Occupations of Males in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, April 1871

The above table sets out our analysis of the male population of Beeston in April 1871, by industry/occupation and by age band. A similar table for the female population can be seen by clicking here. Each of these tables have been prepared based on the principles described in connection with the overall population table which can be seen here.

The table can be used to observe and quantify certain characteristics and trends within the population and, in particular, within the working population:

The employment rate amongst the over 15 male population is over 98%, essentially the same rate as in 1861, both being an increase from just over 96% employed in 1851. However, the actual total of 846 was down almost 5% on the 887 employed in that age group in 1861, although it was a small increase, of about 1.5% over that in 1851. This, surely, is a clear indication that employment had stagnated over the past 20 years.

The average age of all male workers is 37.8 years - which continued an increasing trend from 35.9 in 1869 and 33.5 in 1851. Essentially, this appears to be the result of the near elimination of child labour (in favour of schooling) over the 20 year period. There were, however, more significant movements in various occupational and other sectors:

Male employment in the textile sector showed a clear decline and a continuing aging of its workforce :

The average age of a male lace industry worker is 33.4 years - up from 31.6 in 1861 and 28.8 in 1851. The number of males employed in the industry had declined by 111 (36.7%) since 1861 and by 107 (35.9%) since 1851.
The average age of a male hosiery worker is 48.1 years - up from 47.6 in 1861 and 42.6 in 1851 - with the number again employed declining steeply, by 24.3% since 1851. There were now only 87 male workers in this clearly declining industry (9.2% of the total males employed. In 1851 there had been 161 (16.2% of the male workforce). In its then present form, based on knitting frames, this industry was clearly in terminal decline.
The average age of a male silk worker showed a further increase at 27.3 (compared with 21.7 in 1861 and 18.6 in 1851). This appears to reflect the decrease in dependence on child labour, probably as a result in increasing education provision and changes in employment legislation. The male silk workers under 20 were now down to 47% of the total males at the mill (from 58% in 1861 and from 76% in 1851) Overall though, since 1861, there had been a 6.1% increase in males employed in this industry, reversing the previous decline.

The numbers on the land (including horticulture) again showed a small increase:

Male employment on the land rose to 148, up from 142 in 1861 and 132 in 1851 (an increase of 4.2% since 1851 and 12.1% since 1851).
- at the same time, the average age of male workers on the land was slightly lower at 43.8, from 44.2 in 1861. However, it remained higher than 1851 when it was 41.1 years.
- land working was almost exclusively male. Only 3 female land workers can be identified (there were 5 in both 1861 and 1851)

In the younger age groups, there were very significant increases in the proportion and numbers of boys receiving education:

52.0% of boys under 16 are recorded as receiving education, this compared with 36.2% in 1861 and 34.4% in 1851. A total of 197 boys in education in 1851 had grown to 213 in 1861 and was now 309 - an increase of 45.1% since 1861 and 56.7% since 1851. Now, the vast majority of children of school age were in education.

Click to view our analysis of the Female Population by Age and Occupational Groupings
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© David Hallam - 2008