Hopping (1895): immigrant pickers

Post date: Feb 12, 2012 3:15:48 PM

Extract from Parish magazine of October 1895

The hop-picking took a shorter time than usual, owing to the fine weather. The hops on the whole are good, they say, and would have been better but for the foggy nights. Those that are " choice and coloury " will fetch a fair price according to the present market; the rest will not do much more than pay for growing them. Apples and pears are even more abundant, it is said, than they were two years ago; and, under the circumstances, the market is strong. The immigrant hop pickers made the village lively for a time, but on the whole they were quiet and orderly. Messrs. Leach and Marchant, of the Scripture-leaders' Association, London Diocese, worked among them as usual; and Mr. Colby and tho two col-porteurs also came into the parish. Some of the clergv of the neighbouring parishes, with their missioners, seventeen in all, came to Wateringbury Church for a celebration of the Holy Communion, and a meeting for discussion after the service in the vestry. The commissioners were unanimous in their opinion that bin to-bin work was fruitful in spiritual help to the pickers. Opinion as to the usefulness of open-air services was divided ; but everyone agreed that what may be called Lantern-services, held at the encampments in the evening, afforded by far the best means of attracting and influencing the people. We hope to organise this branch of work thoroughly next year.

The following month the vicar corrected his statements above as follows:

We greatly regret that last month's hopes in reference to the hop-market are being falsified. Prices all round are too low to be really remunerative to the growers. The average yield throughout England is 9 1/2 cwt. per acre, or 1 1/4 cwt. less than last year. The average yield in Kent is 9 cwt., or nearly 3 cwt. less than last year. The total acreage of hops has been 1,400 less than in 1894, out of a total 60,000; in Kent 500 less out of about 35,000. And yet the market is over-stocked. Wheat is commanding a slightly higher price than last year. Apples and fruit generally are doing fairly well notwithstanding the glut.