New Wage Scales for Farm Workers

Farm labourers at Prebendal Farm, Bedford c.1910 [PU246/90]

Friday 17th May 1918:  Following a meeting of the Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and Bedfordshire District  Wages Committee earlier this week, the following scales of payment for boys, girls and women working on farms in Bedfordshire are to be recommended to the Wages Board:

Boys aged 14 – 13 shillings for a working week of 54 hours in the summer and 48 hours in the winter, with overtime of 4 pence per hour

Boys aged 15  – 16 shillings per week with 6 pence per hour overtime

Boys aged 16  – 20 shillings per week with 7 pence per hour overtime

Boys aged 17  – 26 shillings per week with 8 pence per hour overtime

Able-bodied women aged over 18 – 4½ pence per hour [1]

Girls aged 16 and 17 – 4 pence per hour

Girls aged 14 and 15 – 3 pence per hour

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 21st May 1918

[1] This is a similar rate to the wages recommended for 16 year old boys.

10,000 Women Wanted for Farm Work

Women from agricultural college hoeing at Arlesey House [Z49/495]

Tuesday 10th April 1917: Advertisements have appeared in the local newspapers asking for 10,000 women to volunteer for National Service with the Women’s Land Army. 5000 milkers, 4000 field workers, and 1000 carters are needed immediately. Benefits for women who enrol will be:

1. A free outfit, high boots, breeches, overall and hat.

2. Maintenance during training.

3. Travelling expense in connection with the work.

4. Wages 18 shillings per week, or the district rate, whichever is the higher.

5. Maintenance during term of unemployment.

6. Housing personally inspected and approved by the Women’s County Committees of the Board of Agriculture.

7. Work on carefully selected farms.

8. Promotion – good work rewarded by promotion and higher pay.

9. After the War, special facilities for settlement at home or overseas.

Source: Luton News, 5th April 1917

Dunstable Tribunal

Belladonna (or deadly nightshade) [Wikimedia]

Wednesday 31st May 1916: Tribunals continue to sit around the county to decide on applications for exemption from military service. At Dunstable today the father of a married chemist appeared to support his son’s claim for exemption. The applicant collects and prepares medicinal herbs, of which he has expert knowledge. Many of these have become very scarce since supplies from Germany were cut off with the outbreak of the war and he has spent much time searching for these with great success. Several of the drugs are almost impossible to obtain in the market, and he has been able to supply large quantities to the War Office. Last year the father and son had been able to supply two tons of belladonna root, which had increased tenfold in value since 1914 due to its scarcity and medicinal value. The applicant had four brothers serving and had himself only been passed for home service, due to having had malaria while living abroad. The Tribunal granted him conditional exemption.

A number of other men who had been passed fit only for home service were also given conditional exemption. These included a rural postman who cycles 28 miles a day and has an invalid wife and no relatives; a 40 year old ploughman and horsekeeper; and a journeyman baker in delicate health who was said to be indispensable to his father.  Another young baker was less fortunate and was refused, despite being the only support of his widowed mother; the Chairman of the Tribunal agreed it seemed hard that he must go and was given permission to appeal. The case of two men employed at the whiting works was adjourned as it appeared they were only there thanks to a blunder. Applications had been sent to the Munitions Office for badges for four employees, but a mistake had been made and the wrong names submitted; two men who were over age had received exemption certificates, and the two applicants had not.

Source: Luton News, 1st June 1916

Bedford Corporation Workers Complain of Low Wages

Bedford Corporation dustcart c.1932 [BP63/5/6/17]

Wednesday 19th April 1916: A meeting of workmen employed in the Bedford Borough Surveyor’s Department was been called by the National Union of Corporation Workers to consider taking action following the Council’s refusal to grant an increase of wages or war bonus. The Union General Secretary declared himself astonished at the low level of wages in the town – sweepers, for example, were receiving 4 pence per hour for a 55 hour week, and dustmen about 4½ pence per hour. Despite the increase in the cost of living since the beginning of the war no general wage increase had been given for three years, although at the end of 1914 the Council increased the wages for those earning under £1 by one shilling a week and war bonuses were being paid. In other towns men were receiving much higher wages for the same work. Arguments were made for the introduction of a minimum wage for all workers. Against this, one of the Councillors, Mr. Farrer, pointed out that while he did not want to speak disparagingly of the sweepers, in many cases they were men who could not get work elsewhere, including a number taken from the Workhouse; in the circumstances he did not see how the Council could pay a flat rate. He expressed surprise that there were many men earning less than £1, and said he would never vote for it.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 21st April 1916

Join the Army? I'd Rather Crack Stones!

