Field Workers Collection

Pea picking in Swanley. 1936

Putting swathes of sown grasses into windrows, or, drying hay in the wind. From The Book of the Farm by Scottish farmer and agriculturalist Henry Stephens, 1795 - 1874, first published in the 1840 s

Potato planting. From The Book of the Farm by Scottish farmer and agriculturalist Henry Stephens, 1795 - 1874, first published in the 1840 s. This illustration from a revised 1870s edition

Farm workers in rice field harvesting crops

Farm workers in a rice field, before, during and after harvest

Hop pickers returning from the Kent fields loaded up with full sacks of hops - 1935 eTopFoto

Pea picking in Swanscombe. 6 July 1937

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Through the ages, field workers have toiled under the sun, their hands and hearts connected to the land. From pea picking in Swanley during the 1930s, as seen in Henry Stephens' "The Book of the Farm," to putting swathes of sown grasses into windrows for haymaking, their dedication remains unwavering. In rice fields, they harvest the golden grains that feed millions. The rhythmic dance of planting potatoes, as depicted in Stephens' revised edition, continues to be a testament to their hard work and resilience. Hop picking in Kent, with sacks full of hops slung over their shoulders, is a tradition that continues to this day. These images, captured in the 1930s and 1870s, remind us of the enduring connection between the people who work the land and the crops that sustain us all.