A number of reasons may have pushed the Warland brothers into leaving their farming communities in Dorset from 1823 through to theearly 1840's. The most simple explanation is that there were likely to be more opportunities for 'men of the land' in the new colony. Another - for the young Warlands from the Canford Magna area, might have been that the lease on the land expired in 1838, or possibly they saw a better future in another country.
Another reason might have been the 'Corn Laws'. These laws were enacted in the UK in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars left the UK almost in a state of famine. Bread was precious and it was illegal for a baker to sell his loaves until after they had been out of the oven for at least 24 hours. The penalty for defying this law was harsh. Bakers were fined as much as five pounds and court costs.
Only well-off farmers and landlords profited from these laws, and they were the ones whowould make sure that the price of grain remained as high in good times as it had been in bad. The landlords who wanted to keep prices inflated were the majority in Parliament, and the Corn Laws were not hard to pass. The enactment of the Corn Laws was disastrous for the common worker, and riots broke out in London and other parts of the country. The laws remained in effect until 1846 when they were repealed.
For further information on the Corn Laws, see this site
Page added 15 November 2003, last updated 3 April 2013. Copyright © 2021 Andrew Warland. (andrewwarland(at)gmail.com)