Men's Ward, Biggleswade Workhouse c.1910-20 [Z1306/16/14/11/3]

Thursday 13th April 1916: At today’s meeting of the Ampthill Board of Guardians it was suggested that if there were any men in the Ampthill Workhouse who were capable of earning their own living, they should be sent out to work to help the labour shortage. Unfortunately the Master reported that there was only one able-bodied man among the residents, and he had been ill, and was leaving next week. Instructions had been received from the Local Government Board for dealing with vagrants of military age. The workhouse officials were to inform the police and the recruiting officer if any such men applied for admission to the tramp wards. The Master mentioned that a tramp aged about 30 had recently had to be locked up for refusing his task. When asked why he was not in the Army, he had replied that he did not intend to be a soldier and would rather crack stones, but was “not very anxious for that”.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 18th April 1916

The First Women’s “Police” Patrols

Margaret Damer Dawson and Mary Allen, founders of Women's Police Service 

[Imperial War Museum Q108495, under IWM Non-Commercial Licence]

Wednesday 5th April 1916: At the annual meeting of the Bedfordshire Branch of the National Union of Women Workers held at Bedford yesterday a speech was given by the national president of the Union, Mrs Creighton. She told the meeting that what she had heard from Bedford had originated the “grand work” of women patrols. The Bedford ladies had noticed a need before anyone else had thought of it, and had started a voluntary scheme which had indicated there was a need for something on a much larger scale. There were now 2000 women’s patrols at work all over the country, safeguarding girls and supporting special clubs for girls and soldiers, with the sanction of both civil and military authorities [1].

Mrs Creighton also pointed out the importance of caring for the thousands of girls now working in the munitions factories, and making sure that their health and character did not suffer. Mrs Trustram Eve had visited the Luton to enquire into the housing situation of munitions workers. , She had found that the girls working in the factories were well provided for. The works all held lists of suitable lodgings; the rooms used for the girls were “clean and respectable”; and the landladies were asked to “mother” the girls as far as possible. In her opinion a matter of greater concern was the long hours the girls were expected to work.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 7th April 1916; Luton News, 6th April 1916

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[1] These women’s patrols worked alongside the privately founded Women’s Police Service. In 1918 the women’s patrols were disbanded and the first women were appointed as police officers.

Danish Labour for Farms

Cattle with farmworker at Riseley c.1920 [Z1306/96/6/3]

Friday 31st March 1916:  The Bedfordshire County War Agricultural Committee has been informed that the Centre Labour Exchange Department of the Board of Trade intend to try to obtain Danish men to work on farms in England and Wales. The farms must be outside prohibited areas, engagements must not be for less than 12 months, and farmer will be expected to pay third class travelling expenses of the men from Denmark (on the understanding that this advance can then be deducted from the men’s wages). It is expected that the labourers will be mainly single men aged between 18 and 25, who have practical agricultural experience, especially in dairy farming, and who have taken a short course at a farm school. Farmers would be expected to ensure they were provided with reasonably comfortable lodgings and their pay would be at the current rate for skilled farm workers. Any farmers wishing to obtain Danish labour under these conditions is to apply before the end of March [1] to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 31st March 1916

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[1] The letter was dated 28th March and published on 31st March, making this an impossibly tight deadline!

Training Scheme for Women Farm Workers

Women Hoeing at Arlesey House, 1917 [Z49/495]

Monday 20th March 1916: As the war has progressed women have entered many areas of employment for which before the war it was assumed they were not fitted. There are now women working on the railways, on the trams, in the postal service, carrying out bread and milk rounds, and employed in munitions factories. Despite these successes farmers continue to be prejudiced against the idea of employing women on the farm. It is apparent from the number of appeals received by the rural tribunals from farmers seeking exemption for their workers that the only way to meet the demand for labour will be by employing more women.

To achieve this, the Agricultural Education Committee of the County Council have introduced a scheme for the instruction and employment of women in light farm work. Each student will be sent to an approved farm for at least eight weeks. During the first four weeks she will be paid 10 shillings a week, subject to satisfactory service. During the second four weeks the farm will pay her 15 shillings a week. At the end of this training period the students will be free to make their own arrangements for the future. This scheme and its rates for pay will not apply to either hay-time or harvest, and hours of work must be approved by the Committee. Where possible, arrangements will be made for two or more women to work together on the same farm.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 17th March 1916; Bedfordshire Times, 24th March 1916

Women’s War Agricultural Committee

Farming scene in winter, c.1910 [Z50/95/78]

Monday 28th February 1916:  The first meeting of the Women’s War Agricultural Committee for Bedfordshire was held at the Shire Hall in Bedford on Saturday. The county has been divided into 14 districts. In each parish a lady is to be appointed as “Head of Village”; she will be responsible for keeping a register of women willing to work on the land. Farmers wishing to apply for women’s labour should do so through the Head of Village. It was made clear that women offering to help in this emergency situation should expect as fair a rate of pay as men, and it was suggested that four pence an hour for casual labour would be considered fair for a woman. It was suggested that it may be possible to get more offers of help from women if it is made clear that offers to work part time are acceptable.

