Any one who has ever browsed a Marlow census return will be aware that huge numbers of people in Marlow worked at some point as an agricultural labourer or "ag lab". You will also notice from other records that many people rented land who did not define themselves as farmers primarily. The gathering of the harvest was something that therefore involved a lot of our Marlow ancestors.
First a quick word about these agricultural labourers. The census forms had limited space to record someone's occupation. Many people had several jobs at once but not all will be recorded. If you find reference to someone describing their work in another context, where they are a witness in a criminal trial perhaps, at an inquest or if their life is described later, your "ag lab" often turns out to have other simultaneous roles. Some had skilled specialities but were lumped together under the general labourer heading on a census. Others worked in agriculture seasonally or casually but were not necessarily doing so at the time of the census. Whatever they did, their work was absolutely essential to the wellbeing of everyone in the town. It was also often extremely hard and required strength and deftness. There's no such thing as "just" an agricultural labourer.
The Georgian harvest suppers and harvest home celebrations seem to have had a bit of a raucous reputation. The early Victorians were at pains to mention how much more civilised their occasions were compared to what came before, mainly in the terms of levels of alcohol consumed. These were usually held mid September, sometimes a bit later, to celebrate the harvest successfully coming in. The records of what small scale farmers did to celebrate in Marlow specifically are mostly lacking but one man who was an enthusiastic host of Harvest Home celebrations was Benjamin Atkinson, of the Rookery, Chapel Street.
Benjamin was a doctor who also owned farm land and buildings at various places in the Marlow area. This included land off Wycombe Road, (aka Town End Farm), Marlow Bottom Farm, and land towards Handy Cross. (You can read more about him here )
His Harvest Home celebrations were a significant event in the town and were "joyously anticipated" not just by his farm workers but by a "large circle of gentry" who were also invited. Everyone invited proceeded to the Rookery itself where the gardeners had spent hours preparing for the event. The grass was cut fine to allow for dancing late into the night, lanterns were hung from every tree and two large marquees were erected. In 1855, 40 people sat down to dinner before 150 more arrived at 5.30pm along with a brass band. There was dancing and feasting until Mr and Mrs Atkinson gathered everyone into the largest tent for speeches. On this occasion, Benjamin said he had bought the company together to honour his work people whom he regarded as friends, and he trusted that he had always treated them as such. This was met with cries of "You have! You have!" You suspect these sentiments were sincere on both sides, as Benjamin and Eliza were well known for their benevolence. As a doctor, Benjamin saw many poor patients for free for example.
Benjamin also visited the workers in the fields as the reaping was coming to an end, having organised the delivery of an alcoholic treat. He gave a speech there too. In the summer of 1856, a large group of his labourers followed up Benjamin's refreshment with a trip to a public house. An unfortunate consequence of this was a family squabble, fuelled by alcohol, that started in the pub and continued at home before the police broke it up. Richard Martin ended up with a broken leg, his wife some broken ribs, and son William with various injuries. Benjamin recieved some criticism for his habit of treating workers in the fields after this.
As time passed, this harvest celebration gets rarer. By the 1890's most events seem to have been organised by the biggest landowners and estates only. ( Mr Ellames continued to hold Harvest Homes at Wood Barn Farm, Little Marlow at this time for both the estate workers and their wives, providing "old English fare" and free tobacco. As did the Kearleys of States, Medmenham who decorated the great barn with Union Jack's, flowers, corn and evergreens ahead of a colossal supper and dance.) The local papers reflecting on this lack thought it a shame the bonds between land owner and land worker might be weakened as a result. Others thought landowners could no longer afford to host anything on a large scale like this anyway.
Church services to specifically celebrate the harvest became more popular in the second half of the 19th century in Marlow. You can be sure that whatever church or chapel your ancestor attended here then, that it would have been a magnificent sight come harvest festival time. The level of decoration is sometimes extraordinary, and it's usually the woman of the congregation who took charge of this.
In 1877, 250 people sat down to a harvest tea in the school room in the Causeway. This was followed by a concert in the evening. All Saints was decorated with wreathes of cornflowers and evergreens, along with sheaves of corn which sounds very pretty. In 1883, a miniature hay rick was on display beneath the pulpit. But in 1891 the ladies of All Saints really out did themselves. They covered each window ledge with moss and garlands of autumn coloured creepers. The pedestal of the font also became a mossy bank, "planted" with primulas and every type of fern that could be found. The pulpit was hidden beneath an abundance of fruit and flowers while the front of the choir stalls displayed small bunches of corn. Fruit and flowers from the Marlow and Bisham harvest festivals often found their way to Marlow Cottage Hospital afterwards.
The ladies of the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Chapel Street (now Liston Hall) were equally creative. In 1896 they lined the skirtings of the building with garlands of ivy and placed flowers on every available surface from the gasoliers down.
Similar efforts to decorate Little Marlow church were made, enjoyed by a packed congregation year on year. In 1864 the Reading Mercury complained that the "ugly" high backed pews made it impossible for many to see the beautiful displays to their best advantage. You can't please everyone!
Of course for every year there was a successful "incoming" of crops, there were others where the harvest was a disaster. Badly timed spells of wet weather could ruin months of incessant labour. In 1873 persistent rain delayed the harvest and left some farmers facing huge losses. The grain sprouted, because of the wet weather, a situation which reduced the yield, quality and storage capability of the crop. A harvest gathering that went well really was a cause of celebration.
Related Posts:
To find the histories of different farms in Marlow and Little Marlow see the "Specific Shops, Streets, Etc" option on the menu.
Every mention of a person can be found under the Person Index. Other general posts related to agriculture in Marlow will be listed under the general history option here
Index of posts related to everyday life in old Marlow: here
SOURCES:
Harvest Home. Anon. (J Evans & Sons, 1810)
Harvest Home (Penny Publications 1873)
South Bucks Free Press September 3 1859, copy from the British Library Archive, accessed via the BNA September 2020.
Reading Mercury 10 September 1864, 13 September 1873, as above
Bucks Herald 6 October 1873, as above
South Bucks Standard 9 October 1891, 22 September 1893, 11 October 1895 as above
Oxford Gazette 17 October 1885, as above
https://www.bcg.org.au/pre-harvest-sprouting-in-wheat-and-barley/&ved=2ahUKEwjTtK3c17rwAhUXVRUIHWbvDB04ChAWMAN6BAgDEAI&usg=AOvVaw2-x5d-YBOzqdSZRG10Y5KV
And thanks to Archibald Godfrey for his information.
©Marlow Ancestors.
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