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Emigration Learning Resource 3: Activities

Key Questions: How was emigration funded by parishes in the early 19th century? Who funded the emigration of the poor? What was covered in the funding?

CHECK/DISCUSS

Source A:

  • Have a look at Source A. What do you think it is?
  • With a partner try reading it.
  • Now check what you have managed to read against the transcript.
  • Were any words easy or particularly difficult to read?
  • When was the document written?
  • Why do you think this document was written?
  • Who was emigrating? Individuals? Families?
  • List each family emigrating with their children.  What do you notice?
  • Where were they going to?
  • Can you think of any reasons why the people might want to emigrate at this time?

Source B:

  • With a partner read Source B  
  • Now check what you have managed to read against the transcript.
  • How much money was spent sending these 38 people to the USA?
  • List all the things paid for by the parish. What do you notice?
  • What does Charles Southerton bring for the journey? How much was he paid for it?
  • There were unknown expenses paid on the road to Portmouth. Can you list what you think they paid for?
  • How much did the passage to New York cost for 38 people?
  • How much was paid to R. Atlee for potatoes?
  • How much did the 7 beds and blankets cost?

Source C:

  • How much in total was spent in total by the parish sending 38 emigrants to the USA in 1831?
  • Who paid?

INVESTIGATE

  • Who do you think had to pay the Poor Rate?
  • Who do you think received Poor Relief?
  • Research the units of currency used in Victorian times and explain it to a partner.
  • Compare the amount spent in Poor Relief in 1826 with that in 1832? How much had it increased by?

Remember the money used then was pounds (£), shillings, (s) and pennies (d). 
There were 12 pennies in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound.

  • How do you think the money might have been spent?  On what sort of things?
  • Can you think of at least 3 reasons why the amount spent might have increased in the 6 years?
  • In 1832 the population of Aldingbourne was 833 including women and children.  If every person was able to pay the poor rate estimate how much per person, using the pound figure only would they have to pay each?
  • If only half the population (416) people could contribute to the poor rate how much would they each have to pay?
  • Having seen these figures why do you think some parishes funded emigration for some of its parishioners to the USA?

DO:

  • Work out how much £400 in 1832 would be worth today using the National Archives website (link below).
  • Create a glossary for words you are not familiar with starting with:
    • Emigration
    • Bounty
    • Grocery
    • Biscuits
    • Conveyance
    • Lieu
  • Research some of the other reasons why parishes like Aldingbourne in the early 19th century thought encouraging emigration to the USA was a good idea. Make a list of what they thought the positive aspects were.
  • Research some of the negative aspects of emigration and make a list of them.
  • As Charles Southerton, write a letter to your mum and dad explaining why you are emigrating to New York with your wife and family. Remember you need to be positive about the opportunities being offered OR in threes hold a dialogue with one of you as Charles Southerton and one his dad and one his Mum telling them why you are leaving for USA. Remember his mum and dad probably had lots of reasons why he shouldn’t go.  Include some of these in your dialogue.
  • Design a poster for a meeting to be held at Aldingbourne Parish Hall to debate the idea of the parish rate funding the emigration of 38 people to the USA in 1832.
  • Hold the debate with different people expressing their views on funding emigration. Take a vote at the end to see who supports the idea.
  • Research what happens to families today who are unable to support themselves financially and what help is given to them.  Do you think any consider emigration as an option?  How do you think they might fund emigration today?
  • Would you have emigrated to the USA if you were a poor agricultural worker with no job and a large family to support?
  • Write a short paragraph summarising what you have found out.

RESOURCES:

http://projectbritain.com/moneyold.htm

http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/

West Sussex Record Office’s Sussex Poor Law Recordsprinted catalogue (ref. Lib 5616)

Aldingbourne Par 1-30-1 f220v image and transcript WHOLE PAGE

Sussex Data by Alan Stephens (University of Sussex, 1988) Lib 10041 (populations of Sussex towns and parishes 1801-1981)