Henry Mayhew Year of Birth and Death

Henry Mayhew	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information…(25 November 1812 - 25th July 1887) Henry Mayhew, the son of Joshua Mayhew, a London lawyer, was born in 1812. Was an English social researcher, journalist, playwright and advocate of reform. He was one of the two founders of the satirical and humorous magazine Punch, and the magazine's joint-editor, with Mark Lemon, in its early days. He is better known, however, for his work as a social researcher, publishing an extensive series of newspaper articles in the Morning Chronicle, later compiled into the book series London Labour and the London Poor ; a groundbreaking and influential survey of the poor of London.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… The articles comprising London Labour and the London Poor were initially collected into three volumes in 1851; the 1861 edition included a fourth volume, co-written with Bracebridge Hemyng, John Binny and Andrew Halliday, on the lives of prostitutes, thieves and beggars. This Extra Volume took a more general and statistical approach to its subject than Volumes 1 to 3. He wrote in volume one: "I shall consider the whole of the metropolitan poor under three separate phases, according as they will work, they can't work, and they won't work."^[6] He interviewed everyone—beggars, street-entertainers (such as Punch and Judy men), market traders, prostitutes, labourers, sweatshop workers, even down to the "mudlarks" who searched the stinking mud on the banks of the River Thames for wood, metal, rope and coal from passing ships, and the "pure-finders" who gathered dog faeces to sell to tanners. He described their clothes, how and where they lived, their entertainments and customs, and made detailed estimates of the numbers and incomes of those practicing each trade. The books make fascinating reading, showing how marginal and precarious many people's lives were, in what, at that time, must have been the richest city in the world. Influence Mayhew's work was embraced by and was an influence on the Christian Socialists, such as Thomas Hughes, Charles Kingsley, and F. D. Maurice. Radicals also published sizeable excerpts from the reports in the Northern Star, the Red Republican and other newspapers. The often sympathetic investigations, with their immediacy and unswerving eye for detail, offered unprecedented insights into the condition of the Victorian poor. Alongside the earlier work of Edwin Chadwick, they are also regarded as a decisive influence on the thinking of Charles Dickens.

Henry Mayhew	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information… He was born on the 25^th November 18 12 and died on the 25^th July 1887 He was born in London, one of seventeen children of Joshua Mayhew. He was educated at Westminster school before running away from his studies to sea He was one of the two founders of the satirical and humorous magazine Punch
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Began a series called ‘London Labour and the London poor’ which captured the imagination of the reading public He visited the homes and workplaces of the poor and wrote about what he saw, heard, smelled and felt He divided the ‘labouring poor’, whose lives he was investigating into three sections one those who will work and the other those who cannot work and those who will not work

Thomas Malthus	Year of Birth and Death: 1766-1834
	Background / Useful information… Malthus entered Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1784 and was ordained a minister of the Church of England in 1788. He earned his M.A. in 1791. He went on to become an English political economist. Malthus studied population growth and predicted that because of how quickly the population was growing the population would eventually run out of food. Malthus went on to blame the Poor Law for the population increase and for the state of the poor generally.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Malthus believed that abolishing Poor Laws would lead to higher wages because, relieved of the burden of high poor rates, landowners would be able to afford more. Abolition would also lead to smaller families because the incentive to have more to have more children in order to get more relief would be removed. Malthus thought that all this would lead to greater prosperity.

Thomas Malthus	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information… The English political economist and demographer Thomas Robert Malthus FRS (13 February 1766 – 23 December 1834) expressed views on population growth and noted the potential for populations to increase rapidly, and often faster than the food supply available to them. Commentators may refer to such a runaway scenario, as outlined in Malthus's treatise An Essay on the Principle of Population, as a "Malthusian catastrophe". Between 1798 and 1826 Malthus published six editions of his famous treatise, An Essay on the Principle of Population, updating each edition to incorporate new material, to address criticism, and to convey changes in his own perspectives on the subject. He wrote the original text in reaction to the optimism of his father and his father's associates, (notably Rousseau) regarding the future improvement of society. Malthus also constructed his case as a specific response to writings of William Godwin (1756-1836) and of the Marquis de Condorcet (1743-1794).
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Thomas Malthus’ ideas about population made him believe that if the population doubled every 20 years then eventually Britain wouldn’t have the resources to feed the public. Malthus suggested and believed that the poor should have no hand outs, this way the poor would die off and the population wouldn’t grow too big and not get out of control. One of the biggest reasons that the population was rising was because women were having children so they could claim more money from the parish, Malthus thought no hand outs should be given out so that people wouldn’t have children.

