Cycle of Poverty.

Taken from "A Social History of Britain. The nineteenth century by Robin Nonhebel"

The food on which most labourers depended was bread, and wheat prices which had averaged well below 50s a quarter before 1790, reached 126s by 1812. This inflation was caused by wheat shortages which occurred for two reasons. First, harvests in Britain were poor between 1793 and 1815, and secondly the wars with France made it more difficult to import wheat from Europe when these bad harvests took place. With population rising and less bread available, prices inevitably soared.

In the growing industrial towns of northern England, there was also extreme poverty. This was caused by fluctuations in the trade cycle. The cotton and iron industries were increasingly relying on foreign countries to buy their goods. Huge orders were placed for British goods by Europeans and Americans whose own countries had as yet no large industries. But foreign demand was never constant; a bad harvest would reduce the income of an agricultural country and so she would be unable to afford to buy so many British manufactures.

Large cotton firms therefore in towns like Manchester and Bolton would employ thousands of workers when demand was high; but when there was a slump in demand employers would reduce production thus dismissing workers or placing them on short-time. The industrial working-class were at the mercy of such fluctuations. They might be in work for a few months but then unemployed for a similar period, and their wages were so poor that they found it impossible to save for hard times. When a slump occurred over a long period, their misery became acute as was the case in the years after the end of the Napoleonic wars and between 1836-42.

Unemployment and low wages undoubtedly caused much poverty in both town and country. It should be remembered though that sickness, injury, old-age and bereavements also caused great distress. What might be called a "poverty cycle" affected many families. A worker and his wife might obtain jobs in a factory town and for a time as long as they remained in employment, manage to live fairly comfortably. Then with the birth of children, their living standards would decline since more food and clothing had to be purchased. As their children grew up they might be able to add to the family income if fortunate enough to find menial jobs and so prosperity would return. But when the children left home to start their own lives and when the wife grew too old or perhaps too ill towork, the worker would find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Destitution would be the inevitable result of old age and failing health.

Michael Clapham

There is another Clapham family in Darwen. I think he is Thomas's older brother but we need Thomas's christening to prove the link : same parents. Two of Thomas's children have names which would suggest possible family link - Joshua and Michael.

1841 census
HO107,503,4,1
Blackburn Darwen 34
Water Street

Michael Claphan 35 Carter
Alice 35
Catherine 15 worker C. factory
Ann 10 worker C. factory
Alice 9
Joshua 7
Betsey 1
Jane 1

From Parish Online Clerk site
christening for Michael

St.James - Darwen Chapel
1 Jan 1807 Michael Clapham son of Joshua Clapham + Alice (abode - Pickop Bank)

marriages at St. Mary Blackburn
12 Dec 1805 Joshua Clapham + Alice Becket
*Alice was a widow

18 Aug 1832 Michael Clapham (weaver) + Alice Bibby

Catherine and Ann probably from before the marriage to Alice. Could they be sisters to Michael? children from previous marriage? Alice Bibby's child?

1851 census
HO107,2261,138,15
Blackburn Darwen 2d

Michael Clapham 35 coal dealer born Yates Bank
Alice 49 born Blackburn
Alice 19 weaver by p? born Blackburn
Betty ? born O. Darwen
Jane 12 born O. Darwen
Mary 8 born O. Darwen
James Bibby father 83 or 85

Birth 1840 Betty Clapham Darwen Blackburn D/3/51
Birth 1840 Jane Clapham Darwen Blackburn D/3/51
It looks like Betty and Jane were twins!
Birth 1842 Mary Clapham Darwen Blackburn D/6/50
Death 1844 Joshua Clapham age 9 Darwen Blackburn D/5/39

1861 census
RG9,3108,24,42
Blackburn Darwen 1
2 Wood St.

Alice Clapham 57 born Chadworth
Betty 21 cotton weaver born O. Darwen
Mary 19 cotton weaver born O. Darwen
Richant (female) 9(m) born O. Darwen
Robert Haslaw boarder 27 cotton weaver born Longworth
Jane 21 cotton weaver born O. Darwen

Death 1860 Michael Clapham age 54 Darwen Blackburn D/19/51
Birth 1860 Rachel Ann Clapham Darwen Blackburn D/32/55
Death 1862 Rachel Ann Clapham age 1 Darwen Blackburn D/21/8
marriage 1860 Jane Clapham + Robert Haslam Darwen St Peter Blackburn CE27/1/322

Thomas Clapham

Looking at Ada's grandfather - your great great grandfather Thomas Clapham.

