Traditional Rural Work Within Somerset

Here are a few pictures of life in the rural areas of Somerset during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Harvesting in Somerset
c. 1900

Everyone helped with haymaking and the women spents hours, sometimes days, gathering corn left by the reapers

Peat Factory - Somerset
mid 20th Century

The man on the left is my Great Uncle Tom who lived for many years in Blakeway and worked as a Turfman all of his life. Can anyone name the other men in the photograph?

Basket Making - Somerset
c.1890

There was plenty of work for basket makers in the 19th century. In this scene, workers come from all age groups in the community.