SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY whole county had increased between 1776 and 1785 from _^2,664 6s. to ^3,750 9J-. 9^., and it was mainly to avoid future rises that the society was formed. Parishes and individuals were invited to give certain annual sub- scriptions with a view to the providing of raw materials, such as wool, yarn, hemp, and flax, as well as spinning-wheels, so that the poor might be enabled to do such work as they were capable of performing. Parents were not to obtain relief on account of any child above six years who could not knit, or of any child above nine who could not spin both jersey and linen. The best workers among the children were to receive premiums of clothing, and to young people who had fulfilled certain conditions premiums of money were offered on beginning apprenticeship and service, or at marriage. Premiums were also to be given to parents who had brought up four or more children without parish relief. Free admission to the spinning-rooms of workhouses was also allowed, and free teaching in the industry. When the learners were children the profits of their work were to be used for the benefit of their parents. Among the workers at this period the spinners of jersey were the most numerous, and the spinners of linen the least so. This will be seen by the following short table showing the number of candidates for premiums in the years 1786 and 1793 : — 1786. Spinners of jersey ........ 211 „ linen 3 Knitters ......... 22 1793. Spinners of jersey . . . . . . . . 261 „ linen ........ 21 Knitters 89 These three employments were general throughout the county for the wives and children of labourers. The wages varied from 3^. to 8^. per day accord- ing to age and ability, and the jersey so spun was woven into ' tammies ' by poor weavers in the south of Rutland, in Leicestershire, and in Northamp- tonshire. This we learn from a parochial report from Empingham for the year 1795, which also gives some information as to the price of men's labour at that time. This was usually from d. to i6d. a day, but during 1795 was rather more, owing to the high price of provisions. Wages were always higher in harvest time, and during the autumn of this year wheat was reaped at 6s. or js. the acre, barley and oats mown at 2s. and zs. 6d. the acre, and grass at s. 6d. and is. 6d., the labourers at those rates finding their own meat and drink. "° At North LufFenham threshing was the chief winter employment, the labourer being able to earn at this work from 8j. to 9^. a week, according to the amount done.'^^ At this time the price of wheat was fluctuating from £^ los. to £^ the quarter, and of barley from £,2 to £z 4J. These high prices made bread almost a luxury, and in Empingham the cost of beef and mutton was reduced during the summer of 1795 in order to prevent the too great consumption of bread. In Empingham (then newly inclosed) some of the cottagers rented small pieces of land, and were thus enabled to keep a cow or fatten a pig. This was the case in several parishes, and must have tended greatly to prevent distress and keep down the poor rates. At this period the Earl of Winchilsea had from seventy to eighty "° ' Parochial Report for Empingham,' quoted by Eden, State of the Poor, ii, 60 1. "' 'Parochial Report for North Luffenham,' 1795, quoted by Eden, op. cit. 613. I 225 29
