Changing Attitudes Towards Poverty: Gustave Dore, Houndsditch (1872) Wentworth Street, Whitechapel (1872)

Investigators Booth: founder of Salvation army Andrew Mearns: ‘The bitter Cry of Outcast London k/related/outcast.phphttp:// k/related/outcast.php GR Sims: report on the poor in London

Charles Booth Wealthy Liverpool ship owner Began investigation to disprove the claim that a quarter of Londoners lived in poverty Over 1 million families investigated

'Map Showing Degrees of Poverty in London for ',

Booth’s classification of the people he interviewed: A (0.9% in poverty) The Lowest class-occasional labourers,loafers and semi-criminals B (7.5% in poverty) The very poor-casual labour, hand to mouth existence, chronic want C and D (22.3% In poverty) The poor-including those who have small earnings because of irregular employment or poor pay E and F (51.5% In comfort) The regularly employed and fair paid working class

Charles Booth Shocked to discover that figures were actually underestimated 30% living below ‘poverty line’ But only 10% been helped by Poor law Bluegate Fields (1872)

Seebohm Rowntree Wealthy York manufacturing family Aim: to see if the level of poverty in York was different to london 1901 published Poverty, A study of Town Life Nestle Rowntree

Key findings Identified two types of poverty: Primary poverty, those people whose earnings were so low they could not survive on them alone Secondary Poverty: those who had enough to live on but spent money

Key findings Determined poverty line at 21s 8d (£1.08) Found York had 27.8% of its population living in poverty Poverty was not always the fault of the person e.g. low wages, sick, elderly

Significance Both investigators used new methods to study poverty Charity was not enough, the government would have to provide help Greater awareness of poverty

Pressures Employers e.g Rowntree, Lever, Brunner believed there was a need for action Politicians: increasing number ready to support state action Extension of the franchise to working class men (1867 and 1884)

Pressures Growth of the labour and socialist societies E.g. Fabian society: Sidney and Beatrice webb

Boer war: The British consolidated their power over most of the colonies of South Africa in 1879 after the Anglo-Zulu War. The Boers protested and in December 1880 they revolted. Boer: is the Dutch word for farmer First Boer War (1880–1881) the Second Boer War (1899–1902)

Boer women and children in a concentration camp

Boer war: many men unfit to fight In Manchester 8,000 volunteered but only 1200 were accepted up to 40% of recruits were unfit for military service, suffering from medical problems such as rickets and other poverty-related illnesses.

Overall For all these reasons there was a gradual shift from self help and hard work attitude towards a ‘collectivist’ belief in social reform

Activity What were the main causes of Poverty in the late nineteenth century Describe the work of Charles Booth and Seebohm Rowntree in changing attitudes to poverty in the early twentieth century