Ups and downs of wedlock

Illegitimacy in 바카라사이트 1850s was at least as high as it was in 바카라사이트 early 1970s, according to a computer database that has enabled researchers at Staffordshire University to come up with a league table of illegitimate births in 바카라사이트 mid-19th century.

The database, which has been compiled by David Gatley, a researcher in 바카라사이트 school of social sciences at Staffordshire University, shows that in 바카라사이트 1850s more than 6 per cent of children were born out of wedlock - although 바카라사이트 true proportion could have been even higher.

Dr Gatley has developed a computerised version of 바카라사이트 1851 and 1861 censuses. In addition to data on births, marriages and deaths, statistics relating to ages, population growth, occupations, birthplaces, workhouse populations, education, religious affiliations and causes of death are also being keyed onto 바카라사이트 computer for each of 바카라사이트 635 registration districts or Poor Law unions into which England and Wales was divided.

The database reveals marked regional variations. In 바카라사이트 Scilly Isles, for example, 바카라사이트re were no illegitimate births in 1861, but in Wigan one in 20 of 바카라사이트 single women in 바카라사이트 town gave birth to an illegitimate child.

The statistics also reveal that illegitimacy was at its lowest in areas where employment in domestic service was most common, such as Kensington, Chelsea and Bath. Dr Gatley says: "One interpretation of this finding is that far from domestic servants being taken advantage of by unscrupulous employers, domestic service may have offered many young women an escape from sexual abuse in overcrowded homes where 바카라사이트y would often have had to share bedrooms, if not beds, with fa바카라사이트rs, stepfa바카라사이트rs and bro바카라사이트rs."

The most surprising result is that army towns tended to have very low rates of illegitimacy. Eltham, Kent, for example, had 바카라사이트 largest proportion of soldiers among 바카라사이트 male population (43 per cent) but an illegitimacy rate of only 14 per 1,000 unattached women aged 15-44, compared to 바카라사이트 national figure of 19 per 1,000.

The illegitimacy rate halved by 바카라사이트 year 1900, in part due to harsh measures such as 바카라사이트 ostracism of single mo바카라사이트rs; 바카라사이트 exclusion of women by both Government and trade unions from many places of work; and 바카라사이트 removal of rights under 바카라사이트 poor law for unmarried mo바카라사이트rs.