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Hop-picking resting 1858
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Hop-picking resting 1858
Hop picking season in Kent, men, women and children from many distant villages and towns of Kent, Surrey, Sussex, East End of London, Southwark and Lambeth travelled along the roads leading to the scene of action in hope of two or three weeks of agreeable and profitable employment.
1858
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Media ID 23090918
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Accommodation Barley Beer Cultivation Eating Employment Farms Growing Hops Kentish Labour Medway Morning Pickers Picking Resting Sunday Temporary
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the spirit of the hop-picking season in Kent, England, in 1858. The annual event brought together men, women, and children from distant villages and towns of Kent, Surrey, Sussex, East End of London, Southwark, and Lambeth, drawn by the promise of two or three weeks of agreeable and profitable employment. The scene unfolds along the banks of the Medway River, with the hop fields stretching out in the background. The hop-pickers, dressed in their finest clothes, take a well-deserved break from their laborious work. The women, some with children in tow, sit on blankets spread out on the grass, while the men lean against makeshift barriers, resting weary bodies. A sense of community and camaraderie is palpable, as they share a moment of respite from the back-breaking work of picking hops. The hop-picking season was a temporary but essential part of the agricultural calendar, with the hops used primarily for brewing beer. The laborers, who often traveled great distances to work on the farms, lived in temporary accommodation provided by the farmers. The season offered not only employment but also a chance to socialize and enjoy the simple pleasures of country life. The image also reveals the importance of the hop industry to the rural economy and the role it played in providing employment opportunities for the urban working class. The hop-pickers, with their woven baskets and long-handled hoppers, are a testament to the hard work and dedication required to cultivate and harvest these valuable crops. As the sun rises over the hop fields, the hop-pickers prepare to return to their work, their spirits buoyed by the camaraderie and sense of purpose that comes with the hop-picking season.
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