UNEMPLOYMENT IN 1921 By Jeremy Knight, Curator, Horsham Museum & Art Gallery
e are currently seeing a rise in unemployment
W
Committee were too small-scale in approach and direction.
caused by the impact of COVID-19. Interestingly,
For example, one suggested scheme was the cleaning and
100 years ago, the impact of Spanish Flu and the
puddling of the river and stream, as well as clearing the
post-war depression had a similar effect. In the 1920s the
underwood at the farm in High Wood. The cleaning of the
Urban District Council, which was a lot smaller back then,
river and stream would have taken 3 or 4 men some time
focused its efforts on what it could do rather than try to
with the cost being offset by selling the timber, and
address issues beyond its control. Therefore, the Council
clearing the wood could have provided employment for 8
focused its attention on the unemployed. Until that time
or 10 men for 3 months and considerable revenue would
there were no real structures or policies in place to deal
have been raised by sale of underwood. The unemployed
with the issue of unemployment. If the unemployed were
would have been paid the same rate as general labourers,
paupers they would have turned to the workhouse, but
or the rate set for farm workers by the Agricultural Board.
there was no support for the able bodied looking for work,
This programme of works for Horsham’s unemployed
or for ex-soldiers. To address this the Council set up a
would culminate 13 years later with the opening of the
committee to look into the issue of unemployment and find
town swimming pool. From now on virtually any scheme of
work for those affected.
work identified by the Council would include the provision
The first meeting of the committee took place on 3 January 1921. At the meeting a letter was read from the Government’s Unemployment Grants Committee Privy
of manual labouring work for unemployed people. This focus on employment carried itself through to the Census of 1921 as reported on in The County Times below:
Council referring to provision of funds to assisting Local
“The main changes (to the census) are the dropping of
Authorities in creating work that could be done by the
questions as to blindness, deafness, dumbness, and lunacy,
unemployed. Unfortunately the town was ill prepared for
and the addition of questions relating to employment. In
this and so the matter was adjourned. That didn’t mean
the coming census it will not be enough to state the
that there was no work or schemes available but that the
occupation, but particulars will be required of the kind of
suggestions put forward by the Special Unemployment
work done, of material worked in, and of articles made or
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MARCH/APRIL 2021
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