Early modern giving is a relatively under-explored area of enquiry. Within the limited range of studies which have been published, ‘everyday giving’ has been underserved, especially in relation to non-elites, and with a gendered lens. A study to fill this gap has the potential to aid our understanding of the everyday: how people survived and thrived, how they interacted in an informal setting, without formal obligation.
This is a study of the ordinary: ordinary people going about their day to lives, utilising sources such as account books, diaries, advice literature, and court records.