2000
DOI: 10.1017/s0956793300002077
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Emigration and the New Poor Law: The Norfolk Emigration Fever of 1836

Abstract: In 1836 under the auspices of section 62 of the New Poor Law, 3,069 poor people from Norfolk were assisted to emigrate to North America. Their passages, and various other requirements including spending money, travel to the port, equipment for the voyage and settling of debts, were paid for out of the poor rates. The rationale for this outflow of people revolved around the issue of surplus labour, which was believed to have a corrosive and unsettling effect upon the state of rural society. Emigration had long … Show more

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Cited by 4 publications
(5 citation statements)
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“…It was justified as a measure to deal with surplus labor in rural regions of industrializing England, while constituting a measure to populate the empire. 5 However, promoters of assisted emigration as a form of social policy had to deal with the conflict resulting from emigration also being used as a form of punishment known in England as ‘transportation’ (Howells, 1996). As the Law of Settlement remained in force, local parishes continued to be financially responsible for their poor in union workhouses.…”
Section: Mobility Migration and Social Policy In Historical Perspecmentioning
confidence: 99%
See 4 more Smart Citations
“…It was justified as a measure to deal with surplus labor in rural regions of industrializing England, while constituting a measure to populate the empire. 5 However, promoters of assisted emigration as a form of social policy had to deal with the conflict resulting from emigration also being used as a form of punishment known in England as ‘transportation’ (Howells, 1996). As the Law of Settlement remained in force, local parishes continued to be financially responsible for their poor in union workhouses.…”
Section: Mobility Migration and Social Policy In Historical Perspecmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Under these circumstances, it would only seem rational for local parishes to support the emigration of their paupers. Howells (1996: 90) identified a positive statistical relationship between the cost for annual relief per head and the emigration rate among parishes in Norfolk. The overwhelming majority of those supported to leave the country were young families.…”
Section: Mobility Migration and Social Policy In Historical Perspecmentioning
confidence: 99%
See 3 more Smart Citations