Welsh Journals

of life. Wheat rose to famine prices, from 49s. 3d. in 1792 to 113s. in 1800, and 122s. in 1812. At the same time wages rapidly fell; the weekly wage of a weaver, which at the commencement of the War was 13s. 10d., at the conclusion of the War, in 1816, fell to 4s. 31 2 d. The economic condition was aggravated by the number of discharged seamen and soldiers out of work, wandering about the country in search of employment. Under the Speenhamland system, started in 1795, an allowance was made to every poor family. in accordance with its numbers, a demoralising system, for employers put down wages to starvation point, knowing that an allowance would be made out of the Poor Rates. This method of relief was general from 1795 to 1834, a portion of which period is covered by these extracts, and of this system of relief I have given several examples. Britain, during this time too, was in a state of transition, owing to what is now known as "The Industrial Revolution," and the great and far-reaching results of that great economic upheaval. The Act of Settlement was still in force, and the enclosing of Waste Lands and Commons was still going merrily on, although in a lesser degree than in the previous decade. All these causes tended to impoverish and degrade the peasantry. The lack of proper methods of sanitation and the appalling immorality of the whole nation during the 18th century, are unfortunately only too evidently portrayed in these Annals of the Poor of the Montgomery and Pool United District," now termed "Forden Union." My thanks are due to Messrs. Phillips and Son for Mr. Morris's extracts, and also to Mr. Pritchard, the late Chairman of the Board of Guardians, for so kindly, allowing me access to the Minute Books, and for kind permission to publish the extracts. The 1795 Minute Book commences on May 6th.