Horsley in Gloucestershire where William Winder grew up
Although we don't have many facts about this part of William's life, some reasonable conclusions can be drawn from we do know. Since William had to make his mark, rather than sign his name, on important documents like a marriage certificate, he clearly had little, if any, formal education. This would be consistent with his stated occupation of laborer. Given that he lived in rural Gloucestershire, it's probably not too much of a reach to believe he was primarily an agricultural laborer. Further support can be drawn from the number of people working in that field (sorry!). In 1851, more than a decade after William joined the army, there were over one million agricultural laborers in England, fully 25% of all males.
Agricultural Laborers in England about 1832
Perhaps not surprisingly, agricultural laboring was also the lowest paid occupation of the time, in spite of being very hard work. Today we may have a very idyllic view of farming, but agricultural laborers worked long hours in all kinds of weather, especially during the harvest which became a race against time, not to mention "rain, mud and cold." Working for days in wet clothing frequently led to bronchitis and rheumatism in addition to regular aches and pains (William died of chronic bronchitis). Typically someone like William would start doing simple farm tasks as a small boy, gradually taking on harder worker as he got older and bigger.
One of the many problems with this occupation was that the agricultural laborer may have learned do his job, but he typically learned nothing else so that many in Victorian society viewed him as little different than the horses he drove or led.
A Hedger and Ditcher - probably what agricultural laborers looked like after many years on the job
As an agricultural laborer, William most likely had a difficult time earning enough to support himself and/or make a contribution to his family's finances. To make matters worse a severe six year depression began in 1836-37 leading to what has been called the "grimmest period" of the 19th century. Aged 16-17 at this time, William would have had an increasingly difficult time finding work of any kind.
Gloucestershire harvest note the number of workers including those on the bales at rear
Some outside help was available in earlier economic downturns through "poor laws" which dated back all the way to 1602 in Elizabethan England. Under these laws assistance for the sick, aged and unemployed was the responsibility of the local parish and paid for by poor rates (taxes) levied upon the local residents. Relief took the form of cash payments sometimes even to those who were working in order to be sure everyone in the parish had at least a subsistence income. In the early 1830's, however, a combination of resistance to increasing poor rates and political beliefs in a free market economy led to the New Poor Law of 1832. Unlike the cash payments of the old poor laws, the New Poor law required institutionalization in workhouses where families were separated and required to live in intentionally harsh conditions with inadequate food. Simply put the New Poor law (protested by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist) couldn't deal with increasing numbers of men and women who wanted to work, but couldn't find anyone who would hire them..
The New Poor Law
Not surprisingly many workers claimed they would rather die than subject themselves and their families to the workhouse. It's also no wonder that emigration or at least leaving Horsley became a preferable alternative for many. By 1851 Horsley and neighboring Nailsworth had lost 1/3 of their population. Some Window families took "advantage" of sponsored emigration programs to Australia and I have been in contact with people there who are very likely our relatives. William Winder also left Horsley and he too would end up in Asia, but in his case, it would be in India, wearing the red coat of a British soldier.
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