RURAL HOUSING 295 



the early part of 1905 it was found that there was then 

 scarcely a single cottage vacant within a radius of six 

 miles of the town. It was found also that many of 

 the houses were overcrowded, and that the further 

 development of the Vale of Evesham was being much 

 retarded by the absence of an adequate supply of cottage 

 homesteads. 



The general situation in regard to small holdings at 

 Evesham is well brought out in the following statement, 

 drawn up by Mr. Raymond Webb at the request of 

 some local gentlemen who contemplated the formation 

 of a syndicate practically on the lines suggested to me, 

 though quite independently, by Mr. Hugh Andrews : 



LAND AGENCY OFFICES, 

 EVESHAM, 



April z, 1905- 



DEAR SIR, 



In accordance with your request, I now beg to give you a 

 short report upon the small holdings in the district, with which, as 

 you are aware, I have had about eleven years' personal experience, 

 during which time I have made careful inquiries and observations 

 on the industry. From my late father, who had more than fifty 

 years' experience of small holdings, I also gained a great deal of 

 information on the subject. 



At present I act as agent for twenty-four small holding estates 

 in the Vale of Evesham, upon which are about 850 tenants, renting, 

 roughly, 1,800 acres, the average size of each holding being rather 

 more than 2 acres. The majority of these tenants were, in the 

 first instance, farm-labourers, receiving from 95. to 155. per week. 

 Now many of them own the house they live in, as well as the land 

 upon which they work. 



The men, their wives and families, as a rule are most industrious, 

 commencing work in the summer at sunrise, and keeping on until 

 dark. In the winter the men are at work whenever the weather 

 will permit. The men do most of the hard work, as well as taking 

 the produce either to the saleyards (of which there are two now in 

 Evesham), dealers, or railway-stations. The women and children 

 do hoeing, pick flowers and vegetables, tie up flowers, onions, 

 thyme, etc. 



As regards paying the rent, I find small holders, when the land 

 is once cleaned and planted out, pay up wonderfully well, with but 

 few exceptions, and then there is in most cases sufficient security 



