238 OLD WEST SURREY 



vegetables and all inside. Each child got a piece of the 

 pudden (the paste), some of the vegetables and some gravy. 

 The meat was kept for next day. It was just the same 

 in the farms, the children didn't dare sit down till they 

 was told.' 



Children had not so much playtime in the older days, 

 but girls had more than boys. When several were together 

 they formed a ring and played by various rules. The 

 simplest form of game I remember was played by a ring 

 of children sitting on the grass. One stood out in the 

 middle and gave the signal to the others, who all imitated 

 what she did. The leader would stand up and raise her 

 arms, and wave them up and down three times. Then she 

 would sit down and rock her body three times to and 

 fro. After a few such antics, the last of them in a sitting 

 position, she would jump up and twirl round and sit down 

 again quickly. This was really pretty, and was considered 

 the crowning moment and great joke of the whole game, 

 and was often repeated during its progress. 



The farmers were very strict about men coming to their 

 time in the morning. If a man came late he lost a quarter 

 of the day's pay ; very likely he was told he was not wanted 

 at all that day. Labourers' wages were thirteen to sixteen 

 shillings a week, but then the rent of a cottage was only two 

 shillings. This makes nearly the same average of proportion 

 between rent and wages as now ; the usual reckoning being 

 that one day's wages pays the weekly rent. But in the old 

 days, in the smith's, carpenter's, and other trades, they 

 worked six days in the week ; now they only work five. 



Fifty years ago mechanics earned from eighteen to 

 twenty shillings for a week of six days, labourers ten to 