I have not found his christening yet.
Born about 1809.
From the census - born either Pickup Bank or Tockholes.

Possible marriage.
4 Sep 1828 Thomas Clapham weaver + Betty Feilden
St. Mary's Blackburn
possible witness James Harwood.

possible death for wife
1862 Betty Clapham age 56 Darwen Blackburn D/21/12
possible death
1881 Thomas Clapham age 72 Darwen Blackburn D/47/42


The family of Thomas Clapham + Betty
using Online Parish Clerk
Lanc BMD
census info.

1)ALICE CLAPHAM
born 5 July 1829, christened 4 Oct 1829 Over Darwen Lower Chapel Independent
parents Thomas Clapham and Betty Fielding
possible death 1847 Alice Clapham age 17 Darwen Blackburn D/7/75

2)JOSHUA CLAPHAM
born 3 Dec 1830, christened 26 Jan 1831 Over Darwen Lower Chapel Independent
parents Thomas Clapham and Betty Fielding
married 1850 Joshua Clapham + Esther Harwood St Mary Blackburn CE12/13/1
death 1883 Joshua Clapham age 52 Darwen Blackburn D/49/90
death 1886 Esther Clapham age 58 Darwen Blackburn D/53/80

children
Thomas Clapham he married Abigail Ann Smith
Betsy Clapham she was still alive in 1901
Janet Clapham she married James Fielding- children Betsy Fielding and Doris Fielding

1881 census
RG11,4203,6,8
Blackburn Darwen 1
3 Radford St

Joshua Clapham 50 cotton weaver born Darwen
Esther 51
Thomas 29 musician
Betsey 21 cotton weaver
Janet 10 cotton weaver

3)JOHN CLAPHAM
born 19 Jul 1832 Christened 5 Sep 1832 Over Darwen Lower Chapel Independent
parents Thomas Clapham and Betty Fielding
married 1859 John Clapham + Ellen Beckett Darwen St Peter Blackburn CE27/1/214
death 1900 John Clapham age 67 Darwen Blackburn D/74/41

children
John Thomas Clapham he married Eliza Fish.
Thomas Clapham - missing in the 1901 census

1881 census
RG11,4204,60,47
Blackburn Darwen 6
12 Peel St.

John Clapham 47 cotton weaver born Pickup Bank
Ellen 45 cotton rover
John T. 8 born Darwen

4)FIELDEN CLAPHAM
born 22 Sep 1834 christened 17 Nov 1834 Over Darwen Lower Chapel Independent
parents Thomas Clapham and Betty Fielden
wife no. 1
1853 Feilden Clapham + Mary Townsend St Mary Blackburn CE12/17/104
Death 1854 Mary Clapham age 18 Darwen Blackburn D/13/44
wife no. 2
1856 Fielden Clapham + Mary Leach St Mary Blackburn CE12/20/90
death 1885 Feilden Clapham age 51 Darwen Blackburn D/52/79
death 1895 Mary Clapham age 63 Darwen Blackburn D/66/74

children
Betsy Clapham missing on 1901 census
Ada Clapham

5)THOMAS CLAPHAM
born 11 Nov 1836 christened 4 Jan 1837 Over Darwen Lower Chapel Independent
parents Thomas and Betty Fielding.
married 1856 Thomas Clapham + Sarah Harwood St Mary Blackburn CE12/19/498
death 1884 Thomas Clapham age 48 Darwen Blackburn D/51/55

1881 census
RG11,4204,7,8
Blackburn Darwen 5
253 Bolton Road
SPINNERS ARMS BEER HOUSE

Thomas Clapham 43 Beer seller born Pickup Bank
Sarah 49 born Pickup Bank
James 21 Inn Assistant born Darwen
Betsy 18 cotton winder born Darwen
Thomas 73 father widow no occupation born Pickup Bank

children
Thomas Clapham married Sarah Marsden had two children, Sarah was widowed and remarried Edwin Askew. Miranda Clapham and Elsie Clapham.
James Clapham died age 21
Betsy Clapham married Robert Shorrock but was widowed.

1881 census
RG11,4203,23,40
Blackburn Darwen 1
252 Bolton Rd.

