Summary

1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 23… (1911)

In other cases the parish contracted with a person to have some work performed for him by the paupers at a given price, the parish paying the paupers. In many places the rounds man system was carried out by means of an auction, all the unemployed men being put up to sale periodically, sometimes monthly or weekly, at prices varying according to the time of year, the old and infirm selling for less than the able-bodied.
Source: Wikisource

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