Thomas Malthus	Year of Birth and Death: 1766-1834
	Background / Useful information… In his early life Malthus was home educated in Nottinghamshire, until he was admitted to Jesus college Cambridge in 1784. He earned a masters in 1791 and two years later became a fellow of Jesus college. He was ordered to become an Anglican country parson. Malthus became the first professor of political economy at the East India company college in Hertfordshire. Generally Malthus can be described as a parson who also wrote about economic and social issues.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Malthus’ main influence on poverty in the nineteenth century was his essay on the principle of population calling for the abolition of the poor law in 1796. His philosophy was that the growth of population would inevitably outstrip the available food supply. He thought that population would faster than food production and so if population increased at its current rate, famine and disaster would follow. Malthus believed the poor laws were responsible for the increase in size of population and cost of the poor. Malthus thought abolishing the poor law would lead to higher wages as landowners would have much less taxation, and it would also take away the incentive for poor families to have large numbers of children in order to gain extra relief, both of these factors he said would increase general prosperity. Although Malthus did later concede that some relief for the unemployed was necessary, it was his earlier thoughts that had more effect on the policy makers in the first half of the nineteenth century.

David Ricardo	Year of Birth and Death: 18^th April 1772 – 11^thSeptember 1823
	Background / Useful information… He was an English Political Economist He was also a member of Parliament, businessman, financier and speculator, and amassed a considerable fortune. He was a city stockbroker who made a fortune during the wars against France His economic ideas were influenced by Malthus and Adam Smith He though the poor law kept the wages low, so this meant that the poor were made dependent on the state. Ricardo thought the Poor Law would be best abolished
How he influenced poverty in the 19^th Century… Ricardo published a book in 1817 called Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. This combined Smith’s belief in the free market, also known as capitalism, and Malthus’ fear about population. He thought that a nation would benefit from capitalism, even if the nation produced less efficient goods than their trading partners.

Robert Owen	1771 - 1858
	Background / Useful information… Born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales Was quite smart and did well at school but at the age of 10 was sent to work at a draper in Lincolnshire. Managed to make a lot of money in the textile industry at the age of 19. He believed that a person’s character was influenced by the environment around them and he based a lot of his ideas on this belief.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… At the factories that he owned and the worker villages around them he believed that a good positive environment enabled people to have good positive character. For example in New Lanark village he made sure that there were schools provided for the children of the workers. He also made sure that physical punishment was banned in the school sand factories of New Lanark. He also stopped employing children under 10 and made sure that children over that did not work more than 10 hours a day. He made sure that the other share holders in his business agreed with his ethics and morals and if they didn’t he bought their share and sold it to some one who did. He published his ideas on better working conditions and better care for workers in several books including The Formation of Character and A New View Society, in attempt to try and get other factory owners to follow his example. He also travelled the country giving speeches on his work in New Lanark and sent proposals the government trying to get reforms for the factories. He set up a community in America based upon these ideas which ended up being run by his children whilst he stayed in England campaigning for his ideas and for different reform groups until his death.

Dr Edward Smith	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information… Born 1819-1874 University - Berkeley California Studies – Nutritional Sciences
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Conducted the 1^st national food survey on behalf of the medical officer of the privy council published in 1863 He interviewed 370 families Smith calculated his survey on the nutritional value of food unlike Rowntree Smith also calculated the subsistence level of where civilised life was not possible His calculations estimated that 2760kilocaleries and 70g of protein a day was the minimum acquired to live

William Booth	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information… Founded the salvation army in 1865
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Introduced his ideas of the ‘3 Circles of poverty’ Centre of this circle was people who led a life of crime Second circle was people who loved by vice, un-honesty and begging etc. The larger outer circle was people who starved and are homeless however they were honest and poor. Outside of this were skilled workers in employment who had just enough money that could potentially be hit by problems and become poor, entering the ‘outer circle’

