D186
<F He1>
<S Harley Griffiths>
<G M>
<A 85>
<O RETIRED FARMER>
<C HEREFORDSHIRE>
<V BRIMFIELD>
<D 08-12-55>
<I SE>
<L CN S83>
<T 8:49>
<SE Were the pubs open all day then? SE>
<HG Oh yes.
They +…
In [/] in [\] my young [/] in my young days [\] uh,
they used to be open +…
They was # never shut for the matter of that.
They was open day and night.
For the # simple reason was as uh [/] as [\] +…
[!= coughs]
when uh [/] when [\] after the harvests and that come [: came] on,
and the +…
They used to dry the hops with uh # charcoal.
And uh [/] and [\] they used to start +…
The [/] the [\] hop growers used to start their teams of horses and men off,
the day previous to # [/] to [\] get unloaded,
to go down the [/] go down the [\] bad country.
I ‘ve seen as many as [/] I ‘ve seen as many as [\] # s- +…
eight and nine # big charcoal wagons,
as they called it,
big [/] big [\] wagons with their # big high sides,
up +…
ten foot up,
and a- all going for charcoal. HG>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<HG For [/] for [\] a-drying of the hops.
And uh they used to [/] they used to [\] come from some distance either side +…
Leominster and # [/] and [\] towards Hereford there and uh +…
They [/] they [\] start these here horse +…
these teams off,
(a)bout three to three and four horses to a [/] to a [\] wagon,
and then they used to get as far as uh # [/] as [\] the hotel up uh # in Brimfield,
and then they used to stop and bed the horses there.
Pull the # [/] pull the [\] uh uh [/] the [\] uh bails of hay out of the [/] out of the [\] wagons,
and put (th)em down.
te- tether the horses down to the wheels and [/] and [\] some line.
Put this here feed down with them.
Then +…
And they ‘d go inside,
into the [/] into the [\] xxx xxx and # refresh theirselves with a drop of beer or cider.
As a rule.
And uh have a feed there.
And then [/] then [\] carry on.
Then they ‘d start off at +…
off on their +…
out on their journey again perhaps,
towards two or three o’clock in a morning.
# And then they ‘d [/] they ‘d they ‘d they ‘d [\] load down there,
they ‘d get back the next day,
[!= coughs]
# The following day they ‘d get back and uh # they ‘d call again and [/] and [\] put the horses +…
feed the horses and uh rest # a while,
(a) couple or three hours and # on back +…
on to the [/] to the [\] growers. HG>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<HG Aye. HG>
<SE You didn’t grow hops then? SE>
<HG Oh no.
I didn’t grow hops. HG>
<SE No. SE>
<HG No.
No.
No.
There was very [/] there was very [\] few hops # grown uh just in this district.
The +…
# In the Leominster district where the hops # were grown and down uh [/] down [\] in the Worcestershire. HG>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<HG Aye. HG>
<OS You haven’t told us what you used to call this village in the old days. OS>
<HG [*Brimfield*]?
[!= laughs]
Oh aye.
they [/] they [\] used to +…
that ‘s the [/] that ‘s the [\] short name for it.
[!= laughs]
+” Where bist thou going? “+
[!= laughs]
+” Uh to [*Brimfield*]. “+
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Aye.
Hmm. SE>
<HG Too # [/] too [\] used to talking about the May Fairs,
they used to go to the May Fairs,
you see,
the first and second of May.
And uh # too u- [/] too [\] used to talking about going to this here May Fair.
So the one [/] the one [\] said to the others,
+” Uh where bist thou going? “+
But it was this time as he ‘d went to xxx xxx,
he said,
+” Right.
Oho, “+
he said,
+” xxx xxx not going to another one of them. “+
And he says,
+” Oh,
why ‘s +…
how ‘s that? “+
Well he says,
+” Oh.
I ‘m going to wait for [*Brimfield*] xxx. “+
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Aye. SE>
<HG That was old fellows’ speech,
see? HG>
<SE Oh yeah. SE>
<HG He said,
+” Well +…
What [/] what [\] ‘s that uh got to do with it? “+
He said,
+” that ‘s in the +…
not [/] not [\] +…
that ‘s the next month,
that is.
in # June. “+
+” Aye.
don’t matter. “+
he says,
+” I ‘m going to wait for it. “+
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Aye. SE>
<HG So he says +… HG>
||
<HG [!= laughs]
So he says,
+” Well what ‘s [/] what ‘s [\] your idea for changing? “+
+” Oh, “+
he said,
+” I +… “+
he says,
+” You go +… “+
They used to have stand ins +…
stands you know,
in the +…
at the side of the [/] the [\] roads # there and uh [/] and [\] uh,
# he used to # sell sweets and uh biscuits and xxx oranges and anything like that and,
he says,
+” Why,
I want to go to that xxx, “+
he says,
+” It +… “+
He said,
+” And you ought to come, “+
he said,
+” that ‘s a lot better than going to Ludlow or Leominster. “+
He says,
+” xxx cakes oranges and wedges in some form there. “+
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE [!= laughs] SE>
<HG +” At [*Brimfield*]. “+
he says.
