Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

Table 4.2 Males in probate in specific occupational groupings in Zone A, Alcester, 1660-
1858 (as % of males with known occupations)
1660-99 1700-49 1750-99 1800-58
Agriculture (excl. labourers) 16.3 14.7
19.1 22.5
Labourers 1.2 1.7 1.1 0.0
Extractive 0.0 0.9 1.1 2.2
Building (excl. carpenters) 2.4 1.7 1.1 5.5
Tailors/bodice makers 4.8 6.9 1.1 2.2
Other textile, clothing & paper manufacture 6.0 6.9 3.4 1.1
Shoemakers/cordwainers 2.4 3.9 3.4 4.4
Other leather, horn and tallow 14.5 16.8 6.7 1.6
Carpenters/joiners 2.4 3.4 3.4 4.4
Other woodworkers 4.8 4.3 1.1 2.2
Blacksmiths/farriers 1.2 0.9 0.0 1.1
Other metal (excl. needles/hooks/pins) 7.2 4.3 3.9 0.0
Needles/hooks/pins 0.0 0.0 4.5 5.5
Transport 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Innkeepers/victuallers 6.0 6.9 9.0 12.6
Other food, retail, service, dealing 26.5 19.0
32.0 27.5
Domestic servants 1.2 0.0 0.0 0.0
Professional 3.0 7.8 9.0 7.1
Total males with known occupations (n) 83 116 89 91
Table 4.2 confirms the increased share in agriculture in Period C. Other notable
features of this table are the decline in the leather and textile trade in Period C and the
corresponding growth in the needle trade. 19
In the tertiary sector the increase in the
percentage of innkeepers and retailers after 1750 may reflect the improved transport links
to the town and perhaps its recovery as a centre for servicing its hinterland. 20
Table 4.3 Male occupational structure (primary, secondary, tertiary) from marriage
licence data in Zone A, Alcester, 1680-1837 (as % of grooms with known occupations)
1680-99 1737-54 1780-99 1810-37
Primary 14.3 13.1 35.2 22.5
Primary (without labs.) 14.3 8.2 26.1 17.5
Secondary 65.7 75.4
51.1 50.0
Tertiary 20.0 11.5 13.6 27.5
19 These are discussed below in the relevant section.
20 Though this is not shown in the marriage licence data below.
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