Seasonality and early modern towns : the timing of baptisms, marriages and burials in England, 1560-1750, with particular reference to towns
The thesis examines the seasonality of baptisms, marriages and burials in early modern towns, and demonstrates that seasonality (which measures how the frequency of vital events varied through the year) is a useful method of examining aspects of social history. Chapter 1 looks at the background to the use of the demographic tool of seasonality and suggests how seasonality may be able to address some of the concerns of urban historians. Chapters 2 to 4 discuss the sources and methodology of the study, and the results are summarised in Chapter 5. The baptismal, burial and marriage seasonality patterns are described, and urban patterns are compared and contrasted with rural patterns. The results are discussed in Chapter 6, which seeks to explain the seasonality patterns, and the similarities and differences between urban and rural patterns, by looking at the context in which they arise, principally living conditions and the prevalence of diseases, and working and leisure patterns. Chapter 7 looks more closely at the transition between urban and rural seasonality patterns. Plague and intestinal disease, due to overcrowded and insanitary living conditions, created a divergent burial pattern in towns up to 1700.
Greatorex, Irene
BL Religion ; DA Great Britain
Seasonality and early modern towns : the timing of baptisms, marriages and burials in England, 1560-1750, with particular reference to towns. The thesis examines the seasonality of baptisms, marriages and burials in early modern towns, and demonstrates that seasonality (which measures how the frequency of vital events varied through the year) is a useful method of examining aspects of social history. Chapter 1 looks at the background to the use of the demographic tool of seasonality and suggests how seasonality may be able to address some of the concerns of urban historians. Chapters 2 to 4 discuss the sources and methodology of the study, and the results are summarised in Chapter 5. The baptismal, burial and marriage seasonality patterns are described, and urban patterns are compared and contrasted with rural patterns. The results are discussed in Chapter 6, which seeks to explain the seasonality patterns, and the similarities and differences between urban and rural patterns, by looking at the context in which they arise, principally living conditions and the prevalence of diseases, and working and leisure patterns. Chapter 7 looks more closely at the transition between urban and rural seasonality patterns. Plague and intestinal disease, due to overcrowded and insanitary living conditions, created a divergent burial pattern in towns up to 1700.
seasonality early_modern town timing baptism marriage burial england particular_reference town examines seasonality baptism marriage burial early_modern town demonstrate seasonality measure frequency vital event useful method examine aspect social_history look background use demographic tool seasonality suggest seasonality may able address_concern urban historian discus source study summarise baptismal burial marriage seasonality pattern describe urban pattern_compare contrasted rural pattern discuss seek_explain seasonality pattern similarity_difference urban_rural pattern look context arise principally live condition prevalence disease work leisure pattern look_closely transition urban_rural seasonality pattern plague disease due overcrowd living_condition create divergent burial pattern town