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Aye. SE>
<HG [!= laughs]
They used to sell these here pennies +…
# penny uh +…
[!= laughs]
watches in # [/] in [\] +…
made in cakes,
uh little biscuits like you see.
And uh # [/] and [\] the clock hands on. HG>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<HG On the front. HG>
<SE And what was the old May Fair like then? SE>
<HG Oh,
the May Fair,
there was a r- roundabout,
horses and swing boats and # all like that then. HG>
<SE Did they have hirings then? SE>
<HG Eh? HG>
<SE Did they have any sort of hirings or uh # finding jobs at the May Fair?
Farm men? SE>
<HG Oh yes.
Aye. HG>
<SE Did they?
How did they go about that? SE>
<HG Oh aye.
They used to [/] they used to [\] get uh +…
that ‘s where they used to get and # sign on onto the farms for [/] for [\] the twelve months.
# Oh aye.
They used farm hands then.
uh and go +…
and they used to live in the house,
you know.
And uh they ‘d [/] they ‘d [\] go on and uh [/] and [\] these farmers used to # interview (th)em.
In the streets and uh [/] and [\] they ‘d +…
# If they ‘d got a suitable one as they thought +…
one as ‘d suit (th)em,
# they ‘d give him half a crown or something and sign him on for # [/] for [\] the twelve months,
you see?
# And uh # he ‘d live in the house for +…
# They ‘ve had to find [/] find [\] him everything and [/] and [\] live in and # in some instances,
xxx xxx there ‘s many a +…
there ‘d only be about # five to seven pound a # [/] a [\] year. HG>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<HG And then live in,
uh xxx five or se- [/] five or [\] seven pound a year,
and [/] and [\] live in,
find all his food and all that. HG>
<SE Aye.
And when would he get his money? SE>
<HG Oh,
it uh +…
the [/] the [\] end of the following may. HG>
<SE So he ‘d no spending money? SE>
<HG [!= laughs]
No.
No.
He didn’t [/] he didn’t [\] have none of that.
Unless he ‘d saved some from the last job.
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Hmm.
# Did you ever go hiring like that? SE>
<HG No.
No.
No.
# No.
I never did.
# I ‘ve had the chance to,
I ‘ve # been at the fairs one xxx +…
+” Looking for a job mate? “+
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Aye. SE>
<HG they ‘d say.
+” No. “+
Tell (th)em.
+” No,
thank you.
Only just for pleasure. “+
xxx xxx.
+” Oh well,
I should like to +…
I ‘d like to sign a +…
[!= laughs]
bloke like you on. “+
he [/] he [\] ‘d say.
+” What does [/] what does [\] thou do? “+
+” Oh,
I don’t know. “+
[!= laughs]
Oh I # [/] I [\] used to say,
+” I ‘ve go- [/] I ‘ve [\] got a job.
there ‘s no need to worry about me. “+
[!= laughs] HG>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<HG No.
No.
All they used to ask (th)em was +…
that ‘s the questions they used to ask (th)em.
+” What can you do?
Can you plough?
Can you br- +…
Can you milk?
Can you # sow and can you reap? “+
and [/] and [\] all this and +…
xxx xxx get to know what they could do afore they signed (th)em on.
Aye.
+” # Canst thou mow? “+
[!= laughs]
they used to say.
[!= laughs]
That was with a scythe,
you know.
+” Can you m- [/] can you [\] mow? “+
Aye. HG>
<SE And did they do it all by hand?
In those days? SE>
<HG Well no,
There were +…
There was some +…
There were # [/] there were [\] some machines about then.
There were what uh +…
They were # reaping machines,
for reaping as was +…
and uh [/] and [\] mowing.
That [/] that [\] was the [/] that was the [\] most thing that # the +…
and hay b- +…
hay making,
like for +…
As +…
There was no swath xxx then,
not in them days,
they were # [/] were [\] tethers as they used to call (th)em,
revolving and [/] and [\] chucking the # [/] the [\] grass about. HG>
Transcription by Juhani Klemola and Mark Jones, 1999 See http://digital.library.leeds.ac.uk/381/1/LSE_1999_pp17-30_Klemola_Jones_article.pdf and http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/ach-allc.99/proceedings/scott.html
