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Working for a Living? Women and Children’s Labour Inputs in England, 1260-1850

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  • Weisdorf, Jacob
  • Horrell, Sara
  • Humphries, Jane

Abstract

We consider the living standards, supplies of child-labour, and poor-relief needs among intact and broken working-class families of various sizes in historical England. We estimate family incomes without resort to the usual day wages and ahistorical assumptions about male labour inputs. We also incorporate women and children’s wages and labour alongside consumption smoothing using a life-cycle approach. Living standards varied considerably over time and by family structure and dependency ratio. Small and intact families enjoyed high and rising living standards after 1700. Large and broken families depended on child labour and poor relief up until 1830.

Suggested Citation

  • Weisdorf, Jacob & Horrell, Sara & Humphries, Jane, 2020. "Working for a Living? Women and Children’s Labour Inputs in England, 1260-1850," CEPR Discussion Papers 14651, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:14651
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child labour; Consumption smoothing; Costs-of-living; Dependency ratio; Life cycle; Living standards; Poor relief; Prices; Wages;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General

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