210 likes | 326 Views
Literacy in Colchester 1754 to 1837. Christine Jones. Act for the Preventing of Clandestine Marriages 22 Geo. II.c.3. An Act for Marriages in England. [17 August 1836] 6 & 7 Will. IV. c.85. R. S. Schofield, ‘The measure of literacy in pre-industrial England,’
E N D
Literacy in Colchester 1754 to 1837 Christine Jones
Act for the Preventing of Clandestine Marriages 22 Geo. II.c.3 An Act for Marriages in England. [17 August 1836] 6 & 7 Will. IV. c.85
R. S. Schofield, ‘The measure of literacy in pre-industrial England,’ in J. Goodey (ed.), Literacy in traditional societies (Cambridge, 1968) 311-25. R. S. Schofield, ‘Dimensions of illiteracy, 1750-1850’, Explorations in Economic History, 10 (1973), 437-54; reprinted in H. J. Graff, ed., Literacy and social development (Cambridge, 1981) 201-213. M. J. Heffernan, ’Literacy and geographic mobility in nineteenth century provincial France: some evidence from the départment of Ille-et-Vilaine’, Local Population Studies, 42 (1989), 32-42.
Periods for which the parish registers of St Peter include occupations of grooms: 1754-1758 – 88% 1754-1762 – 66% 1782-1808 – 59%
Groups of men for whom occupation tends to be omitted • Those married by licence • Widowers • Those from other counties
Most signed: Barbers Blacksmiths Butchers Cabinet makers Tailors All signed: Bakers Breeches makers Collar makers Coopers Farmers Gentlemen Linen drapers Mariners Shopkeepers Silk weavers Two thirds signed: Bricklayers Carpenters
Half signed: Mariners Soldiers Most marked: Husbandmen Two thirds marked: Gardeners Wool weavers All marked: Labourers Oyster dredgers Wool combers
Conclusions: marriage registers can provide a comparative measure of literacy • To show differences between parishes; • To show change over time; • To show differences between social groups; • When combined with occupational data to show differences between economic groups.