Family Limitation in Pre-Industrial England

Abstract

Data on baptisms marriages and burials obtained from the parish registers of Colyton in east Devon England from 1538-1837 were used to identify fertility changes in the parish during that period. The Henry method of family reconstitution was applied to the data. The Colyton register was uninterrupted from 1538-1837 but the degree of detailed information contained in the records varied at different times. These differences were examined from a methodological point of view to determine the amount of information required for applying the family reconstitution method. Analysis of the data revealed that from 1550-1645 the birth rate was high compared to the death rate. From 1645-1730 the birth rate was low in comparison to the death rate and the population of Colyton declined. From 1730-1785 there was a balance between birth and death rates and from 1780-1837 births exceeded deaths. Changes in the mean age at marriage explained some but not all of the fluctuations in the birth rate. A comparison of data for the high marital fertility period of 1560-1629 with data from the low marital fertility period of 1645-1720 revealed evidence that the inhabitants of Colyton were practicing birth control during the later period. Mean birth intervals for the 1st-4th births were 27.5 months for the earlier period and 31.4 months for the later period. There were more childless marriages in the later period thanin the earlier period. From 1645-1720 among women aged 30-34 those who married after the age of 30 had a higher fertility rate than those who married before they were 30 years old. The conclusion was reached that societies worked out different types of equilibriums between population size and resources. Some socieities as posited by Malthus produce they maximum number of people and they minimize the amount of resources available for each individual. Other societies such as the community of Colyton minimize population size and maximize resource allocations to their members.

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