ABSTRACT

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts in the preceding chapters of this book. The book explores settlement law and the parish basis of the poor law underlie much vagrancy, leading to the protectionist attitudes of parishes, reluctance to relieve travelling poor in difficulties, and the abuse of parish apprenticeship to shift the settlement of pauper children. In 1758 the economist Joseph Massie pointed out some of these involuntary reasons for begging, prostitution and vagrancy in the metropolis. S. S. Duncan Esq. also blamed vagrancy on fluctuations of commerce and manufactures, on the naval and military operations, on our settlement law Men of all trades wander for employment. The sexual vulnerability of female servants underlay much bastardy and consequent vagrancy, since a pregnant servant was usually dismissed and a bastard bearer was unwelcome to parish ratepayers.