What I would like to Know

[Graeme]

Hi all once again , I would like to know or at least understand ,what it was like in Warmington and surrounding at the time of GGGgrandfather it is said that family was farming a properity at the time with Father and two sons helping all family could read and write and were to some extend well of in comparison,
What happened from early 1800 to 1850 that was so bad that family was spit apart, brother did not talk to brother and family in latter stages was illiterate ?

How far would have family travelled to get work ,was immigrattion only option or armed forces ? can anyone out theere help me to understand ,then maybe I could find out where they all are now
Thanks Graeme

[jeeb]

Hi Graeme,
Of course it is not possible to say what caused splits in certain families, there are numerous reasons why people fall out, but it is often money and property related.
In the first half of the 19th century Britian saw great changes, farm workers began to revolt against low wages and vast numbers of people left the countryside and moved to the towns and cities in search of work in the factories and fast growing industries away from agriculture. 1834 brought the Reform Act and the early Victorian years saw Britian change from a land of farmers and small shopkeepers to a mighty Industrial land. It is useful to remember that there was not the social benefits until this period and in the early 19th century poor people were reliant on the parish relief.
During the Napoleonic wars farming prospered and wealthy farmers and landowners lived a good lifestyle but as the century moved on into the 1820's and 1830's times changed drastically with poor harvests and low prices being paid for the produce. Wealthy farmers lost money hand over fist and I have even come across one instance where a wealthy farmer in Somerset was overseer to the poor and church warden for many years in the early 19th century but finished up himself being carted off to a debtors gaol where he died, according to a newspaper report 'a shadow of his former self'

I know this does not deal with Warmington specifically but it was fairly general.

Jeremy

[ChristineR]

You will be interested to read about the history on Warmington's village web site.

http://www.warmington.org/history/index.htm

:)

[Graeme]

Hi Jerremy and christine thanks for info
Graeme