12.3. Wheat Prices

The corn prices in this period were practically the same in all parts of England, so that for a comparison of wages per county in terms of weight of corn, we can use just one figure for each date given.

(prices in shillings per bushel of grain)

	1824	1832	1833	1837	1850	1850	1860	1860	1860
Average	6.2	7.5	6.7	6.8	5.0	5.0	6.8	6.8	6.8

The following table gives the weekly winter wages in terms of 4 pound units of wheat grain which could be purchased per week:

	Abstr Wages	Poor Law	Select Comiss	Purdy	Agric Gazette	Caird	Purdy	Agric Gazette	Board Trade
	1824	1832	1833	1837	1850	1850	1860	1860	1860

Bedford	21.5	18.9		21.0	24.0	27.0	22.1		23.2
Berkshire		19.3			21.6	22.5		19.9	26.5
Buckingham		19.6			25.5	25.5		24.3
Cambridge	20.8	20.0			27.0			22.1	22.1
Cheshire	24.7	17.8	21.3	28.7	24.0		25.4	24.3	25.4
Cornwall		16.7	20.1		27.0			24.3	24.3
Cumberland	28.2	18.5	24.6	26.5	31.5	39.0	33.1	33.1	29.8
Derby		21.6	26.9	26.5	30.0		26.5	24.3	26.5
Devon		16.9		17.6	33.0		19.9	25.4	22.1
Dorset	17.5	16.0		16.5	21.0	22.5	21.0	17.6	21.0
Durham	26.8	22.0		26.5		33.0	30.9	28.7	30.9
Essex	23.3	20.3	20.1	23.2	30.0	24.0	24.3	22.1	24.3
Gloucester	21.2	17.6		19.9	25.5	21.0	21.0	22.1	21.0
Hampshire	21.3	20.2	22.4	21.0	24.0	27.0	26.5	22.1	28.7
Hereford		16.4	20.1	17.6	24.0		19.9	22.1	21.0
Hertford		21.8		21.0	27.0	27.0	22.1	22.1	22.1
Huntingdon		24.1			24.0	25.5			24.3
Kent	26.3	24.7	31.3	26.5	28.5		26.5	25.4	26.5
Lancaster	28.2	21.4	30.2		40.5	40.5		33.1	30.9
Leicester		19.8	22.4		27.0			25.4	28.7
Lincoln	25.5	23.9		26.5	27.0	30.0	28.7	26.5	29.8
Middlesex	26.0	24.1
Monmouth	23.1	20.0		23.2	27.0		25.4	26.5	26.5
Norfolk	22.5	19.4	24.6	23.2	24.0	25.5	23.2	19.9	23.2
Northampton		19.4	17.9	19.9	25.5	27.0	24.3	26.5	25.4
Northumberld	57.0	20.7		26.5	36.0	33.0	30.9	33.1	30.9
Nottingham		22.9	29.1	26.5	30.0	30.0	27.6	24.3	27.6
Oxford		18.4			22.5	27.0		24.3
Rutland		21.6			27.0			24.3	25.4
Shropshire		17.3		19.9	27.0		22.1	22.1	22.1
Somerset		15.7	19.0	18.8	21.0		22.1	22.1	22.1
Stafford		25.0	22.4	26.5		28.5	27.6	22.1	27.6
Suffolk	20.5	18.5		23.2	22.5	25.5	23.2	19.9	25.4
Surrey		23.2	22.4	23.2	36.0	28.5	28.7		28.7
Sussex	25.9	22.7	21.3	23.2	27.0	31.5	25.4	25.4	25.4
Warwick		20.7		22.1	24.0	25.5	23.2	24.3	23.2
Westmoreld		20.5		26.5	33.0		30.9		30.9
Wiltshire		17.5	17.9	17.6	19.5	21.0	21.0	18.8	21.0
Worcester		18.9	20.1	21.0	24.0		22.1	22.1	22.1
York E Rid	27.0	24.8	28.0	26.5	30.0	36.0	29.8	30.9
York N Rid	21.9	19.4		26.5	30.0	33.0	29.8	30.9	29.8
York W Rid	26.6	21.2	26.9	26.5	30.0	42.0	29.8	30.9	33.1


Average	23.1	20.2	23.3	22.4	27.3	28.8	25.4	24.7	25.7

We note that with 15 units of 4 pounds (one bushel) of wheat grain a week, a family has enough to eat each week; with the additional earnings from harvest month, task-work, and work by the wife and children over 10, they can pay for cottage rent, clothing, and fuel.

From the following comparison per year of weekly winter wages and wheat prices per bushel, we can see that in practically all the years from 1815 to 1860 (with the exception of 1816-1818), the wages on average in England were above this limit.