R_CENSUS_MALE_UNEM = (CENSUS_EMPL:male/unem * 100.0) / CENSUS_ACTIVE_GEN:male/act
| Data Role | Period Covered | Authority | Source | Details | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENSUS_EMPL:male/unem | 1931 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1931 Census of England and Wales, Occupations, Table 17 , 'Occupations (condensed list) of Males and Females, showing also the total Operatives and the total Out of Work' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
| CENSUS_EMPL:male/unem | 1951 | SRC | GBH Source Documentation System | 1951 Census of England and Wales, Occupations, Table 21 , 'Selected Occupations with Status Aggregates - abridged analysis', for 'Con divisions and sub-divisions, Urban Areas with population of less than 50,000, RD, NT' | Exact count provided by a government statistical office for this area |
In twentieth century Britain, unemployment was the primary measure of economic distress.
It has been measured in various ways: by the number receiving unemployment benefit, by sample surveys and by the census.
The 1931 census came in the depths of the inter-war Great Depression, and several districts had unemployment rates over 25%.
The census was carried out in the spring, and rates in the depths of winter would have been significantly higher.
After WWII new economic policies reduced the impact of the trade cycle, and the 1951 census generally
revealed almost full employment: the most conspicuous feature is the high rates around the coast,
due to seasonal unemployment in seaside resorts.
Unemployment again rose over the 1970s and 1980s: in some areas, 1991 unemployment was higher than in the inter-war slump.