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Statute or hiring fair
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Statute or hiring fair
Statute or hiring fair, where masters choose their servants
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Media ID 23271478
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1883 Barley Days Hire Hiring Masters Servants Statute
EDITORS COMMENTS
A Statute or Hiring Fair, 1883 This evocative photograph captures the bustling scene of a statute or hiring fair, an annual event that took place in rural England during the late 19th century. The image, taken in 1883, depicts a crowded open-air marketplace where masters came to hire servants for the upcoming agricultural season. The photograph shows a large group of people gathered around a makeshift stage, where potential employers, often farmers or landowners, sat atop a raised platform. Behind them, a book is open, likely containing the names and details of prospective servants. The crowd of hopeful applicants, mostly women and children, are seen clustered around the stage, eagerly awaiting their turn to be interviewed and hired. The atmosphere is tense and anticipatory, with the promise of employment hanging in the balance for many. The barley mow in the background serves as a reminder of the hard labor that awaited the chosen servants, who would be responsible for reaping the harvest. The statute or hiring fair was an important tradition in rural communities, providing an opportunity for masters to assess the physical and moral character of their potential servants, while also allowing servants to negotiate wages and working conditions. This photograph offers a unique glimpse into a bygone era, providing insight into the hiring process and the social dynamics of rural England during the late Victorian period.
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