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BIRMINGHAM STREET CANVASS

The Victorian Families' Painful Reality

At a council meeting of the Birmingham Political Union in early January 1838, John Collins called attention to a lecture  by a Dr Blakiston at the Philosophical Institution in Birmingham in which the otherwise excellent lecturer referred to the "humbler classes" and their improved circumstances, such as housing, feelings, and habits.  The doctor had based this assumption on the increase in savings funds at provident institutions.

John Collins, however, was much more in touch with the people's reality - and fearing such remarks were misleading and gave the wrong impression, Collins reported to the BPU council he had canvassed a street in Birmingham to ascertain just how far the comforts of the working classes had actually increased  .....   

Birmingham Journal 13th January 1838

"Mr Collins then read the following statement of the cases he had visited:-

"William Fawdry, milkman: two adults, seven children; two able to work, both assist him in his business, complains of difficulty of getting money in; could better have paid ten pounds (sterling) a year ago, than 4 pounds sterling at this time; took but three shillings last week, instead of about pounds.

"Robert Haines, cooper: four adults, two children; all able to work, only one in work; has been but partially employed for the last eighteen months, no work at all for seven months; honest, sober, and intelligent; would be well content could he earn bread for his family by hard labour; average income last nine months not more than nine shillings per week.

"Sarah Ensor, husband a lunatic; two adults, two children; all able to work, only one in work; average income last twelve months not more than three shillings per week; assisted by her daughter as much as she can, yet forced to sell her little property one piece after another to enable them to live.

"William Hollington, brick maker: two adults, one child; only a day or two days' work a week for four months; frequently gets up in a morning without knowing where to get a morsel of food for the day.

"Edward Ashford, gilt toy maker: four adults, three children; very little work last twelve months; not more than five shillings per week.

​"William Whitehouse, gun stocker: five adults, five children; lived in the house ten years, and expects the bailiff every day to sell their goods for rent; not more than twelve shillings per week for last twelve months; honest, sober, and willing to work.

"Joseph Cox, brass founder: two adults, two children; has had but one week's work in eight months; is working a  little now in the place of another man who is ill; knows not how long that may last; has a lodger who is about half employed now, who has been out of work for nine months.

"Edwin Whitehouse, gilt toy maker: two adults, four children; this is a most distressing case, he has done no work since March last; they had relief from the parish till September, since which time they have had but three shillings per week upon an average, and that has been earned by the wife sewing on hooks and eyes at a halfpenny per gross!

​"These are some of the cases he had met with; and he had to observe he found but one in the whole length of the street, back or front that was in comfortable circumstances."
Birmingham Journal - 13th January 1838

The Poor - Anonymous cartoon - Punch 1848

Collins' report on the amount of poverty and distress on one street caused much consternation among those present at the Union meeting, the facts of which were confirmed by one of the leaders of the Birmingham Working Men's Association who attended that meeting.