A History of the English Agricultural Labourer traces the long, intimate story of the workers who till England’s land and how their place in society has changed over centuries.
Drawing on a wide range of records, it follows the rise of the free but propertyless labourer, the push toward landholding, and the ongoing tensions between landlords, farmers, and workers. The book situates the agricultural labourer within broader social and political movements, showing how economic shifts and policy debates reshaped daily life in the countryside.
From the early transition to wage labour to the late nineteenth‑ and early twentieth‑century struggles for reform, this edition illuminates the forces that kept many workers outside of land ownership while others pressed for allotments, unions, and small holdings. It examines wages, living conditions, education, and the complex role of women and children in rural economies, all set against the changing face of English agriculture.
What you’ll experience
- A chronological narrative of the agricultural labourer’s position from the origins of wage work to modern attempts at reform.
- Clear explanations of long‑running issues such as wages, housing, allotments, and the role of unions.
- Context for the social and political debates that shaped rural life, including policy responses and labour movements.
- An accessible, well‑documented account grounded in historic records.
Ideal for readers of social history, rural studies, and anyone curious about how England’s countryside evolved alongside its people.