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Courtesy Halesworth & District Museum
The following speech by Andrew Johnston of Holton Hall, chairman of the
Halesworth Farmers Club gives a good insight into the man's character. It
must be noted that this speech was made at a time when harsh penalties were
regularly meted out for the smallest case of theft.
' The agricultural labourer is by no means in the position he ought to be in. The super-abundance of labour has made the poor law an absolute necessity; but of little gratification is the fact that there is scarcely an
able-bodied labourer in the Union House at Bulcamp. I would like to see every man employed and getting remunerative wages. Emigration has placed them in a better condition, but as the population increases there will be times of agricultural depression.
We must look forward and improve the system of poor laws. I denounce the low and degrading condition of the poor hard working labourer. I denounce the practice of clearing the estates of the landowners by the destruction of cottages. It is not fair to the labouring man. The great problem is his existence upon the paltry pittance he receives. The sanitary condition of the rural population, the crowded state of their sleeping accommodation demoralises the younger branches of the family especially the female portion. I would have cottages constructed upon a particular plan, and each should contain not less than three sleeping rooms. Decency demands it.
The wages he receives are not adequate to place him in a proper position. How can he lay up for his old age? Flour, rent, clothes to say nothing of education swallows up more than his means, and it is impossible for him to discharge his duty to his children as he should.' At the end of the meeting the following resolution was passed. 'That this club recognises the duty of the state to promise for the aged, the orphaned and the sick But we are of the opinion that the poor laws are in many respects, adverse to the prosperity, intelligence and skill of the labouring classes.
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