Hop picking in Kent
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
Hop picking in Kent
Hop picking in Kent. Date: circa 1910
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 14120080
© Mary Evans Picture Library/John Maclellan
Filling Hopper Hopping Hops Paddock Pick Pickers Picking Sack Youth
EDITORS COMMENTS
Hop Picking in Kent, Circa 1910: A Timeless Tradition in Rural England This evocative photograph captures the essence of a bygone era in English rural history, as a group of women, children, and a young boy engage in the ancient art of hop picking in a sun-dappled paddock in Kent. The scene is one of communal labor and shared experience, as the pickers carefully fill their vims, or hoppers, with the tender, fragrant hops that would later be used to flavor beer. The women, dressed in long, flowing skirts and protective hats, lean over the low-growing plants, their hands deftly plucking the ripe hops and depositing them into the waiting vims. A young girl, her cheeks flushed with the effort of the day's labor, holds a full sack, while a boy, barefoot and clad only in a short tunic, watches intently, perhaps awaiting his turn to join in the harvest. The scene is one of intergenerational cooperation, with both young and old working together to bring in the crop. The wooded backdrop adds a sense of tranquility and timelessness to the image, as if the passage of time has come to a standstill. Hop picking was once a significant industry in Kent, with the county producing the majority of England's hop harvest. The labor-intensive process, which involved picking the hops at just the right moment to ensure maximum flavor and aroma, required large numbers of workers, many of whom were seasonal migrant laborers. This photograph offers a glimpse into a rich and fascinating chapter of English history, one that speaks to the resilience and resourcefulness of rural communities and the enduring allure of the land.
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