Edwin Chadwick	(24 January 1800–6 July 1890)
	He was born in Longsight, Manchester He was an English social reformer, noted for his work to reform the Poor Laws and improve sanitary conditions and public health He was one of Jeremy Bentham’s disciples Was a member of the Commission of Enquiry, committed to Benthamite He was also a commissioner of the General Board of Health from its establishment in 1848 to its abolition in 1854,
In 1832 he was employed by the royal commission appointed to inquire into the operation of the Poor Laws, and in 1833 he was made a full member of that body. In conjunction with Nassau William Senior he drafted the famous report of 1834 which procured the reform of the old Poor Law. Chadwick developed Betham’s idea in that he believed the able-bodied should be kept in work houses in conditions that were worse than “free labour” outside. He had a large say in the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. These including regulations such as, central authorities, parishes to provide Poor Law unions to provide relief, horrible conditions inside workhouses and outdoor relief for able-bodied poor was to be discouraged.

Edwin Chadwick	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information… Edwin Chadwick, the son of a successful businessman, was born in Manchester on 24th January, 1800. Chadwick's father had progressive political views and encouraged his son to read books by radicals such as Tom Paine and Joseph Priestley. While studying in London to become a lawyer, Chadwick joined the Unilitarian Society where he met Jeremy Bentham, James Mill, John Stuart Mill and Francis Place.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… In 1832, the Prime Minister, Earl Grey, initiated a Royal Commission of Enquiry on the Poor Laws. Chadwick was appointed as one of the assistant commissioners responsible for collecting information on the subject. Edwin Chadwick soon emerged as one of the most important members of the investigation and he was eventually responsible for writing nearly a third of the published report. In the report published in 1834, the Commission made several recommendations to Parliament. As a result of the report, the Poor Law Amendment Act was passed. Chadwick was identified as the man responsible for abolishing outdoor relief and during the 1837 General Election there were public demonstrations against him. After the influenza and typhoid epidemics in 1837 and 1838, Edwin Chadwick was asked by the government to carry out a new enquiry into sanitation. His report, The Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population was published in 1842. In the report Chadwick argued that disease was directly related to living conditions and that there was a desperate need for public health reform. Chadwick, who was appointed Sanitation Commissioner, had several ideas on how public health could be improved. This included a constant supply of fresh clean water, water closets in every house, and a system of carrying sewage to outlying farms, where it would provide a cheap source of fertilizer

Edwin Chadwick	1800-1890
	Background / Useful Information… Edwin Chadwick was born in Manchester in 1800, his father had progressive political views and he encouraged his son to read books by radicals such as Tom Paine and Joseph Priestley. He studied to become a lawyer in London but spent most of his life campaigning for changes in the political system. One of his biggest influences was his mentor, Jeremy Bentham, who he met at the Unilitarian Society. In his later years, he became more interested in public health, becoming Sanitary Commissioner in 1948 after the Public Health Act was passed.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… As secretary to Jeremy Bentham until his death in 1832, Chadwick became heavily influenced by Bentham’s ideas on solutions to the growing problem of poverty. In 1832, Edwin Chadwick was appointed as one of the assistant commissioners to the Paw Law Commission. He emerged as one of the most important members of the investigation and eventually ended up writing nearly a third of the entire report. He felt that after his efforts he would be offered one of the three commissioner’s posts After the report was given to Parliament in 1834, Chadwick was offered the post of Secretary to the Central Poor Law Commission, with the promise he would be able to recommend further amendments to the Poor Law. He took the job, believing he would be able to influence the recommendations the Poor Law Commission made to the government. He was largely responsible for the way the Poor Law Amendment Act was introduced.

