Reasons for crimes
Poverty and ignorance:
Throughout this period, fluctuating grain prices at times of poor harvest resulted in many families struggling to pay for their basic item of food: bread. Perhaps one in ten families remained below the ‘breadline’ over the period, increasing to nearly two out of every five families in times of food shortage. There were, of course, other reasons why people fell on hard times. Illnesses, accidents and old-age, for example, all prevented people from working.
The Poor Law and injustice:
Charitable ‘relief’ for the needy was administered by local parishes through the provisions of the Poor Law. To qualify for financial assistance the poor were required to prove their right to ‘settlement’ in a particular area.
Though the vast majority of people claiming relief in the eighteenth century were needy through no fault of their own, certain sections of society nevertheless believed that poverty was caused by the bad habits of the poor: their preference for drinking and gambling, for example, or through their own simple laziness.
Poor people were not, however, wholly dependent on help from the parish. Many towns and cities supplemented official sources of relief with money collected through charitable donations, which played an important part in helping the needy.
With people reluctant to enter workhouses or plead for relief, many resorted instead to begging on the streets.
Throughout this period, fluctuating grain prices at times of poor harvest resulted in many families struggling to pay for their basic item of food: bread. Perhaps one in ten families remained below the ‘breadline’ over the period, increasing to nearly two out of every five families in times of food shortage. There were, of course, other reasons why people fell on hard times. Illnesses, accidents and old-age, for example, all prevented people from working.
The Poor Law and injustice:
Charitable ‘relief’ for the needy was administered by local parishes through the provisions of the Poor Law. To qualify for financial assistance the poor were required to prove their right to ‘settlement’ in a particular area.
Though the vast majority of people claiming relief in the eighteenth century were needy through no fault of their own, certain sections of society nevertheless believed that poverty was caused by the bad habits of the poor: their preference for drinking and gambling, for example, or through their own simple laziness.
Poor people were not, however, wholly dependent on help from the parish. Many towns and cities supplemented official sources of relief with money collected through charitable donations, which played an important part in helping the needy.
With people reluctant to enter workhouses or plead for relief, many resorted instead to begging on the streets.