s. d. 3 loaves 0 8¼ Meat 1 1 Potatoes 0 3 Vegetables 0 0¾ 3 ozs. tea 0 3 1 lb. sugar 0 2 ----- 2 6
Average per head for food 10d., or 1½d. a day.
s. d. Rent Went unpaid. Insurance -- Coal 0 4 Lamp oil 0 2 Soap 0 2 Firewood 0 1 ---- 0 9
s. d. 4 loaves 0 11 Meat 1 0 Potatoes 0 2 Vegetables 0 1 1 oz. tea 0 1 1½ lbs. sugar 0 3 Margarine 0 3 ---- 2 9
Average per head for food 11d., or 1-4/7d. per day.
When Mr. I. could earn again, his back rent amounted to 15s. He found work in the north of London, he living south of Kennington Park. He walked to and from his work every day, refusing to move because he and his wife were known in Kennington, and rather than see them go into the “house,” their friends would help them through a bad spell.
Mr. J., carter out of work through illness, took out an organ when well enough to push it. Wages 18s. when in work. Six children born, six alive.
January 26, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. J. had earned between them 9s.
February 2, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. J. had earned between them 7s.
February 9, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. J. had earned between them 8s. 10d.
February 16, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. J. had earned between them 9s.
February 23, 1910, Mr. and Mrs. J. had earned between them 7s. 6d.
+----------------+--------+--------+--------+---------+----------+ | |Jan. 26.| Feb. 2.| Feb. 9.| Feb. 16.| Feb. 23. | +----------------+--------+--------+--------+---------+----------+ | | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | s. d. | |Rent | 5 6 | 3 0 | 5 6 | 5 6 | 3 6 | |Coal | 0 6 | 0 6 | 0 4 | 0 6 | 0 6 | |Wood | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1½ | |Lamp oil | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1 | 0 1½ | |Soap, soda | 0 2 | 0 2 | 0 2 | 0 2 | 0 4 | | | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | ----- | | | 6 4 | 3 10 | 6 2 | 6 4 | 4 7 | |Leaving for food| 2 8 | 3 2 | 2 8 | 2 8 | 2 11 | |Average for food| | | | | | | per head a week| | almost | | | | | in holidays | 0 4 | 5d. | 0 4 | 0 4 | 0 4½ | +----------------+--------+--------+--------+---------+----------+
Those children who were of school age in these three families were fed once a day for five days a week during term-time. None of the children were earning. The three women were extremely clean, and, as far as their wretched means would allow, were good managers. It is impossible to lay out to advantage money which comes in spasmodically and belated, so that some urgent need must be attended to with each penny as it is earned. After a certain point of starvation food must come first, though before that point is reached it is extraordinary how often rent seems to be made a first charge on wages.