WHAT OF THE HARVEST? 285 



soon as he got the horses in the stables, to Udimore to see about 

 another situation. 



" The home was made clean and as comfortable as circum- 

 stances would allow, and my mother got herself dressed with 

 the intention of visiting a friend, but she complained of feeling 

 so tired and said she must rest awhile. So she made herself 

 comfortable upon the sofa, and there, on that lovely bright after- 

 noon, on February 25, 1884, she passed away. 



" My father got his situation, not realising the news that was 

 awaiting him on his return. His old employer to show his appre- 

 ciation of my father's nine years' service offered, free of charge, 

 one of his manure carts to carry all that remained of a loving 

 mother to the church. 



" I may say that just before that time, there was in existence 

 a union known as the Kent and Sussex Labourers' Union, of 

 which my father and a few others in Brede were members ; 

 but not being far enough of years off the Peterloo slaughter it 

 had to be kept pretty secret, and whether it got to the know- 

 ledge of the employer or not one cannot say, but if it did, that 

 was no doubt the reason of him offering so respectable a convey- 

 ance to convey my mother to the church, though my father 

 worked very long hours, receiving no pay for overtime. 



" We moved to Udimore, and I, though not twelve years of 

 age, was compelled to leave school to help to maintain the home 

 on a wage of 35. a week, getting to the stable in the morning 

 at half-past six and not leaving till the evening. The ordinary 

 labourer's wage was then I2S. a week, losing time on wet days. 

 I worked for 35. a week for two years and then made up my 

 mind to ask for more money, as I was over thirteen years of age. 

 But all that I was told by master was that he thought of lower- 

 ing wages. That was the cause of my father in 1887 leaving 

 Udimore to go to Westfield. 



" At that time, about 1886, there was a talk of raising the 

 wages from 2s. to 2s. 3d. a day, and the farmers said that if the 

 wages did go up 3d. a day they would lay their land down to 

 grass. Some of the Sussex farmers openly said it was a pity 

 men were not like mangolds, that they could be buried in the 

 autumn and dug up again in the spring. Labour was plentiful 

 but work was scarce, and many children were then learning 

 what it was to go to bed hungry. 



" At the age of fourteen I was getting 55. per week, but as my 

 father, through getting older, and through being kicked while 

 harnessing a colt, was beginning to get very lame and unable 

 to follow his occupation as carter, we did not stay there long, 

 so in August of 1887 we .left Westfield for Brede. Then it was 

 I began to realise more of the hardships of life. My father 

 unable to get work, and I only getting 53. a week to buy bread 