The Leighton Buzzard Observer remains cynical about the prospects of success for these efforts to get more women working on the land. ‘Rusticus’ is doubtful whether girls who can earn 30s or more per week in a munition factory will be prepared to work for the relatively low wages. Last season the largest local employer of women was the Duke of Bedford. Women worked on his farms, on the estate and in the park, and their work was done well; most of them stayed until the bad weather began and enjoyed the work, for which they were paid between one shilling and sixpence and two shillings per day. ‘Rusticus’ has spoken to two women who took up farm work in August 1914 and have stuck to it because they are obliged to do so. At first they found it quite a novelty and there seemed some fun in it. Now they realise that you have to carry on the work day after day from early morning to late at night, and that any relaxation or neglect is likely to lead to things going wrong, and are tired and weary and wish there were men to do man’s work. The life of a farmer’s daughter or wife who must do this work or see a family business collapse “is not all honey”.

Sources: Luton News, 2nd March 1916; Leighton Buzzard Observer, 29th February 1916.

Shop Early for Christmas

Bedford High Street c.1905 [Z1306/10/33/13]

Wednesday 8th December 1915: The Bedfordshire Times has asked its readers to shop early for Christmas, saying “To ‘Shop Early’ is to show true patriotism and to practice the most certain economy.” This year shopkeepers are labouring under unprecedented difficulties. Labour shortages are affecting every aspect of the retail business – production of goods, delivery to and by the shops, and dealing with customers. While most businesses have managed to obtain good supplies it will not be easy to replace these once sold. For example, the toys hand made by the new British toy making industry cannot be produced in the same quantities as the cheap toys previously imported from Silesia. Deliveries are often held up by the uncertainties of the railway system, where goods services are being curtailed due to the shortage of staff.

Shoppers are also being asked to shop earlier in the day. This would take the pressure off shop assistants, who often spend the first hour or two of the day with little to do and are then rushed off their feet for the rest of the day.  If shopping could be finished early in the evening it would also make delivery much easier. Fortunately small purchases are now generally being carried home but heavier and bulkier items still need to be delivered. The lighting restrictions now in place make it very much easier and safer if the shop vans can start their rounds earlier.

An anonymous Bedford shopkeeper has expressed his gratitude for this plea. Shopkeepers are finding it considerably harder to buy goods than to sell them. Seasonal parcels are often two or three months behind schedule, and goods handled in London or Manchester often take a fortnight to reach Bedford.  If customers shop early as far as possible matters will run far more smoothly and it will be to their own advantage to obtain their Christmas wants well in advance.

Source: Bedfordshire Times, 3rd and 10th December 1915

Farmers Asked to Take Women Labourers

Corn Exchange, St. Paul's Square, Bedford [Z1306/10/58/15]

Saturday 10th July 1915: Lady Denman has been giving personal interviews to farmers at the Bedford Corn Exchange today on behalf of the National Land Council. The object of the Land Council is to place women in agricultural employment, freeing men to join the Army or perform other war service. Each employer interviewed was asked to complete a survey asking whether there was currently a shortage of labour, whether there was likely to be one in the future, and whether help would be required in any of the following areas: dairy, milking, poultry, live stock (including horses), light cartage, market gardening, fruit picking, field work, marketing and distribution. They were also asked about the need for seasonal labour and how many harvest workers would be required. The key questions were “Would you be willing to take women who have been taught the work in any of these posts?” and “What accommodation have you for the workers you engage?”

The Land Council has on its books the names of a number of women who already possess agricultural skills. Some were from Canada and New Zealand and were able to operate the latest types of machinery. There were also unskilled women workers who would be sent in groups of six or eight under the direction of a “captain”. Lady Denman has made it known that she is delighted at the enthusiasm with which she has been received in Bedford, which she believes to be one of the most up-to-date counties for agriculture in the country. Several of the farmers she has spoken to have promised to apply to the Land Council for women labourers.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard 9th July 1915

Tram Scandal

Luton open-topped tram No.7, c.1910-1920 [Z1306/75/18/22]

Tuesday 13th April 1915: The standard of Luton’s tram service has been criticized at a meeting of Luton Town Council. Necessary repairs to the track have not been made, and the Tramway Lessees’ district manager is to be summoned by the chairman of the Council and the Borough Engineer to impress on him the need to carry out the repairs as soon as possible. He has told the Borough Engineer that due to a shortage of men he would only be able to improve the London Road to Wardown service is the Dunstable Road service was reduced. One of the Aldermen has suggested that “we should be better with a dozen smart girls as conductors on the tramcars”. Another town councillor believed the problem was not scarcity of men but the low wages being paid. A conductor was earning only 4d an hour, and a driver only 5d. When any labourer could earn 5½d it was not likely that the tram company would be able to find men prepared to take jobs. Councillor Impey believed that “there are plenty of middle-aged men who, if paid decently, would be glad to take a job like that on.”

Councillor Bone condemned the service between Wardown and London Road as “most abominable” and wanted to know how many of the dozen tram cars purchased by the Council at a cost of £500 each were running. He suspected that four or five of them must be standing in the depot all day doing nothing. Alderman Staddon stated that the trams had become a public scandal, into which there should be a full investigation.

Source: Luton News, 15th April 1915