47 Bootham was the home of the Quaker Joseph Rowntree. A rare blend of successful businessman and social reformer, he took over the family confectionery business turning it into an international organisation while introducing welfare services for employees. His son Seebohm conducted studies of poverty in York. In 1899 he surveyed poor families and drew a poverty line in terms of a minimum weekly sum of money "necessary to enable families... to secure the necessaries of a healthy life". A second study in 1936 showed that York had experienced a 50% reduction in poverty. Although Seebohm’s methodology has been criticised his work had an effect on the governments of the time.