Thomas Clapham 24 Grocer born Darwen
Sarah 25 cotton weaver born Darwen

6)JAMES BRIGGS CLAPHAM
registered 1839 Darwen Blackburn D/3/19
death 1860?

7)MICHAEL CLAPHAM
registered 1841 Darwen Blackburn D/5/20
married 1860 Michael Clapham + Jane Kirkham Registrar Blackburn RM/25/77
death 1879 Michael Clapham age 38 Darwen D/44/81
widow Jane remarries
1880 Jane Clapham + John Kay Registrar Blackburn RM/75/15

children
Fielding Clapham married Jane wood. children Florence, Sarah and Jane
John Thomas Clapham married Nancy Alice Holmes children Arthur, Bessie Louisa and Alice?
Betty Clapham married Ernest Smith
Alice Clapham

1881 census
RG11,4204,9,12
Blackburn Darwen 5
327 Bolton Rd.

Jane Kay 39 cotton weaver born Darwen
Fielding Clapham 16 cotton weaver
John S. Clapham 14 cotton weaver
Betty Clapham 5
Alice Clapham 3

8)ROBERT CLAPHAM
registered 1844 Darwen Blackburn D/18/94
death 1852 Robert Clapham age 7 Darwen Blackburn D/11/46

9)BETTY CLAPHAM
registered 1847 Darwen Blackburn D/12/26

10)ALICE CLAPHAM
registered 1853 Darwen Blackburn D/20/95
marriage 1872 Alice Clapham + James Ainsworth Darwen St Peter CE27/2/458

There are two couples
1881 census
RG11,4195,83,2
Blackburn Blackburn 76
19 Salford

James Ainsworth 32 Grocer + Tea Dealer born Over Darwen
Alice 28 born Yale + Pickup Bank
Thomas 8
Betsy 2

OR
RG11,4186,6,8
Blackburn Blackburn 30
63 Audley Lane

James Ainsworth 29 cotton weaver born Over Darwen
Alice 28 cotton weaver born Pickup Bank

Seeking your great grandmother??

"Oh Mary Mary quite contrary....


Well, Jimmy yesterdays research was a salutary lesson in the pitfalls to be found in assumptions. I have joined this wonderful group on the Internet who all help each other out researching family history in the Darwen area. So with many thanks to Charlotte, Anne and Glenn the following mystery has a 'suitable' explanation :- note it is not absolutely proven and when the relevant church records have been chased up may be incorrect. But it is nice to at least have a theory before diving into the parish records.


I was looking for Ada's mother (your great grandmother) we have seen from the census returns that Fielding (or Fielden) Clapham was married to a Mary, born about 1832 at Pickup Bank.
Using Lanc. BMD we find there are two marriages



1853 Feilden Clapham + Mary Townsend St Mary's Blackburn CE12/17/104

and 1856 Fielden Clapham + Mary Leach St Mary's Blackburn CE12/20/90.


On the 1851 census there was a Mary Townsend born 1836 at Pickup Bank daughter of John Townsend + Alice (HO107,2261,9,16 Darwen 1a) and I was trying to convince myself that a Mary Leach born 1836 also at Pickup Bank daughter of Thomas Leach and Nanny might also be a contender (HO107,2261,7,11 Darwen 1a).



With such an unusual forename as Fielding it was highly likely to be the same person (hehe assumption here.... I just can't help myself) so looking for the demise of the first wife again on Lanc. BMD



Death 1854 Mary Clapham age 18 Darwen Blackburn D/13/44.

This tied in very nicely with Mary Townsend born 1836. Poor wife number 1 Mary.


Now we were left with Mary Leach. Going back to the census in 1871 a William Yates FATHER IN LAW was living with Fielding and Mary. Here began my manic search for MARY YATES. First I searched high and low for a marriage between a Yates and a Leach thinking Mary Yates could have married a Leach before she married Fielding. Then I convinced myself that perhaps the Leach had been a mistake. I WAS going to find Mary Yates in the 1841 census as a child in the Pickup Bank area.


Now I had not been able to find Thomas Clapham and his family in the Pickup Bank area, I had even searched for his neighbours from the 1851 census in the 1841 census. Now I could not find a Mary Yates in Pickup Bank. In fact I could not find PICKUP BANK I was convinced it had disappeared. In fact I was making an elementary mistake. I was searching for it in the Blackburn Parish when all the time in the 1841 census it was hiding in the Whalley Parish. And I was sending off SOS's saying I could not find any of the people that others were so kindly finding and I was sat Poe faced before my unhelpful computer getting more and more frustrated. Grrrrrrrrrr.....


