COMPANION TO THE ALMANAC

FOR

1864.

PART I.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON SUBJECTS OF MATHEMATICS, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, NATURAL HISTORY, CHRONOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, FINE ARTS, PUBLIC ECONOMY, &c.

I.-OCCUPATIONS OF THE PEOPLE.

In the Companion' for 1862 a very full account of the results of the Census was given from the official Preliminary Abstracts. Since that time, a Volume relating to England and Wales, in which the numbers of the People and of the Houses, with their local distribution, has been published, with the final revision of the central authorities. The differences between the first Abstracts and the corrected Returns are very trifling, so that our Paper may be sufficiently relied upon as forming the materials for general deductions. The Second Volume of the Census of England and Wales taken in 1861, bears date July 1, 1863. It contains the Ages, Civil Condition, Occupations, and Birthplaces of the People. The information on the subject of Occupations is so valuable, especially at a period when a large portion of the manufacturing population is deprived of its wonted employment, that we must reserve for a future paper the Occupations of the Scottish and Irish People. In an Introductory Note to this Volume of Tables relating to England and Wales, the Registrar-General says, "The nomenclature of many occupations is in an unsettled state. But in 1851 an attempt was made to frame a classification under which all the varieties of occupation could be placed; and that classification was to a certain extent successful. After further experience, its groups have been simplified and its ramifications extended, so as to exhibit in one view the whole population of England and Wales marshalled in six groups, according to their various occupations."

The Summary Tables of Occupations exhibit the whole community inhabiting our industrial hive, and working "in divers functions," under Classes, Orders, and Sub-Orders. We propose, instead of giving all the Tables in one view, to separate the Classes, showing the Orders and Sub-Orders of each, and adding in each division such observations as appear to us essential, or at least interesting.

The first striking fact which appears on the face of this Table is, that out of 20 millions of people, only 150 thousand do not appear in the enumeration of those of specified occupations and conditions. The Census is founded upon the returns made by each family or individual as to their status. The vague "Rentier" of the old French passport has no place here. Men and women for the most part shrunk not from naming their employments; and though there may be a little of that colour which pretences to gentility occasionally put on, we may conclude that the record, upon the whole, is honest and true. The Domestic Class, II.as we shall see when we come to the Orders and SubOrders which it comprises -represents those engaged in Domestic Offices the Wives, Mothers, Children, Relatives, and Servants of a Household. The Classes I., III., V., VI., form an aggregate of 6,478,160. The Agricultural Class, IV., comprises 2,010,454 persons. Thus we see that the possessors or workers of the land form only about one-fourth of the whole working community. If we compare the males enumerated under various Occupations, we shall find that those belonging to the four nonn-agricultural Classes amount to 4,619,249, whilst those comprised in the Agricultural Class amount to 1,631,652. This computation gives the same result as to the proportions of Agriculturists to other workers,

I. PROFESSIONAL CLASS.-This is divided into three Orders. The first, comprising persons engaged in the General or Local Government of the Country, amounts to 87,350 persons. The second, persons engaged in the defence of the country, reckons 131,944. The third, persons engaged in the Learned Professions, or engaged in Literature, Art, and Class is Science (with their immediate subordinates), is stated at 262,663. The total of the Professional Class is 481,957. We proceed to the Sub-Orders of Class I.

The sub-orders of this Class are well defined in all those occupations which we are accustomed to regard as strictly Professional. It is in the third Order that we encounter a vague and imperfect classification after we have passed the clear distinctions of the three learned Professions. "Authors and Literary Persons," numbering only 3,580, cannot surely comprise all who write books, or are contributors to Reviews and Magazines, or are Journalists. If any of us look at the question by the light of our individual experience, we shall immediately see that there are countless numbers who are writers, but who take a more definite rank as clergymen, lawyers, or medical men. In the same way we may judge of the return of "Scientific Persons." At a period when female authors were never so numerous, it is startling to find only 185 ladies who claim to rank amongst literary persons. The host of Novelists, Poetesses, Biographers, belong, no doubt, to the Domestic Class, and find their place in the Census amongst those who are engaged in the duties pertaining to the Wives, Mothers, or Children, of the English households. Let us hope and believe that the literary ambition does not exempt them from the due discharge of these family obligations. The female artists and musicians are strictly professional; but some addition must also be made to their number from the Domestic Class. The eighth sub-order is a large one, and exhibits some striking results. Out of a hundred and ten thousand Teachers, eighty thousand are females. The four great divisions of female Teachers comprise-Schoolmistress, 37,669; Teacher of Languages, 982; General Teacher, 16,290; Governess, 24,770. The period of life at which employment is found for educated women as teachers is worthy of note. Under 20 years of age there are-schoolmistresses, 2,257; general teachers, 9,499; and governesses, 3,202. We may ascribe the large proportion of the general teachers to the system of pupil teachers in national schools. The ages of those designated as governess-as we may trace them on the returns from under 20 years even to 90show that the notion of a governess having some affinity to the ancient duenna of comedy would now be an anachronism. The largest number are under 25 years; the next largest, under 30; whilst up to 40 the number rapidly decreases. From 40 to 55 there are not more than comprised in the return of those under 20. We may reasonably conclude, therefore, that the profession of governess is rarely a permanent occupation for life, and that the majority are gradually absorbed into the Domestic Class, and become the happier teachers of their own children. We say happier, because the true complement of a woman's happiness is in the position of wife and mother. But we do not believe that the condition of governess is one especially subject to the mortifications which are inflicted by ignorant and purse-proud employers. There has been, no doubt, good cause for the dark colours in which the haughty middle-class mistress has been painted. The position of an educated female, who is superior in intellect and acquirements to the rich people who pay her for her services, is an anomalous one, and has its unavoidable troubles. But good sense will soon obtain the victory over class prejudices and individual arrogance.

II. DOMESTIC CLASS. Of this largest division of the Population there are two Orders., viz., of persons engaged in the domestic offices or duties of Wives, Mothers, Mistresses of Families, Children's Relatives, and of persons engaged in entertaining, and performing personal offices for man, The one numbers 10,058,938 persons; the other, 1,367,782.

The information contained in the tabular arrangement requires little illustration. We subjoin a brief analysis of the sub-order of Domestic Servants, &c. Of the male persons whose occupation is to be "in attendance," there are-Domestic Servant (not particularly designated), 62,076; Coachman, 11,897; Groom, 21,396; Gardener, 14,621; Servant at Inn, Clubhouse, Dining-room, 24,453. Of female Domestic Servants, there areGeneral Servant, 644,271; Housekeeper, 66,406; Cook, 77,822; Housemaid, 102,462; Nurse, 67,785; Laundry-maid, 4,040; Hotel, Clubhouse, Dining-room Servant, 14,145; Hospital, Lunatic-Asylum, Attendant, Nurse, 2,797; Nurse, not Domestic Servant, 24,821; Charwoman, 65,273.

In England and Wales, in 1831, there were 104,370 male servants; and 560,979 female. In 1861, there were 137,447 male servants, and 1,071,201 female. In 1831, the total, population of England and Wales was about 14,000,000; in 1861, it was, about 20,000,000. We see, therefore, that the increase of female servants has been in a much greater proportion than the increase of population. The female population was about 7,000,000 in 1831; the female ser-. vants were about th of the total females. In 1861, the female population was about 10,000,000; the females servants were about th of the total females. This is, in itself, a striking proof of the increase of the means of household expenditure amongst the middle classes.