Ag Lab Origins

[DavidD]

Some ancestors (Robert and Elizabeth Bailey) were ag labs who appeared in Bletsoe, Beds about 1780.  The first of several children (Joseph) is born there in 1779.  I cannot find the marriage of a Robert Bailey and Elizabeth Bailey  in Beds,  Hunts., or Northants in the preceeding 10 years that fits. (Must rule out Kings Cliffe)  Is there any way to trace the orgins of ag labs or does anyone know how far they tended to migrate?  There are Robert & Elizabeths recorded in the IGI, but I am assuming a distant of no more than 40 miles from Bletsoe.

HELP anyone?

DavidD

[meles]

For what it's worth, my lot were all ag labs in Norfolk from 1700 to 1890. They only moved within about a 25 mile radius. Then - when that sort of work became scarce in that area - they suddenly moved away to London and took up other employment.

meles

[behindthefrogs]

The settlement and removal laws mitigated against the workers moving away from their parish of settlement.  The situation improved in 1795 when overseers were prevented from removing people until they actually became a pauper and a charge upon the parish.

The situation improved further with the repeal of the settlement act in 1834 although in principle settlement remained substantially in force until 1876.

However this did mean that agricultural labourers did not move permanently outside their parish unless they worked for someone who owned land in another parish.  They were frequently employed for one day under a year so that a new settlement was not established and so even if they worked away from their home parish would make their way back to their home aprish without the necessity of a removal order.

David

[Pels.]

I was wondering whether you'd seen this thread started by Berlin-Bob .. quite a lot of interesting reading .. ! 

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,29570.0.html

Kind regards,

Pels.

[meles]

That's exactly what happened to mine. I have 3 Settlement Orders where they were forced back to their village of birth. And one where he actually made his case to stay put in a new village, all of 25 miles from his village off birth...!

Michaelmas seemed to be the day of beginning and end of employment.

meles

[DavidD]

I understand that it was difficult for Ag Labs to move too far afield, but still they did move. A few years back I did what  I think is a fairly comprehensive search of the Bedfordshire PR's looking for the birth and/or marriage of this ancestor Robert Bailey who stayed in Bletsoe for about 25 years up until his death after he first appeared  there.  So why can't I find a birth or marriage record?

DavidD