Farm Servant

[Mancunian_Nick]

Hello everyone,

I've come across an 1871 census for Lullington in Derbyshire where 2 of the people I'm researching, both single aged 22 and 17 are shown as both living with a family of 3 and their occupations listed as farm servants Ind - presumably independent? Can anyone shine a light on the difference please and any information on what makes independent farm servants different to ordinary farm servants please?

[Christine53]

I think in this instance ind is short for indoor , not independent.

[Vance Mead]

There's a book called Servants in Husbandry in Early Modern England, by Ann Kussmaul.

Servants lived in the farm household and were hired by the year. Labourers lived in their own houses and were hired by the day. Servants tended to be hired in primarily pastoral areas, because sheep and cattle need care year-round, while labourers were used more in arable areas, since they had a few peak seasons in the year (planting and harvest) when they needed a lot of workers. Also, labourers were used more when population was growing (16th and 19th centuries) because then labour was readily available when needed. But in times of stagnant or falling population (late 17th to early 18th century) they tried to get more live-in servants in order to make sure they had a supply of labour when needed.

[Mancunian_Nick]

Thank you very much indeed, Vance and Christine. Very much appreciate the info.

[Maiden Stone]

By and large, an agricultural labourer lived in his own home and was hired and fired as the farmer needed labour. 

Some lived in tied cottages. 2 generations of my family were in tied cottages on farms in 19th & 20th centuries.