given by women, when questioned as to the cause ot difference of wages, is, that “ Mr. A. is a good master,—he always o-ives lOd.or, “ Mr. B. is not like Mr. A.,—he never pays more than 8d or 9d. Upon further inquiry respecting this difference however, I found that some farmers always select the best and most regular workers amongst the women, and pay them ng i wages ; whilst the farmers who pay alow rate ot wages are satisfied with the inferior workers. Occasionally, also, I found a fee mg o kindness on the part of a farmer towards the women who worked for him regularly, prompting him to give a little more than the ommon rate ot wages around him. . The average rate of wages or earnings ot women may be seen in the following statements made to me by various persons con- versant in the matter. IN WILTSHIRE, The rate ot rvages tor women among the farmers at present.(Deco mber). is Id. a-day ; after Lady-day it may bo M. In hay-maktng t.m. J0Ar».th beer, and sometimes Is. ' ' , At Bowood they (women) get 8d. in winter, and lOrf. in summer a-day. At Studley and Foxton they get 8d. a-day; that is the common amount of