BURTON LATIMER - Population 1,158

Women are not employed here. The children remain at school up to about the age of 10 ½, but are absent at certain times of the year before that. The half time system would not answer here. The education of the poor is at present insufficient. I attribute the insufficiency to the indifference of the parents and farmer, and to the demand for the children’s labour. Some children we cannot get to school; I think some such plan as demanding a certificate of a certain amount of proficiency before allowing the child to go to work, would obviate this difficulty; they come for a fortnight, and stay away for month on frivolous excuses. I think the field labour takes them away earlier than the shoe trade. I think that the field labour is objectionable, because it prevents the children from growing up as strong as they might; it is bad upon moral grounds, because the boys are mixed with men and learn bad language, and are exposed to temptations before they are old enough to resist. There is a night school here, but it is not so well attended as it might be; the men won’t come with the boys, so this year we had two nights of the week for the men and two for the boys, and then the boys would not come because they would not be ticketed as boys. This is an Endowed School, and we never thought it advisable to apply to Government for a grant for the night school, because our grant would have been subject to a considerable deduction on account of our endowment. The night school is open for three months; nobody under 12 may attend, I think there is a growing desire for education here; it arose very much from starting a store, when it was discovered that nobody except the tradespeople could keep the accounts. The store works well. We are too well off for charities; people depend too much upon them, and they bring in outsiders from other parishes. Cottages are sufficient in number, but the sleeping accommodation is  insufficient. Labourers do not have to go far to work.

The Rev. F. Newman, Curate of Burton

Revd. Newman was answering questions posed in a form issued by the Commission on The Employment of Children, Young Persons, and Women in Agriculture (1867). The questions included :  At what age, and that what time of the year, our boys employed in agriculture on your property or farm, and in your parish generally?  Are girls so employed?  And if so, how many, at what ages, and in what occupation? To what extent are women so employed? To what distances do the children, young persons, and women employed on your farm and in your parish generally go to work? What are their hours of work? Is it desirable to place any restriction on the age at which book which boys should be permitted to work on the land, and if so, at what age would you place the limit? Is it desirable to place any restriction on the employment of females, and especially of the young, in agriculture? What means of education are provided in your parish for the children of the agricultural labouring class?  Do they take advantage of them?  If not, are there any other causes besides early labour to which you a tribute their non--attendance? What is the condition of the cottages in your parish and neighbourhood?  Are they sufficient for the supply of the labour required?  Are they conveniently situated with respect to the farms?  Are they overcrowded, and have any evil results to morality come on under your notice in consequence?  Are they well supplied with water, and well ventilated?  Have all the cottages in your parish and neighbourhood good gardens, or, in default of gardens, have all the cottages allotments of land conveniently situated for the use of the labourers and their families?