The photograph of ‘Cardigan Cottage’ taken in the 19th century also supports the claim that the farmers were living in atrocious conditions. The house is poorly maintained with no glass in the windows and rubbish and tools surrounding the house giving it an aged and filthy appearance. The cottage also appears to have both poor ventilation and sanitation.
This photograph is useful because it’s primary evidence and is a clear photo, making it easy to understand. The limitations of this source are that it may have been staged to present the farmers condition in a more sympathetic light and may not be representative. The photograph was also taken later than the time of the riots.
Working Condition of the farmers of West Wales
A letter from ‘Rebecca’, published at the time of the riots in The Welshman newspaper describes the farmers as ‘Hard worked and hard fed’. It also details the suffering of other workers such as ‘The farmer’s wives carrying loaded baskets to market, bending under the weight’ and ‘The lime men, covered in sweat and dust’. “Rebecca” illustrates how hard life was for workers in rural Wales and how the majority were impoverished.
This source is useful because it is primary evidence written by the main leader of the riots (Rebecca) and provides an insight into the difficulties experienced by the farmers and the grievances that eventually led them to revolt. It is limited in use because it’s one person’s opinion only and naturally will be biased towards the protesters. It may therefore be exaggerated or distorted and not provide a wholly accurate picture.
The source written by Rev Evans supports the fact that the farmers working conditions were appalling. Overall agriculture was backward and under-productive and the work was made even more demanding by the lack of modern agricultural tools.
He observes that the farmers were still reliant on primitive farming methods, ‘They still use the common reaping tool’ and ‘mow with a scythe’. In addition the soil was naturally of a poor quality and had been exhausted from continuous farming –‘Nature wearied with the burden’.
This source is useful because it’s a detailed account by someone touring Wales at the time of the riots. The author is also a Reverend which means he would have been well educated and unlikely to lie. This source is limited in use because again it is only one persons view and may not be representative. There is also no indication that the writer has any particular expertise in agriculture and may therefore be unqualified to comment on the tools used.
Workhouse
The introduction of the Poor Law Amendment Act meant the poor could only obtain ‘Poor relief’ by entering a workhouse. On arrival families would automatically be separated, “Fathers in one yard, their wives, in another, their male children in a third and their daughters in a fourth’. The quality of food in the workhouse was appalling and farmers would ‘Arrive at actually the starvation point’ before reluctantly bringing their families to the workhouse. The farmers and there family had only one choice which was to enter the workhouse in order to survive.
Depression in Agriculture
The fall in demand for agricultural produce together with that of its prices worsened the farmer’s plight and left many unable to pay the tithe. This was a tax which was the equivalent of a tenth of the farmers produce. A source written by Mary Thomas explains that while she had raised ‘sixteen children’ and never ‘Owed a farthing’, the depression had left her family ‘Worse off than ever”. She illustrates the severity of the situation as she doubts for the survival of her family now the ‘Tithe comes so heavy’.
This source is primary evidence and is a farmer’s wife account of the difficulties caused by the depression. She is giving evidence to an official government body and therefore may be more inclined towards truthfulness. The disadvantages are that it’s only one person’s opinion and might not be representative. As a farmer’s wife she will naturally be biased towards the cause of the farmers and therefore may exaggerate to gain sympathy.
Relationship between landlords and farmers
The relationship between the landlords and farmers was extremely strained and was one of mutual distrust and dislike. ‘The landlords were English speaking rich, absentee and members of the Church of England’ which was a complete contrast to the farmers of West Wales who were ‘Welsh-speaking, poor, and non-conformist’.
It angered the farmers that while the landowners enumerated ‘Twenty five thousand pounds annually’’ they never even saw ‘The spot from whence they derive their wealth’.
Another source tells us that the J.p’s who were responsible for ‘The way in which relief was given to poor people’ were corrupt and used their power for their own good”. These sources illustrate the farmer’s exploitation by the landowners and their contribution to their debt and poverty.
Turnpike trusts and tolls
The turnpike trust built and maintained roads and in return charged a toll for anyone who used them. The farmers needed to regularly use the roads in order to take their produce to market and buy lime. The high cost of the tolls together with the frequency of the gates therefore worsened their already considerable financial burden. In addition to this was the belief that the ‘Trustees’ weren’t even doing their job probably as when ‘A bridge was broken down by a flood- the trustee refused to do anything’.
A source written by William Williams, a farmer in Wales at the time of the riots supports the idea that the gates are far too frequent –‘In travelling 8 miles’ the number of tolls would ‘come to six’. However a contrary viewpoint is provided by a toll keeper who states that the tolls caused no more complaints ‘Than you would hear in any other part of the country’ and “are no higher in Wales than in England’.
Although these sources are both primary evidence, they represent opposing sides of the debate and will therefore be biased towards their cause. Both sources are reporting to the commission of enquiry and both sources are representing different interest groups.
Commission of enquiry
A report written in March 1844 by the commission of enquiry acknowledged the majority of the farmer’s grievances and advocated improvements to the Turnpike Trust. The commission citied the ‘Chief grounds for complaint’ as the’ Mismanagement of the funds applicable to turnpike roads’, ‘Frequency and amount of the payments of tolls’, ‘Increase in the amount payable for the tithe’ and ‘The operation on the Poor Law Amendment Act’. The commission recognised that ‘Wet and unproductive harvests’ had worsened the farmers problems and noted that while the price of ‘Sheep, cattle and butter had fallen’, ‘All rates, tithes and taxes had increased’. The enquiry resulted in the introduction of ‘Equal tolls and the setting up of road boards in each country’.
Conclusion
While the ‘Rebecca riots’ could simply be seen as a justified and well organized struggle against the injustices of the tolls charged by the Turnpike Trusts, this does not in itself fully explain the farmers motivation to protest. The numerous grievances of the farmers outlined above, support the view outlined in a source from The Times that the tolls merely ‘Fanned this discontent into a flame.
