Rowntree’s Causes of Poverty

Low Wages According to Rowntree, low wages accounted for 52% of poverty in The poverty line was 21 shillings yet many families received less than that. According to Booth this was not enough for basic things like food, rent and clothing. One woman in York said ‘If there's anything extra to buy, such as a pair of boots for one of the children, me and the children goes without dinner’

Large Family 22% of poverty was caused by a large family. ‘So many mouths to feed’- many wives could not afford Butcher’s meat- only a little bacon fat. Many families at the turn of the century had lots of children; an average of 6 per household. 1/3 of families lived in poverty. A Family of 8 could expect a death in the family every five years. Population was increasing- concerns about starvation unless birth rate was reduced.

Death of Chief Wage Earner 16% of poverty was caused by the death of the main bread winner- normally the father. As a result many families were ‘forced to go without some of the necessities of a civilised life’ (Rowntree) There were no insurance policies, unless the wage earner had insured themselves through Friendly Societies

Illness or Old Age Thought to account for 5% of poverty in Even though wages had increased and sanitation had improved from , middle class people believed that poverty would simply die out as the nation got richer. Many old people in poverty were confined to the workhouse. Some relied on the Poor law but only 10% of all those suffering were given Poor Law relief. Concerns with the aged poor led to the appointment of a Royal Commission which debated pensions.

Irregular Work and Unemployment According to Rowntree, 3% of poverty was found in families with irregular work. Economic slump of caused unemployment to increase. Schemes for the unemployed were largely voluntary. Also 2% of poverty was caused by the chief wage earner being unemployed. Many Industries like Shipbuilding were seasonal- with outdoor yards it was difficult to work in times of adverse weather conditions. Farm workers in the countryside were seasonal- relying on harvest times for employment.

BUT………. In 1901 the middle classes believed there were more important reasons for poverty.

DRINK! In York it was estimated that there was a public house for every 230 people People would go to the pub to escape the horrors of everyday life In the 1850s the average adult in Britain consumed 162 litres of alcohol In Scotland men drank more than 1 pint of whisky per week William Booth in ‘Darkest England’ 1890 commented on a population’ sodden with drink, steeped in vice, eaten up by every social and physical disease…’ A Temperance Movement emerged to rid the inner cities of drink (The belief was that this would cure poverty)

GAMBLING AND RECREATION Gambling on football and horses was popular in the C19th. Going to Music Halls (often described as flea pits) was increasingly popular by the turn of the century- the acts were often criticised for their ‘vulgarity’. Going to football games increased as more workers got a Saturday afternoon off.

Idleness and a weakness of character People believed you were poor because of a weakness in character. Pearson in book ‘The Idle Poor’ referred to the poor as inferior beings whose life ‘cannot be improved up to the level of an ordinary person’.

The Poor Law system In England and Wales the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 allowed those who could prove themselves to be poor into the Workhouse. There was no help for the able- bodied poor outside the workhouse. In Scotland the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1845 allowed the disabled, widows, and deserted wives and children into Poorhouses. They were not forced to work but the able-bodied poor, without working, were not allowed in.

The Workhouse HUMILIATION!!! DESPERATION!!! SEPERATION!!! One thing that the Poor Law system did successfully was to make state help appear very unattractive to the poor. It has been calculated by historians that 90% of the unemployed never opted for poor relief despite the fact that they lived in poverty.

1.From where does the main evidence on poverty at the turn of the century come? 2.How reliable is this evidence? Explain your answer 3.How fairly was the wealth of Britain divided at the end of the 19 th century? 4.What was the poverty line? 5.What was the extent of poverty in Britain at the turn of the century? 6.What reasons were given by members of the middle class for NOT helping the poor? (3) 7.What help was available to the poor in 1900? 8.Who provided this help? 9.What was life like in the workhouse? 10.Why was life made deliberately harsh in the workhouse? 11.‘Drink is the curse of the poorer classes’ – do you agree? 12.Copy pie chart and label it, in your jotters.