A demographic, economic and social analysis of the immigrant Irish community in the township of Birkenhead, 1841-1877
The substantive content of this thesis is the data obtained from 30,000 individual census enumerators' records, transcribed from the census years of 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871. The issues addressed include the size of the settlement, household size and structure, age profile and occupational structure. To facilitate comparison with the host population, a 10 per cent random sample of non-Irish households has been collected from the same census years and similarly analysed. In addition to quantitative evidence of the Irish settlement, a qualitative assessment has been made of the existence of an Irish community, considering such questions as what is meant by 'community', whether or not an Irish Community existed in the Township of Birkenhead in the period under review; did the Irish in Birkenhead conform to the popular, contemporary views of the Irish as violent, anti-social and concentrated in the lower income, labouring occupations? Attention has been paid to the question whether or not by the end of the period of study, the Irish in Birkenhead were integrated into local society or had been assimilated. In this context, the role of the Catholic Church in the shaping of an Irish Community has been examined.
Boyle, Christopher John
History
A demographic, economic and social analysis of the immigrant Irish community in the township of Birkenhead, 1841-1877. The substantive content of this thesis is the data obtained from 30,000 individual census enumerators' records, transcribed from the census years of 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871. The issues addressed include the size of the settlement, household size and structure, age profile and occupational structure. To facilitate comparison with the host population, a 10 per cent random sample of non-Irish households has been collected from the same census years and similarly analysed. In addition to quantitative evidence of the Irish settlement, a qualitative assessment has been made of the existence of an Irish community, considering such questions as what is meant by 'community', whether or not an Irish Community existed in the Township of Birkenhead in the period under review; did the Irish in Birkenhead conform to the popular, contemporary views of the Irish as violent, anti-social and concentrated in the lower income, labouring occupations? Attention has been paid to the question whether or not by the end of the period of study, the Irish in Birkenhead were integrated into local society or had been assimilated. In this context, the role of the Catholic Church in the shaping of an Irish Community has been examined.
demographic_economic social analysis immigrant irish community township substantive content data_obtain individual census enumerator record transcribe census year issue_address include size settlement household size structure age profile occupational_structure facilitate comparison host population per_cent random sample non irish household collect census year similarly analyse addition quantitative_evidence irish settlement qualitative assessment_make existence irish community consider question mean community whether irish community exist township period review irish conform popular contemporary view irish violent anti social concentrate low income labour occupation attention_pay question_whether end period study irish integrate local_society assimilate context role catholic_church shape irish community examine