Understanding rural migration in late nineteenth-century England: taking parish research to a new level

This thesis is an investigation into patterns of migration in England in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The research uses a unique dataset of 2,845 individual males and females from 36 carefully selected villages across a variety of English counties, traced through the census returns from 1851 to 1901. By observing the characteristics of each village, and following the migration patterns of the inhabitants, this thesis argues that migration patterns were dependant on a wide range of factors, which can only be appreciated by observing individual-level data. The first analysis chapter investigates the migratory habits of individuals from villages in Sussex, Norfolk and Northumberland. It compares the different patterns from coastal villages, remote villages, and those situated near a major town or city. It finds that individuals did not always conform to particular patterns of behaviour, and that many combined factors were involved in influencing patterns of migration. The second analysis chapter focusses on villages in the industrial north. It argues that being surrounded by a large number of urban locations did not result in a high rate of urban migration. It also shows the effect local industries had on the migratory habits of young men and women. The final analysis chapter looks at five villages in Bedfordshire, and investigates the effects of domestic industry on migration. It finds that domestic industry not only kept females local, but also had a significant effect on the men of the villages. A few studies have attempted migration research at the parish level, but most of these have tended to focus on singular villages or areas. By using a large dataset of individuals from a range of counties, and placing them in a geographical and social context, this thesis attempts to push the study of migration to a new level.