Lets all face it folks, The poor in victorian britain had a hard time all round. It was said that when the Irish came looking for work in the west country one of the places they stayed away from was Dorset as many of the gentry of the county also had land in Ireland. A reverend gentleman traveling in Dorset wrote about the sqalid living conditions of the farm workers,whole family's living in one room often,in the same bed. The cutting of wages, The taking in of the commons so even the keeping of a few animals was denied them.
They hang the man, and flog the woman.
That steals a goose from off the common.
But let the greater rascal loose.
That steals the common from off the goose.
dave.