Village Life and Labor

by Raphael Samuel

First published in 1975, this volume aims to direct attention at a number of aspects of the lives and occupations of village labourers in the nineteenth-century that have been little examined by historians outside of agriculture. Some of the factors examined include the labourer’s gender, whether they lived in ‘closed’ or ‘open’ villages and what they worked at during the different seasons of the year. The author examines a range of occupations that have previously been ignored as too local to show up in national statistics or too short-lived to rank as occupations at all as well as sources of ‘secondary’ income. The analysis of all of these factors in related to the seasonal cycle of field labour and harvests. The central focus is on the cottage economy and the manifold contrivances by which labouring families attempted to keep themselves afloat.

278 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book from the History Workshop Series is an important read for any one interested in people's history beyond a list of names found on the now familiar genealogical family tree. Interesting as this may be. We know little of those named beyond the sparse detail given. Village Life And Labour brings those names alive. It's pages give up real people and describe the hardship, and occasional happiness in their lives. Labour, struggle and custom entwined. Samuel's chapter on the 'Quarry Rough's' is a brilliant example of how to write an essay in oral history. He has ensured those lives mentioned are recorded for posterity in some detail. All were members of a proud, independent, defiant, and self-reliant community. Although first published almost fifty years ago this offering remains a benchmark for those who have followed.

[Sally George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting information here and upsetting in parts about the killing of animals to eat, and the methods used, but that is how it was. I did find some parts of the book that didn't keep my interest but that is probably just me. The hard manual labour and rough way of life did mean you had to be tough but probably being born into this, you wouldn't know anything different.

[Jake R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little repetitive at points but overall manages to portray the banalities of village life whilst linking them to broader trends in Victorian society.