Differing Responses to an Industrialising Economy - eTheses ...

1792 only four farmers advertised. 43 The land formerly in Alcester’s open field was
divided into small and medium holdings, probably used by butcher-graziers and marketgardeners.
44
At least three gardeners were independent businessmen; one of these was
also a seedsman. 45
After enclosure arable land was concentrated in the north of the
parish. This rationalisation of land-use no doubt enabled higher productivity, so that
grain, market-garden produce and meat could be sent to markets such as Birmingham in
greater quantities. In common with many places in the county Alcester’s enclosure took
place during a period of prolonged ‘upward movement of all food prices’. 46
How the
humble labourer was affected by the changes in Alcester’s agriculture at this time is not
clear. In the short term enclosure may have provided some extra work such as fencing
and draining, but in the long term Lane suggests that ‘both the independent labourer and
lesser craftsman lost status’. 47
The land tax return of 1798 shows that Alcester still had many more owners of
property than its more agrarian neighbours, perhaps reflecting its market town status. 48
Although no farmers advertise in the 1835 directory, the 1831 census shows that there
were eight occupiers of land who employed labourers and six who did not. In Period D a
husbandman and a handful of yeomen are listed in probate, but the term ‘farmer’ had
43 Universal British Directory (UBD) 1792. Two farmers appear in the jurors’ lists 1772-1799, (WaRO,
QS76/3). Perhaps other farmers rented their land and were not eligible for jury service.
44 Saville, Alcester – a History, p. 50. No new farm-houses were built on the former open field. In UBD
1792 of two graziers, one was also a butcher. One grazier appears in the jurors’ lists 1772-1799, (WaRO,
QS76/3).
45 Three gardeners advertised in UBD 1792. Also two gardeners appear in the jurors’ lists 1772-1799,
(WaRO, QS76/3).
46 Martin, ‘The parliamentary enclosure movement and rural society in Warwickshire’, p. 24.
47 J. Lane, ‘Apprenticeship in Warwickshire, 1700-1834’, PhD thesis for University of Birmingham, (1977),
(also quoted by Martin in ‘Village traders and the emergence of a proletariat in South Warwickshire 1750-
1851’, p. 186).
48 See Appendix 24: 1798 land tax. The biggest property owner in Alcester contributed 37.54% of the total
tax. There were 112 or 113 owners altogether - many more than parishes which paid a similar total of tax
such as Studley, Salford Priors and Aston Cantlow.
84