Problems leading up to, and including,
The Irish Famine
as reported in the pages of
The Illustrated London News
In the early 1840s, Britain faced an economic depression, exacerbating misery among the poor.
A trade slump in 1839 led to rising unemployment, compounded by bad harvests.
With a rapidly growing population and the Corn Laws keeping bread prices high, people suffered.
In 1845, potato blight hit England and Scotland, then spread to Ireland, ruining crops.
The blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans originating in Mexico, returned in 1846,
triggering the Irish Potato Famine from 1845-1852.
This devastating famine, resulting from the failure of the potato staple crop,
brought severe economic, social, demographic consequences and mass starvation in Ireland. JW.
Illustrated London News
The Irish Famine
September 13 1845 Potato problems
September 20th 1845 The potato crop in Ireland
Sptember 27th 1845 Potato problems abroad
October 18th 1845 More Potato problems cont
November 22nd 1845 The potato disease - Government Commission
The Repeal
Association November 22nd 1845
The
Weather of 1845 connected to the crops November 22nd 1845
Public
Works in Ireland January 18th 1846
Progress
of the Potato disease February 7th 1846
Potato
riots at Inverness February 14th 1846
Famine
on the Western Coast February 28th
Anticipated famine in Ireland March 14th 1846
The potato
crop March 14th 1846
Goverment sale of Indian Corn April 4th 1846
Food riots in Ireland November
7th 1846
Food riots in Ireland November
7th 1846 text cont...
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