"The Classic Slum": marvellous book on life in a northern industrial town 19/10C

[charlotteCH]

Have just reread Robert Roberts' book "The Classic Slum; Salford Life in First Quarter of the Century". published by Penguin ISBN 0-14-013624-x.

 This is very relevant reading for anyone who is researching family members who lived in any industrial town in the north of England in late 19th- early 20th C. Gives a picture of their hard lives, the culture of the slum "village" as he calls it, the relentless pressure of poverty upon the people  as they lived hand to mouth. Clothing was pawned on Monday and redeemed on Saturday aft. for Sunday wear.  One penny in the shilling was the lowest weekly  interest available. 
 One of my family, James HARGREAVES,  was a scavenger in Halifax in 1881 census and lived in the inner city- I'd guess this is just how he and his family of numerous children lived.
 
Roberts' parents kept a corner store in the poorest part of town and he recounts life there from the store keepers' point of view. One farthing was a coin much in use in the store as people spent the smallest amount possible to get some necessity for the next meal.  Many seemed to have lived meal to meal- not even day to day.

I've posted this  to the Lancs rootschat list but am posting it to WRY also as it is how the  WRY ancestors of many of us may have lived
It's rivetting reading and gave me a whole new insight into what life must have been like one hundred years ago in such towns.

charlotte

[dave the tyke]

Hi Charlotte,
If it makes you feel better, one of my rellies was a 'CORPORATION scavenger' (Halifax RG13/4136) the implication is that it was paid work for the town cleansing department or its equivalent.

The book sounds like a good read I'll look out for it.

best regards
Dave

[charlotteCH]

Hi Dave,  It's an excellent read and most informative- as I said earlier.

There was a happy ending for my James HARGREAVEs & his wife. When he turned 60, 1884, they were both given an apartment of a couple of rooms and 10/- per week allowance in the Crossley Almshouses in Halifax.  Had he given up his job as a scavenger and tried to live off the parish he would not have been eligible for a place in the Almshouses and would have faced the workhouse instead. In the Almshouses he lived better than ever he had in his life- and he lived here until his death in 1896.

Next thing I have on my "to do" list is to find where those who died in the Crossley Almshouses are buried. 

Good reading and good wishes Dave,
charlotte