Women and agriculture (1917)

Post date: May 13, 2014 2:19:42 PM

Extract from Kent Messenger of 3rd March 1917.

WOMEN & AGRICULTURE

IMPORTANT TESTIMONY FROM KENT FARMERS

Under the auspices of the "West Kent Women's Agricultural Committee, a conference of village registrars in connection with the women’s agri­cultural work scheme was held at the Sessions House, Maidstone, on Tuesday, when various subjects were discussed and testimony was given by practical farmers as to the proved value of women's work on the land.

Lady Hardinge presided, and others present included: Colonel Cornwallis; Major J. Druce, Goudhurst; Lady Falmouth, Mereworth; Hon. Mrs. Field, Fordcombe; Hon. Mrs. Field, Barming-Mrs. M. A. Pardoes, Wainscott; Mrs. Hatch,Lenham; Mrs. E. Tindall, Tunbridge Wells; Mrs. F. L. Latham, Higharp; Mrs. Henderson, Otford; Mrs. H. Percival Smith, Cudham; Mrs. Ralph Cook, Maidstone; Mrs. H. de V. Watson, Harrietsham; Mrs. Henry Hills, Hildenborough; Mrs. E. C. Day, Mrs. Mervyn Streatfield; and Mrs. Bowman, Chiddingstone; Mrs. Carter, Sut­ton Valence; Mrs. Beverley Morgan, Paddock Wood; Mrs. Dyson Weston, Shipbourne; Mrs. P. Hedges, Tonbridge; Mrs. Burr, Leigh; Mrs. A. F. W. Johnson, Tonbridge; Mrs. Frank Williams, Brasted; Mrs. F. M. Roper, Boxley; Mrs- Murray, Stockbury; Mrs. Cornwallis, Linton; Mrs. C. Kennard, Ditton; Mrs. Thomburgh-Cropper, Malling; Mrs. Nicolson, Sevenoaks Weald; Mrs. Jack Smith, Borough Green; Mrs. Granville Streatfield, Westerham; Mrs. Simmonds, Kemsing; Mrs. Ballard, Strood; Mrs. Scholcy, Hailing; Mrs. Ogilvy, Malling; Mrs. Thomas, Addington; Mrs. Pope, West Malling; Mrs. Baker, Penshurst; Mrs. Hicks, Burham. Misses M. Pye, Hoo; Penney, Westerham; Sowray, Teston; Leigh, Yalding; Mainwaring, Hunton; Elmore, Boughton Malherbe; E.Blackall, Seal; Bower, Farnborough; M. Wild, Harming; Scarth, Bearsted; Green, Thurnham; D. Livett, Wateringbury; Eleanor Moore, Mereworth; Login, Aylesford; D. Reader, Laddingford; Isabel Du Cane, Horsmonden; G. M. Thomas, Loose; M. Kekewich, Swanley College;E. J. Wigan, Gravesend; Chambers, Otham; J. H. Noble, Board of Education; Scott, Ditton; Potter, Ulcombe; Druce, Sevenoaks; E Adams, Malling; Eva Smithers, Bromley R. D. Purnell, Pembury; and Edith Bradley, Hollingboume, with Miss L. C. Weston and Mr. H. W. Christie, joint hon. secretaries.

Miss La Mothe (Chief Woman Inspector, Board of Agriculture) introduced the speakers, and Colonel Cornwallis made a few remarks as Chair­man of the Kent Agricultural War Committee; saying he considered there should be the greatest cooperation between the two Committees, as it was evident that every man from agriculture who could possibly be spared would have to go, and women would be necessary to fill the vacan­cies.

