POVERTY AND PREJUDICE A Study of Irish Immigrants in York 1840-1875

Hardback. The author examines the experiences of Irish immigrants in York, England, during a period of significant social and economic upheaval. Drawing on extensive archival research, including census data, poor law records, and contemporary accounts, she explores the harsh realities faced by Irish immigrants fleeing famine and poverty. Concentrated in York’s impoverished Walmgate district, they lived in overcrowded, disease-ridden slums, facing intense anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice. The book details their struggles with low-wage labour, poor housing, and social exclusion, while highlighting their resilience in forming tight-knit communities. The author analyses the role of institutions like the workhouse and Catholic Church in shaping their lives, alongside tensions with local authorities and English residents. She challenges stereotypes of Irish immigrants as idle or criminal, emphasising structural poverty as the root of their hardships. This detailed social history illuminates the intersection of class, ethnicity, and religion in Victorian Britain, offering a nuanced perspective on immigrant life and the broader socio-economic context of the era. Illus. + Maps, List of Tables, List of Graphs, Conclusion, Notes, Bibliog. and Index. 209pp. 8vo. h/back. F. in Nr. F. protected dw. which has a sl. sunned sp.