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"...subjects deserving of the highest praise": farmers' wives and the farm economy in England, c.1700-1850

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 06:44 authored by Nicola Verdon
The farmers' wife remains one of the most elusive figures in agrarian history. Her labour on the farm (and in the farmhouse) was largely unpaid, and therefore unrecorded. Historians have acknowledged the contribution made by farmers' wives, but no attempt has yet been made to examine in detail the whole range of tasks usually undertaken by them and the value attached to this work. This article seeks to redress this neglect. Using a range of agricultural literature (farming manuals, encyclopaedias, journals and tours), it will be argued that the position of the farmer's wife depended on status and region, and whilst some women had withdrawn from active participation in the farm economy by the early nineteenth century, this trend should not be overstated.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Agricultural History Review

ISSN

0002-1490

Publisher

British Agricultural History Society

Issue

1

Volume

51

Page range

23-39

Department affiliated with

  • History Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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