Hopping (1848):annual Irish invasion

Post date: Apr 09, 2012 6:48:21 PM

Extract from Kentish Gazette, 23rd May 1848

Mereworth, Wateringbury and vicinity.— The poling is now finished and tyeing is going on. The bine looks well and is growing fast, but it is not so strong as last year. In some grounds the flea has been destructive, but the plant is recovering this attack. Some fly has been seen at places.

Extract from West Kent Guardian , 23rd September 1848

The Hop Picking.—This county is just now suffering its annual Irish invasion. Thousands of shoeless, shirtless, almost clothesless poor creatures have been swarming about during the last week, either seeking employment, or besieging the doors of the union houses, for casual relief. Placards we understand are posted in some parts of London, saying that hop-pickers are wanted in Kent. The consequence is, there are hundreds more than can get work. At Farleigh, alone, we hear there are full five-hundred half-starved creatures, whom it will be impossible to employ. At Coxheath Union, on Saturday night, there was a mob of from five to eight hundred of all ages, clamorous for admission, and threatening an entry by force if denied. The difficulty of providing any sort of accommodation for such a host of vagrants may be imagined, and the unavoidable delay enraged them to such a degree that apprehensions were felt for the result. A messenger was sent to the barracks at Maidstone, with information of this state of things, and the troops were kept in readiness to turn out at a minute's notice. Happily they were not required. In consequence of the alarm caused by these circumstances, and also by several attacks on individuals and plunder of property, application was made at a special meeting of the magistrates of the district, at the town hall, Maidstone, on Monday to adopt measures for the due protection of the public, when a number of persons, recommended by the parish officers, were sworn in as special constables for the neighbouring parishes.