Farmwork in East Lothian in the 1890s.
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1969.194.A1C
Original Tape ID
Summary
Farmwork in East Lothian in the 1890s.
Mrs Dobson, like everybody else, left school at twelve to work on the farms, for 5/- [five shillings] a week, hoeing beans. In the summer, the hours were from 6.00 a.m. till 6.00 p.m., with an hour's break to go home for dinner. There was an extra shilling a week for hoeing potatoes, and helping with the hay and with the harvest. The corn was cut with the help of machinery. She was big enough to toss the grain into the carts for leading in [carrying home]. It took everybody on the farm to bring in the harvest. If the corn was laid by rain, it was cut with a heuk [hook i.e. sickle]. Irish migrant workers came for the harvest, and also to single [thin] the turnips.
Recording Location
County - Berwickshire
Item Location
County - East Lothian
Language
English, Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Fair