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Folios 616-636. Sir John Walsham Northumberland and Durham. Report on General Condition of the Working Classes. Points made on information from various informants:
- Difficult to give 'brief' report on 'remarkable Evidence of prosperity... in every part of my District'; Lord John Russell should have separate report on agriculture, mining, shipping and manufacturing.
- Employment and wage rates: good between Darlington and Berwick except hand loom weavers in Darlington and Barnard Castle.
- Prices of provisions: moderate; abundant potatoes, main food for poor; milk and oatmeal plentiful and cheap; price of meat down; corn cheaper and may go down in Newcastle market because import of foreign corn.
- Prospects for coal mining very good; miners have free house and firing.
- Agricultural labourers: receiver of Greenwich Hospital lands reports rise in piece work payments; demand for labour from Carlisle and Durham railways; provision of free house, coals and potatoes.
- Lead mines: better wages than 3 years ago in Allendale, Weardale and Teesdale; men have gardens and often work by 'piece bargain'.
- Seamen in demand for shipping freight and wages have risen; joiners and masons also busy.
- Sunderland: 80 vessels under construction with jobs for carpenters, sail makers, rope makers and anchor smiths; work for glass, canvas and earthenware manufacturers; masons and joiners can apply to Newcastle, Shields, Gateshead and Stockton.
- Favourable reports from Alnwick, Hexham, Winlaton and Barnard Castle.
Wages: agricultural labourers:
- Hinds in north Northumberland have had better wages since Spring: married farm servants paid in kind (details given) plus small amount of money; 'bondagers' explained.
- Unhired single men (day labourers) will probably earn 2s per day this winter in competition with railway labour.
- Lower wages in south Northumberland and Durham.
- Detailed breakdown for average family expenditure.
Miners:
- Detailed wages for various coal mining trades; free housing, firing and medical care; higher standard of living (meat dinner daily, and drink and gambling).
- Lead miners lower wages, house and garden provided and use 'piece bargaining' system.
Sailors:
- Details of wages per voyage, winter and summer in Tyne, Wear, Tees, Tweed and Coquet areas.
Mechanics:
- Wages of all types from joiners to potters.
- Railway wages.
- Wages workmen in sailcloth manufacture in Stockton.
- Hand loom weavers in Darlington and Barnard Castle are 'most dissolute and improvident'.
Price of Provisions
- For Berwick, Newcastle and Stockton prices of following foods: butcher's meat (beef and mutton), bacon, flour (various), oatmeal, potatoes, butter and cheese.
- Average prices of following grains etc: wheat, rye, peas, oats, barley.
Letter from Robert Plummer, chairman of Newcastle Union. Main points:
- Rapid growth of Newcastle attributed to increase in trade for the port, demand for coal and development of railways.
- List of main articles manufactured (details).
- Newcastle has escaped recent 'derangement of monetary affairs'; imports related to industries; labour wages unaffected.
- Employment prospects 'abundant in the extreme'.
- Wages will not fall because plenty of work; quotes average wages.
- Miners also have house, coals, garden, medical advice; also some other 'desultory employment'.
- Provisions: little change likely; quotes average prices of wheat and flour; butcher's meat cheaper, may rise in Spring; potatoes 'plentiful and cheap'.
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