Anyways I sheepishly acknowledged my own shortcomings and eventually found all the people I had thought vanished forever. Particular thanks to Charlotte for finding the family of Thomas Clapham.


Mary Yates aged 19 born Pickup Bank had been located in 1851. Living at Oswaldtwisle with a William Yates age 41. Details below :-
*note it was a particularly difficult very faint to read page

************************************************

1851

HO107,2260,242,11

Blackburn Oswaldtwisle 2h


John Yates 51 Stone Dresser born Yate Bank

Nancy 50 born Eccles Hill

Peggy Lee 18 sister? born Pickup Bank

William Yates widow 41 handloom weaver born O?

Mary Yates 19 power loom weaver born Pickup Bank

Anne ? 14 power loom weaver born Oswaldtwisle

Jane ? 12 loom tenter born Oswaldtwisle


But Mary Yates on the 1841 census was still proving to be elusive. Where was she? In desperation I gave up seeking a Mary or a William, I thought lets look at John. So in went John Yates born 1800 in Lancashire and guess who popped up MARY LEACH !!!!!!!! that will teach me (no it won't).

*********************************************
1841

HO107,509,27,10

Blackburn Oswaldtwistle 10

Jackson Height.


William Yates 35 silk weaver

Alice 30 calico weaver

Ann 4

Jane 2

Betty 4m

(single line)

John Leach 12

Mary Leach 9

(single line)

John Yates 40 quarryman

Nancy 40

*******************************************
From this information then using familysearch site.


marriage William Yates + Alice Leach 6 Dec 1835

St Mary's Blackburn

Batch No. M007086


and submitted entries with no church details

John Leach 28 Jul 1828 Pickup mother Alice Leach

film no. 0453802

Mary Leach 2 Dec 1832 Pickup mother Alice Leach

film no. 0453803

*********************************************
So in conclusion Jimmy it looks like your Great grandmother was Mary Leach and your Great great grandmother Alice Leach.



(Big exhaled breathe)

Fielden, Fielding, Feilding ????

What is in the spelling of a name?

I asked the advise of this wonderful group on the internet, as Feilden/Feilding was a particular interest in the Clapham line. This lovely reply seems to explain it. Another instance where local knowledge can be so so important in the study of local history.

***************************************************
Re: Fielden or Fielding

I think it was a peculiarity of the Lancashire dialect which felt compelled to turn any word ending in "EN" into "ING". My Holdens were routinely recorded as Holding and at school I was called Holding, even though my name was Holden! I also remember my dear old aunties talking about going out into the "garding" to do some weeding, and how very impressed they were at the Coronation when the Queen rode in a Golding coach! In short, I never dismiss any particular variation of spelling and I never expect consistency even within the same family.

Marjorie

(Marjorie also wrote that there were 18 different spellings in one name she is researching, as well as the initial letter being replaced M for an H)

Thank you Marjorie.
***************************************************
Other people in the group also sent useful answers too.

So, I am still unsure which is the correct name for Ada's father - Fielden or Fielding. If you are lucky there will be a signature on his marriage certificate, that will tell us what he called himself.

Another problem with this Clapham line is the Betty/Betsy confusion.

Sad story from Darwen.

I was browsing on the excellent site : cottontown and came upon this sad story.

http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?LANGUAGE=eng&pageID=3070

1826

I was looking through some second hand books which I bought last month, this book opened on a particular page which I thought was relevant. We are going back to the time of Joseph Cooper. In 1826 he was about 17. In 1831 when he married he was a weaver but in the census he was a labourer. (Note for Sheila -Christopher Steele was born in 1811 in Salford but by 1841 was living in Blackburn so he was living through this too).

The book is "The Skilled Labourer 1760 - 1832" by J.L. Hammond and Barbara Hammond published in 1919.
***************************************
The Destruction of Power-Looms in 1826

The year 1826 was a year of unprecedented financial panic and disorder with an epidemic of bankruptcies. The weavers suffered acutely in the general distress, and by this time they were very sensible of the competition of the power-loom. In the misery of starvation the populace in April vented its anger on the new machinery, destroying in three days over one thousand power-looms, and doing more than £16,000 worth of damage in the districts round Blackburn and Bury. How far the attack was arranged beforehand is doubtful ; Mr. Fletcher's informant 'Alpha' sent him news of meetings where delegates discussed the repeal of the Corn Laws, the destruction of public granaries, the destruction of power-looms, and the destruction of yarn packed for export : it was further recommended at one of these meetings 'that those who had relatives serving in the Army should sound their Inclination, as to injuring the People, in case of any Tumult.'