Tom Paine	Year of Birth and Death 1737- 1809
	Background / Useful information… Had skills in many areas such as a pamphleteer (creates pamphlets), revolutionary, radical, inventor and intellectual (theories) At the age of 37, he travelled around the world playing significant parts in the French, American and British revolutions Well known in Britain for his influence he had on British radicalism Wrote many books, most notable being ‘common sense’ and ‘rights of man. Inside the ‘rights of man’ which was published around the French revolution, Paine brought across his opinions that everybody should be equal, regardless of their social status. He believed all working class should have the right to vote.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Paine did not agree with the principles of he Poor Law, as he thought it was so ‘inadequate’ His ideas to sort out society, was to imply to a property tax on the very rich which then could be used to help out the poor. In particular he looked at solving problems regarding family allowances and old age pensions However the money he would gain from this policy would mainly go to the deserving poor, as he was considered to be a fair character Paine agreed with many others that the able-bodied poor must be kept in the workhouses, if they wish to get paid He also had similar opinions to Maltus about how Britain needs to sort out the Poor quickly before the economy, and population suffer.

Tom Paine	Year of Birth and Death 29 January 1737 – 8 June 1809
	Background / Useful information… Thomas Paine was an English pamphleteer, revolutionary, radical, inventor, and intellectual. He lived and worked in Britain until age 37, when he emigrated to the British American colonies, in time to participate in the American Revolution. Later, he greatly influenced the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791), a guide to Enlightenment ideas. Despite not speaking French, he was elected to the French National Convention in 1792.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… He was a writer and republican who criticised the poor law because it was so inadequate. He proposed a property tax on a very rich to be used for a verity of support systems for the poor, among these being family allowances and old age pensions. He, like others, had a problem with the able-bodied poor and implied that they had to go into workhouses before they could receive relief.

Jeremy Bentham	Year of Birth and Death
	Background / Useful information…   Jeremy Bentham, the son of a lawyer, was born in London in 1748. A brilliant scholar, Bentham entered Queen's College, Oxford at twelve and was admitted to Lincoln's Inn at the age of fifteen. Bentham was a shy man who did not enjoy making public speeches. He therefore decided to leave Lincoln Inn and concentrate on writing. Provided with £90 a year by his father, Bentham produced a series of books on philosophy, economics and politics.
How he influenced poverty in the 19th Century… Jeremy Bentham was an English philosopher and political radical. Although he never practiced law, he spent most of his life critiquing the existing law and strongly advocating legal reform. Bentham is primarily known today for his moral philosophy, especially his principle of utilitarianism which evaluates actions based upon their consequences, in particular the overall happiness created for everyone affected by the action. He maintained that putting this principle into consistent practice would provide justification for social, political, and legal institutions. Although Bentham's influence was minor during his life, his impact was greater in later years as his ideas were carried on by followers such as John Stuart Mill, John Austin, and other consequentialists.

Jeremy Bentham	Born: 15 February 1748 Died: 6 June 1832 (aged 84)
	Bentham was an English jurist, philosopher, legal and social reformer and political radical. Although he never practiced law, he spent most of his life critiquing the existing law and strongly advocating legal reform. Bentham is primarily known today for his moral philosophy, especially his principle of utilitarianism which evaluates actions based upon their consequences, in particular the overall happiness created for everyone affected by the action. He maintained that putting this principle into consistent practice would provide justification for social, political, and legal institutions
He developed the theory of Utilitarianism. This was a theory that society should be so organised as to secure the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Actions and institutions should be judged according to whether or not they added to this sum total of happiness. He believed this could be achieved if wages and prices found their true level in a free market and all state institutions, like the Poor Law, were centrally controlled to agreed standards. Utilitarianism had a profound influence on Edwin Chadwick.

Jeremy Bentham	1748 - 1832
	He was a Lawyer, philosopher, and also a writer, most famous for his creation of the ‘Utilitarianism’ doctrine (This meant making the greater number of people happier…greater happiness for the greater good) Published a book in 1798 called ‘Pauper Management Improved’. His secretary was Edwin Chadwick. Criticized old poor law.
Utilitarianism ideas were one of the key influences on the reforms of the Whig Government and reformation of the Poor Law. Hated the old system, and thought that the government should control how much the poor should get across the country; rather than parishes deciding. This would be done using workhouses. He was a strong believer in ‘The Principle of Less Eligibility’ and thought that is the workhouses were cruel, harsh places to live, that people would put more effort into trying to get a job. Proposed that outdoor relief should be abolished.