Mr. Percy Cox then spoke from the farmers’ point of view. He knew that there had been a prejudice against women workers amongst many farmers, but he thought this was now, overcome, as they had already come to realise the value of the women workers. He did not consider preliminary training was necessary except in the case of milking. The need of train­ing in this direction he emphasised, but, as to other phases of the work, he thought most far­mers preferred to give the teaching themselves, and he found that women soon got used to handling the farm tools. Gangs of them could be economically employed in hoeing corn, pota­toes, peas, mangolds etc. But with the present shortage of man power, this would not meet the need. Whilst the man who must of ne­cessity be left, followed the corn drill and re­plenished the seed box, the woman could lead the horses (harrowing in the seed behind). The stockman in the farmyard, carrying the food to the stock, could he assisted by the woman in preparing the food, and she could also possibly feed the young stock.  Whilst the man weighed and loaded the potatoes, women could riddle them, and in harvest time, while the man drove the self-binder, women could, with a little training shock the corn and lead the horses and waggon to and fro between the field and stock­yard. Taking the seasons round last year, he successfully employed women in winter sort­ing and riddling potatoes, and to a small extent at tree prunning; in spring they were useful fruit tree washing (this year, with power plant, he hoped to wash all his trees with women labour, two men assisting); they did his potato planting, levelling and hoeing, thistle dodging in the corn, root-hoeing, and setting out Brussels, savoys and other greenstuff, although for this work they were not entirely successful, for lack of strength to sufficiently tighten the plants. He did all his cherry picking with women labour and two men as ladder 

movers; they did the pea picking, potato hoe- and weeding; and later they were picking plums, apples and potatoes. It was, however, a fallacy to say women could plough in many districts.

Mr. Bernard Champion congratulated the Com­mittee in obtaining Mr. Percy Cox as a speaker, as he was in touch with most of the farmers, was growing a bigger variety of crops, per­haps, than any man in the county. The speaker went on to say that he did not agree with those who had thought the women were not a success on the land, as he got though all his work last year with their assistance. Looking to the coming summer, when they must have the labour, the greatest difficulty would be the housing, The farmers were quite willing to pay a proper wage.

Sir Mark Collet next spoke on “Village Socie­ties as an aid to food production". He said the Women's War Agricultural Committee were now on their trial, and were carrying on important work, but he hoped they would not limit their efficiency to agricultural work and food production. The Registrars might organise meet­ings to teach cooking and important matters touching infant welfare, in which case, he thought, the Board of Education would send a lecturer. There, was, in fact, a whole row of subjects which he hoped would be taken up. Another question he urged was that of Women’s Institutes. Such an institute, he knew from experience in his own parish, had been a success. It brought all sorts of people together, and en­couraged them in poultry keeping, gardening, etc. It took the same place with women as men’s clubs did with men. As to employment, he had many women now working for him, in­cluding one as a cheesemaker, and another who had started on a motor tractor.

A practical object lesson in the organisation of women in the villages was described by Countess Amherst in a paper, which (in her ladyship’s absence) was read by Mrs. Williams.This referred to the Brasted scheme, under which a trained gang-leader was obtained to organise a gang of girls in the parish. The farmers came into the scheme, and the parish was canvassed for girls of all classes. Very soon there were 30 on the books. They started work in April at 3d. per hour, which went up to 4d. Each girl had her own time-sheet. The workers included domestic servants, who went on the farm in the afternoon. It was an ad­vantage to the farmer that he had not to run round and get his gang together; if one girl could not go out another was substituted, while the system gave protection to the individual girl. The leader and registrar settled any dispute that arose, without bothering the far­mer. The girls liked the regular employment and pay, and they looked a great deal better for working on the land. Three of them had become gang leaders. In starting the scheme, a practice piece of land was taken to get the girls’ muscles in order. It was felt the far­mers should make a contribution towards, the leaders' pay, so that they should have a call on the girls; the Government might make up the other half. The Brasted scheme, Mrs. Wil­liams explained, left out married women, whose place was in the home.

By request, Mr. Curtis, of Wrotham,  ex­plained how that village had been organised for allotment purposes, while Miss La Mothe emphasised the idea that all their work should have the one aim of increased food production. Other speakers joined in the various discus­sions, and the conference was considered to be very interesting and helpful.