Was your ancestor an Agricultural Labourer?

Agricultural Workers wearing the traditional smock which was commonly worn by Labourers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries until farm machinery made it impractical. The pattern of the smocking or embroidery on the smocks would indicate what type of farm work the wearer would do. Some smocks were kept for special occasions and were ‘dress uniforms’ sometimes handed down through families.

In family history it is common to come across ‘Ag Lab’ as the employment on the census records. Look at my record below for William Hugill in 1861:

1861 England Census

He is living in a cottage in the village of Cayton, just outside Scarborough on the East Coast of Yorkshire.

Ten years later his son, George, aged 14yrs can be found on this census as a ‘Farm Servant’ He is employed and living at Thornaby Grange, near Stockton. That’s nearly 60 miles away! How can George have travelled so far in 1871 at the tender age of 14 and what is the difference between the two job roles?

1871 England Census

The term Ag Lab came about first in the 1841 census when enumerators were instructed to use the term to describe a number of more descriptive terms such as shepherd, ploughman, hedger etc. These were usually mature man employed for a year’s contract. Traditionally the year started in November when there were ‘Mop Fairs’ or ‘Hiring Fairs’ across the country. Ag Labs seeking employment attended the fair to meet local landowners who were looking for workers. The contract was made with a handshake or the passing of a ‘fastening penny’. This was legally binding for both parties and lasted a full year until the next October. Sometimes these labourers lived in small farm cottages owned by the landowners, and these were tied cottages, meaning that if they lost their job, they would also lose their home. Some Ag Labs worked for the same employer for years and perhaps then were given longer contracts.

A Farm Servant was most likely employed on a fixed contract for up to 12 months and their role would have been specifically identified, usually around the farm buildings. It could include Dairy maid or stable lad, or some other occupation near the farm building itself. Sometimes these roles were occupied by young people as their first job away from home and they may have been given accommodation within the farm somewhere.

It is possible that the Hugill family had some connection with the landowners at Thornaby but it also equally possible that young George went along to the Mop Fair and was hired, then hitched a lift on a Carrier’s cart to get him there. George would have been brought up working on the farm anyway so the life would not be new to him. Nowadays it seems harsh to send a young boy away from home, but it was a normal part of life in the past.

The work of an Ag Lab was long and hard. Labourers were paid by the day and they would report to the farmhouse for work very early, often before it was light. From there they would be directed to the day’s work. Once in the fields they would likely be met by their wives and families who were expected to help with the work. Although on the census women often did not have an occupation listed, that was far from the truth! Their work was unpaid but was expected and vital in the running of the farm.

The life of an 'Ag Lab' was hard and often uncertain, it was poorly paid and had no real job security that we might expect today. A worker would hope to be taken on by a Landowner who treated him fairly.