The actual outburst seems to have been unexpected, for the poor appeared to be bearing the prospects of starvation with laudable equanimity. '....It is certainly very different now (for the better), ' wrote Major Eckersley from Manchester, 'from 1819 and 1820, when Politics were mixed up with the distresses of the People.' The increase in Poor Rates, he mentions, is 50 per cent., and in addition some thousand pounds a week were distributed in voluntary contributions. At Blackburn, 14 thousand persons out of a population of 26 thousand were kept from sheer starvation by provisions bought out of public subscriptions, but from the inadequacy of the relief grave fears of dysentery were entertained. 'The demeanour of the afflicted poor,' wrote the Vicar of Blackburn in an appeal published in the Blackburn Mail, April 5, 'at this time of unparalleled distress has been such as to recommend them effectually to our respectful consideration, and continued bounty. With very few exceptions none of them have transgressed the bounds of propriety, or shewn a spirit of insubordination to the laws of their country. To their praise be it spoken, there have been no symptom of discontent, disaffection, or sedition....They have trusted in Providence ; and God's servants will not desert them.' Their trust in Providence gave way before the end of the month and, as we shall see, they transgressed the bounds of propriety in a serious fashion.

On Monday, April 24, a mob met at Henfield at the crossroads to Blackburn, Burnley, Whalley, and Haslingden. They first destroyed the power-looms at the different factories round Accrington and then went on to Blackburn. By the evening not a single power-loom was left standing within six miles of Blackburn. In conflicts with small bodies of soldiers sent to protect the mills two or three men were killed and several seriously wounded.

On Tuesday little was done beyond an attack on some powerlooms at Haslingden. On Wednesday, April 26, the work of destruction spread along the banks of the Irwell down to Bury. At Rawthenstall, Long Holme, Edenfield, Chadderton, Summerseat, mills were entered and power-looms destroyed. At Chadderton in an affray with the soldiers seven rioters were killed and many wounded. With the destruction of Mr. Hutchinson's factory in Bury the activities of the rioters in this part ceased. The excitement, however, had spread to Manchester, and on Thursday, April 27, a mob, after attacking several power-loom factories which were successfully defended, managed to set fire to Mr. Beaver's factory in Jersey Street and refused to allow the firemen to extinguish the fire. On Friday Manchester was the scene of a carnival of disorder in which shops were sacked 'and the number of street robberies committed was such, as, in broad day, and in the centre of a great town, was never before heard of.' It was not surprising that Sir John Byng wrote to say that the alarm among the owners of factories was greater than any he had ever known ; arms were distributed to them for self-defence, and an attack on Messrs. Johnson and Brooke's factory in Manchester on May 3 was successfully repelled.

Things quieted down, mot because trade improved - on July 9 Sir J. Byng reported that the two last Tuesdays had been the worst markets since the Exchange was built - but because the appetite for disorder in an English crowd is soon sated. The punishments appointed by law for the offences committed in April were inflicted at the August Assizes at Lancaster. Compared with the punishments inflicted on the Luddites they were mild. 66 persons were charged with offences varying from rioting to the destruction of machinery. 10 persons received the death sentence but none were executed, all being transported for life instead. 33 others were imprisoned for terms varying from 3 to 18 months.

The cotton weavers never recovered. Those who wish to follow the melancholy history of the evening of their trade can find the conditions described in the Poor Law Commission Report of 1834, where it is pointed out that whereas under the Speenhamland system of parish allowances the agricultural labourer, knowing existence at any rate assured, fails to exert himself, the weaver whose parish relief is calculated on what he could earn by piece-work, if industrious, is stimulated beyond his powers, and hence is noted for his 'lean and hungry look.' In the Reports of the Select Committee on the Handloom Weavers' Petitions in 1834 and 1835 can be read the account of their last dying efforts, aided by Fielden, to obtain from Parliament a minimum wage. Their miserable plight in 1840 is described by the Commission on Hand-loom Weavers.