General Chat

I salute them too Sheila and mine has a fair few from Nottinghamshire to Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire.

I salute them all! My tree is full of them, from Nottinghamshire to Dorset!

Thanks, Tony. Seen at home now and saved it! :) Joy

Gracious, well done to Gt Grandfather Charles Wright then!:) (thanks for the plug there Tony, extra portions for you next time!) :))

When researching the Briport branch of the Swaffields I came across very scrawly writing on the census which had occupations for the children 8 and over.The word sabotcarvers was scrwaled.I found a book of old occupations in the library and realised that my family had carved wood shoes or sabots during the long winter evenings,which they sold to bring in added income.

Tony what a co-incidence that both our fathers were ariel photographers-Rose

Thanks, Tony!! ... as I said on the tips board: When I first knew about my family being ag labs, I used to think huh another ag lab, but now, especially having been to Suffolk, looking round the fields, the museum in Woodbridge in Suffolk, reading books, imagining what it was like ... I AM proud of them!! My great uncle Will Newton, had a cherry tree farm in Buckinghamshire, and there's another story there! :) Joy

Most of the Somerset side of my tree are Ag Labs, do have the odd carpenter, shepherd, mason..... and one castrator! lol Up until recently it had only shown the males as Ag Labs, and most the females were glovers - but i just got a disc of the 1841 Census for my villages and most of my women are down as Ag Labs too! I spent a lot of my childhood with an aunt and uncle in Somerset and he was an Ag Lab - but like so many others, he also kept a huge garden in which he grew all his own fruit and veg and kept chickens. Another aunt and uncle near by did the same and they also had their own pig. So as well as working all hours on someone elses land, they also worked damned hard on their own little plots and were practically self-sufficient. These people learnt their skills at a very early age - most lads starting work on a farm at the age of about 8 and the country ways were passed down from father to son. Most people nowadays wouldnt even know how to use a spade properly! lol

What a beautiful, but also sad story Rose. Tony x My own dad. R.A.A.F 1941 Leading Aircraftman ( Photographer ) 451 Sqd...... supported British troops during "Crusader" offensive.

Tony I,ve got both and believe me the Agi's are byfar the more interesting people. Here is a lovely story. In 1937 two young people were making a train journey in the Shrewsbury area.The train was delayed due to some fault,maybe wet leaves on the line! so they get to talking.He asked if he could see her again ,and decided to ask her parents if he could take her out.Her parents agreed.They were married.Sadly when war broke out he served in the RAF as a reconnaissence photographer and lost his life over France in 1941. He was the son of a Marquiss,she was the daughter of an upholsterer,no doubt using his inate skills handed down from his tailor forefathers.They were my parents.My paternal ancestors are well documented and their history is one of political avarice and wheeling and dealing at Court.My maternal ancestors lived the lives I have described earlier.I identify closely with them.-Rose

Hi Rose. Yes, i am also very proud of mine. They make me feel lazy compared to the work they must have indured. I have about 40 - 50 of them ( guess only ) My grandad was one, 1881 Census. His Dad was a Roof thatcher, and Publican. Others were Cobblers and Cordwainers, and the Girls were Tambourer workers and servants. ( Couldn't crack it for a Knight or an Earl. ) lol Many of my 2nd Cousins x 4 removed, came here to Oz in 1840s and were selectors in the Donald area of Victoria and farmed the lands. ( Pioneers.) Very proud of them all. Tony Oz

Great Tony-Thanks.My tree is full of them.Dorest would never have been farmed without them.Or ships sailed without the ropes they made in Bridport or clothes worn without them tailoring them.I am so very proud of them all.My modern family of sons are not so far removed from their grandfathers occupations.I have professional gardeners and a carpenter joiner among my boy's occupations.Love to Aus.I hope to get there some day.It is a dream of mine.-Rose

G'day Debra. If it wern't for me Ag.labs, i wouldn't be able to go to the Football, Go Fishin,Tell lots of lies at the Pub, and most of all have "Brekky" at Christine and Pauls Cafe on Sunday mornings. (Advertising.) lol Tony Oz :>))

Ag Labs. Salt of the Earth! Found in Liverpool Family Historian June 02 Food For Thought- He must have been an Ag Lab "Ask yourselves whether you know the gestation period for a sheep or a cow, and you can't read or write to make a note of it. The ag lab knew when the animal would calve by observing the position of the stars and work it out from that, or from the particular religious festivals being celebrated in church at the appropriate times. Reading and writing is one thing, but it wasn't necessary, numeracy however or a limited knowledge of it was essential so as to count his or his masters livestock and his own money and to tell the time. It was no good thinking that 7 o'clock came immediately after three bells had just struck on the church clock! There was no electricity, the lanes were bad and there was no health service. The Ag lab knew how to make his own rush lights to light his home, the shortest and driest route between 2 places and which herbs to pick as remedies for his families ailments. He knew his neighbours far better than we know ours. We isolate ourselves in our cars and in front of our television sets. He relied on neighbours with different skills from his, to help him out when the need arose. He was thrifty where we borrow on bits of plastic he and his family had to make ends meet regardless or with great shame go on the parish. Yes he could even forecast his local weatherby watching the reactions of wildlife and plants to changing conditions. He was far better at it than any of us from our centrally heated homes and offices. He knew how to thatch and how to get straight straw for thatching whereas we send for experts to fix a cracked slate. He was tough. He could walk for days behind a plough, pulled by a team of horses, and still walkmiles to church each sunday. A 20 mile walk laden with produce or purchases to and from market each week was also the norm for some. No fancily equipped gymnasium for him, yet he was fitter than today's health freaks who maybe should take a lesson or two from his ancestors. Can you use a sickle or scythe from dawn to dusk, in all weathers? Can you snare a rabbit for dinner or cut beanpoles from a hedge in a manner that will promote further growth? Can you mix your own whitewash, or train a dog to hunt or round up sheep for you? Come to that can you milk a cow or slaughter and butcher a sheep or pig? So called ag labs were no fools. they survived and very few of us would be here to read this if they hadn't! Leave your car at home and walk to work tomorrow, even if it is five miles, your ancestor did!"

Dont know if anyone on the General board had seen this. Janet North London Borders, origionally posted it ( Records Office" )a little while ago. It was such a lovely peice, i thought i would just post it again to the general board just in case someone missed it. I'm sure most of us had an Ag,Lab or two in our tree. Cheers. Tony Oz ( from a long line of Ag,Labs.) p.s Also for, Joy Kentish maid.