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Feeing markets and working conditions for farmservants.

Date 04 May 1985
Track ID 77759
Part 1
Part 2

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1985.141.A17; SA1985.141.B1; SA1985.141.B2

Original Tape ID

SA1985.141

Summary

Feeing markets and working conditions for farmservants.

There used to be a feeing [hiring] market in Keith, about a week before the term days at Whitsun and Martinmas. The farmservants bargained with the farmers for the next six month's work, striking hands when they agreed, and the farmservant received a shilling in arles [earnest money]. A cart would be sent by the farmer for the farmservant's belongings. Departing workers had to be out of their accommodation by midday on term day.

Farmservants sometimes stayed in one place for a long time if they and the farmer got on. Farmservants were sometimes apprehensive about not getting a fee, especially in the late 1920s. A single farmservant could go back to his family, but a married man could lose his home. Women were also fee'd, to work in the farm kitchen.

Recording Location

County - Inverness-shire

Parish - Sleat

Island - Skye

Village/Place - Ardvasar

Item Location

County - Banffshire

Parish - Keith

Village/Place - Keith

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good