A comprehensive guide to researching ancestors who were ‘Ag Labs’, Ian Waller has given us an impressive work of social history that is incredibly fascinating.
When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, over half her subjects relied on agriculture for their livelihoods. It is not surprising that most of us have an Ag Lab somewhere in our family tree. Ian explains what life was like for this impoverished section of society. He gives details of all the skills they needed and describes the country calendar of events, including ploughing, sowing and harvesting.
Chapters cover quarter sessions, tithe schedules, manorial and estate records, wills and migration records. Also covered the range of jobs: casual labourers, dairy maids, child labour, thatchers and gamekeepers riots. There is a useful bibliography and a list of Parliamentary Bills that affected the lives of agricultural labourers.
Author: Ian Waller
Published: Second edition 2019