Hopping (1910):3,970 strangers; 233 acres

Post date: Mar 04, 2012 8:17:6 PM

Extract from Parish magazine of October 1910:

The Hopping this year went off uneventfully. After a cold sunless summer the hops developed a certain amount of mould, and came down about a quarter short of an average crop; but apart from the mouldy patches, and in spite of a very late attack of fly, they were got in in fairly good condition. Our "Mission" operations, beginning Wednesday, August 31st, extended over the short period of 23 days. According to the returns which the growers kindly supply every year, the acreage of hops in this parish this year was 233 (as against 218 last year). The number of bins: strangers, 880; home-dwellers, 156; total, 1036 (as against 949). Reckoning the average of 4 1/2 souls (including children) to a bin, and adding binmen, carters, etc.: strangers, 3970; home-dwellers, 850; total, 4820—about 400 more than last year. It may interest some of our readers to know the numbers of whole fares paid by pickers coming down into Kent, East and West, from London Bridge and New Cross Stations by the hopper trains, from the year 1903 onwards. These numbers have been given me by the chief ticket-inspector, who says that he thinks they may be multiplied by two to give the whole number of men, women and children. A count made by the inspectors in one train last year showed that it contained 443 adults and 453 children. This agrees approximately with the results of a count made for me some years ago in two of the Wateringbury gardens, which yielded an average of 4 1/4 souls to a bin. In the following table the three columns show the year, the number of trains run, and the number of whole tickets taken:—

It is to be remembered, however, that a certain number of pickers came down by ordinary trains, the number varying according to their general prosperity at home; and a much larger number come every year by road — these may be reckoned perhaps as averaging fully one third of the total number of immigrant pickers. This estimate would give the number of immigrants as 57,000 this season. Of course the number of imported pickers depends each year upon the estimated growth. If the above basis of calculation is anywhere near the mark, the number in a short year like 1904 or 1909 is less than 40,000, while in a big year like 1905 it will rise to nearly 70,000. These totals must be halved to arrive at the approximate numbers of adult immigrants.

Sister K. Kerr carried on the work of the Hospital with the help of Miss W. Wait, who acted as house-keeper last year and this year proved herself a most efficient assistant nurse, and of her sister Miss E. Wait in the capacity of " cookie." There were nine in-patients and 614 out-patients; and Miss Kerr was called to two cases of emergency in the gardens. Unfortunately one dear little gipsy child died in hospital, and another baby patient was taken home to die in hospital in London; but considering the hardships which the little ones have to endure on the night journey down, one wonders that there are so few deaths; there is no doubt that the little hoppers' hospital has saved many lives, thanks to Miss Kerr and the doctors in daily attendance.

The club rooms and stall were undertaken by a little band of ladies, who also helped at the two garden stalls. We engaged two men for the station and garden stalls. The ladies lived together at Belmont: Miss Joan Hoare, Miss Edith. Munro, and Miss Dowding; and, for part of the time, Miss M. Hallward, Miss L. Goodbody, and Miss G. Hardy. Miss Hoare, who made herself primarily responsible for the rooms, and Miss Goodbody have been with us on two previous occasions. We have to thank them all for coming to help us at this strenuous time, and also we have to thank resident ladies, especially the Misses Goodwin, for the constant assistance they rendered at the rooms. Mr. Leney kindly lent two floats and a horse for the garden stalls, and a lady gave a special subscription for the second horse. We also have to thank all our subscribers, for without their support the work would come to an end. We wish we could extend our garden-stall work, particularly by placing a stall in the Hermitage Farm Gardens; but, apart from the plant, an extra man's wages would come to £4 or £5, and we should want two more ladies, and with our present resources, generously subscribed, we cannot face the additional expense. It will be noticed in the balance sheet that we receive handsome support from the Church of England Mission to Hop-pickers, of which our neighbour the Rev. F. G. Oliphant is Honorary Secretary.

It only remains to thank Mr. F. Edinger, Diocesan Lay Reader, for coming and spending his annual holiday, or the greater part of it, among us in order to take charge of the lantern work. He held nine evening services at the various encampments, Mr. Hole kindly landing a horse and Mr. R. French a vehicle for the lantern, other people of the place going out with him to give a helping hand.

G. M. L.