English social classes history

 

During the middle age, the Britain had the same feudal system has in the France. Only the name of the villain was different, they called them as the serf. (C.F. Middle Age)

 

Then, in the 18th century, the social classes changed in three different one. The classification was made on the social ranking, no matter your income.

 

The first and upper rank was the Gentry.

This group was composed of the families who get a land free from labouring for the livelihood (the lord, the dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons), the high-ranking clergy, military and civil officers. They were called as gentlemen. They could gain money only if they didn’t need to work as labour work for that.

Between them, the gentry called the others by “esquire” or “gentlemen” to be distinguish by the others peoples.

 

The second rank was the middle classes.

This class was called “the middling sort” or “tradesmen”. It was composed of all the people who made money by working. More precisely by lower clergy, lower military officers, lawyers and law clerk, merchants, civil servants, freehold farmers and shopkeepers.

The clergy had the most of prestige in this class.

 

The lower rank was the lower classes.

This was the bottom of the society ; the labouring classes. It was composed of killed artisans at the top and vagrants at the real bottom.

For the vagrants, two employment possibilities was offer ; farm labour and domestic service. The first one was more for the men and the second one for the women.

For them, the living life was very difficult because they had to share the space in the house with other people to live, as in France. They had the minimum of food to survive with very difficult work conditions.