Agricultural History Review, Volume 54 Part 2 (2006), pp. 274–303

A county-wide analysis of the census enumerators' books for Hertfordshire vindicates the published report's county figures while revealing distinct local variation, explained by differences in economic vitality, urbanization and industrial employment opportunities. Discrepancies in the data regarding numbers of labourers cannot be explained by seasonal unemployment, but might serve as an index of casualization. Within Hertfordshire, the stronger retention of farm service at mid-century was associated with areas of economic vitality, but these same areas generally experienced higher levels of labour casualization, while seasonal unemployment was more marked in the least dynamic districts. A preliminary analysis by county for England and Wales tentatively suggests that these features might apply more generally. 

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