Hopping (1900):short, fair and quiet; 3,300 immigrants.

Post date: Feb 16, 2012 4:46:29 PM

Extract from Parish magazine of October 1900 follows:

The Hopping of 1900 was one of the shortest, fairest, and quietest of recent years. The picking lasted barely three weeks; except for one good cleansing storm of rain on Sunday night, the weather was quite fine throughout; the foreign pickers were well behaved; and if report be true, the yield, though, rather short, was generally speaking larger and of better quality in this district than in any other district in the kingdom. The number of immigrant adult pickers was about 1,650. Including children, the total must have been fully 3,300.

At the beginning of the picking a number of ladies met at the Vicarage to organize the Coffee-stall work, and to discuss ways and means. It was agreed that if necessary a local subscription list should be opened, and that all the expenses connected with the Mission work among the hoppers should be thrown into one fund, Mrs. Bertie Cator kindly consenting to act as treasurer. The Vicar said that the work of Miss Brodie and Mrs. Riches last year was appreciated by the parishioners. He himself valued it most highly. Miss Brodie was unable to come this year, but Miss Millyard and Mrs. Ussher would in turn be with Mrs. Riches. The board and lodging and personal expenses of these ladies would be paid for by the Hop-picking Committee of the District—the committee which has taken on Canon Carter's Ladies' Missions to Hop-pickers, and of which the Rev. J. E. Revington-Jones is Secretary and Miss Harvey Treasurer. A ladies' committee in London helped to collect the funds. The Vicar added that the stall at the Vicarage gates would be re-opened this year, and ladies kindly promised to help Mrs. Riches to carry it on.

Work at the Stall proved a success. All the provisions, except one basket sent from London, were purchased in the village and resold at slight profit. On the busiest nights as many as 400 people must have patronised the stall. A C.E.T.S. coffee-van was placed near the station, under the combined over­sight of the Vicars of Nettlestead and Wateringbury. This van did exceedingly useful work when the hoppers were coming in and going away. Something of the kind must be arranged for those times in future years. During the picking the van was of no great service.

Ten times during the picking the parochial lime-light lantern was taken in a cart, kindly lent by Mr. Edward Goodwin, to the various encampments. The so-called lantern services consisted of a show, two or three hymns, and generally a concluding prayer. China, South Africa, the life boat service and deep sea fisheries, and an amusing set lent by 'Cassells' called 'Chums' , were the subjects of the slides shown. In this work which is somewhat exacting, the Vicar found a willing and and most efficient helper in Mr. Leonard Hamshire, the assistant school master, who shred it with him. Mr. Colby, too, kindly gave a show at Manor Farm.

Messrs. Marchant and Todd, connected with the Hop-pickers Missionary Association, came to the parsih for the Hopping. They held frequent open air services at the encampments on Sundays, and on week days moved about in the gardens among the people during the day, and prepared the way for the lantern services at night.