In 1854 the average weekly wage of an agricultural labourer was 10/8 (for those of you who don't remember the pre-decimal currency of the United Kingdom that's ten shillings and eightpence or about 53 pence). Sixpence (2.5 pence) had a good deal more spending power then and would certainly have bought a couple of pints. The average price for a gallon of beer in that year has been calculated as about just over one shilling and sixpence (7.5 pence) [1].
James was born in Worcester in 1813 to Louis Hervey d'Egville (1786-1857) and Mary Davis (1791-1846). Peter Harvey Gooding d'Egville was born in 1803 to George d'Egville and Mary Reid (who appear to have married in 1803). Consequently the man who accosted James in the Tything was probably his first cousin.
James might not have known that Peter was his cousin. George was committed to the institution of marriage and entered into serial wedlock as his wives wore out and died. His progeny are extensive and he did not invest in their futures; unlike his brothers.
Peter Harvey Gooding d'Egville was certainly a pest. There are other instances of petty crime which are recorded around the Midlands and I'm uncertain if it were he who instigated an insurrection in an East Anglian workhouse.
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| The Worcestershire Chronicle 27 September 1854 The British Library Board |
1. An extensive Excel spreadsheet of prices taken from the data series which were collected by Professor Gregory Clark and used in three publications were re-formatted by Peter Lindert 10 April 2006 can be downloaded here. Citations are provided in the spreadsheet.
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