Village Life and Labour: An Anthology

Originally published in 1939, this volume attempts to capture some of the traditions of English rural life during a time of increasing agricultural mechanisation. Through descriptions gathered from a number of different authors, the reader is given the sense of rural communities as being held together by a shared understanding of these traditions, and of a shared heritage passed down through the generations. In separating the cultural life of villages from an increasingly rationalised system of production, modern farming techniques are seen as creating fundamental changes in this established existence. This fascinating book will be of value to anyone with an interest in British history and agricultural customs.