28
FIFTY YEARS AGO IN ESSEX.
district, but the growth of population elsewhere has affected it indi-
rectly in many ways. It is often said that the farming class has of
late years adopted the manners and the habits of the squire, and they
have been much blamed by many, notably so in a well-known
visitation-charge by a Bishop of the Church; but I think the more
civilized and cultured habits of this class have been quite equalled
by the alteration in the manners and mode of living of the labourers.
In my early days labourers were content with small wages, frequently
as low as 9s. a-week, and to live in whitewashed cottages with
sanded floors, their wives assisting to make both ends meet by
working in the fields. Physically, it is much to be regretted that
this outdoor work has been largely given up, as I am quite sure
that, as far as regards healthy stamina, it was a great advantage to
the species. The labourer was generally clad in the now rarely seen
smock-frock, knee-breeches (sometimes of leather, but these were
going out), short leather gaiters, called buskins, and high laced-up
shoes. On Sundays the same dress appeared, clean and new, and I
used to think the appearance of the men, as they wended their way
to church (there were very few chapels then), in their green smock-
frocks, was very nice and picturesque. I very much question if it
would be possible in this district to find anyone now able to ornament
these smock-frocks in the old elaborate and beautiful designs. They
were gathered and embroidered both on the chest and back. Some
of the patterns, worked with thread, were most artistic, and would
not have disgraced any Art-school of the present day. The dress of
the woman for everyday work was mostly of a blue or some other
dark colour, sparingly spotted, black stockings, and shoes somewhat
heavier than those of the present day, but made by hand, and far
superior to the wretched riveted, high-heeled, corn-producing boots
now worn.
I have said wages generally were low, but in my own parish the
poor were not badly off. The population was hardly sufficient to do
all the work on the farms, as many of the native people were engaged
either in the oyster fishery, or in some other way on the water. At
harvest time there was a considerable immigration of strangers,
generally from the north-east corner of Essex, to help to get in the
crops ; and as all the wheat was cut with the sickle, more time was
necessarily occupied in this process than in the present day, when
mowing machines are used.
The stubble left by the reapers gave splendid cover for the game,