1939 Swale RD

[louisa maud]

Having been searching the 1939 register I am finding quite a lot of split families, one in particular had the wife and daughters living  in a "Hut " in Swale RD, it now occurs to me that these might have been hop pickers, no address given except the nearest is Dover Square, I wonder where that is, obviously hop picking area

Louisa Maud

[grandarog]

In 1939 Swale Rural District Council and Sittingbourne and Milton Urban District Council were separate entities . In 1974 Swale Borough Council was created Absorbing the above and Faversham Borough Council and Queenboro onthe Isle of Sheppey.
The point being Swale Rd was mainly an area centered arround Sittingbourne much smaller than the modern Swale Borough District . As the register was compiled  29 September 1939,you are quite right assuming she was in a Hoppers Hut as it was picking time. Unfortunately there were hundreds of hopping camps in the district so you will have a job to pinpoint the location.

[louisa maud]

Sorry I didn't return earlier but my hard drive on my main computer has burnt out, at this very minute I am not sure if my 22  years of FT can be saved, stupidly not backed up

anyway, many thanks for your helpful reply, it makes sence now as to where they are on 1939, also might help others with lost souls on the register who had hop pickers in the family

regards
Louisa Maud

[SandieNZ]

I realise this is an old post but I too have just found a relative in a Hut in Swale in 1939 and am very grateful for the post and the explanation.
I notice the listings on the register are all women and children in these huts - where are the husbands?  (Can't find mine listed anywhere).
(Being from the other side of the world I've not encountered Hop Pickers before, so now have some reading to do)

[KGarrad]

The 1939 National Register doesn't include any men who had signed up

[SandieNZ]

thank you for your quick reply.

So all the husbands of these women listed in the Huts would be away in Army barracks or posted somewhere??

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I think some of the husbands would be still in London, working. Hop picking at that time was often done by women and children, and was a sort of country holiday for families from the poor East End of London.
   Lots of information and pictures on line.

[SandieNZ]

Yes, thanks for that - I've already hit the google and am learning lots.  Amazing piece of history.
Cheers!
♥

[louisa maud]

I started this subject  but it is interesting to find out more details, my grandmother and all the females would pack up and go to somewhere near Peckham during the season, I went for a weekend when I was very young, I think Friday night were interesting when families returned from the local pubs, the accommodation was only corrugated and you could hear everything,

 I think everyone enjoyed  it, somehow I think they thought of it as more of a holiday


Louisa Maud