Search

Christmas not a holiday; farm hours and holidays; working on...

Contributors
Date 20 January 1982
Track ID 52365
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1982.34.A2

Original Tape ID

SA1982.034

Summary

Christmas not a holiday; farm hours and holidays; working on Sundays.

In John Mitchell's day, Christmas was not a holiday, but there was a church service, which was held during the day. Farmers and farm workers didn't decorate their homes or put up Christmas trees. They had no special meal. When Mr Mitchell was a child, gifts came only from Santa. They hung their stockings wherever their mother suggested. Carol singers did not come out to the farm.

There are few holidays on a farm. In 1918, the ploughmen worked from 7.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. with one hour off. On Saturdays they finished an hour earlier. Dairymen worked longer hours and rose at 5.00 a.m. On Sunday the only work done was feeding the cattle. Mr Mitchell maintained this even when other farmers started to do field work on Sundays, following the call during the First World War to "Speed the plough to feed the nation".

Recording Location

County - Stirlingshire

Parish - Gargunnock

Village/Place - Gargunnock

Language

English

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good