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Reapers

by | Aug 7, 2015 | At Work, Farms and farming | 2 comments

chrishall-Reapers-2

Chrishall Reapers: Amos Pitches, Walter Webb, Timothy Harvey, Charlie Banks, Alfred Walters, Billy Barnes, Albert Reed, Fred Reed.

This team was swanging charlock.  To ‘swange’ (pronounced swonj) was to cut off the flowers of the weed before they seeded.  The tools used were generally home-made, and were known as “swanging’ (or swonjing) hooks.

The one held by Timothy Harvey (third from left) was the reaping hook that had been used by his grandfather, when all the corn was hand-cut by sickle.

Mr Harvey said he bound it to a long handle or stale.
chrishall-Reapers-2H

Click the image below to see an enlarged version.

Chrishall Reapers

2 Comments

  1. Ian Shearwood

    Do you know the date of the Reapers photograph?

    Timothy Harvey (1813 – 1899) married to Henrietta Kemp is my g-g-g-grandfather.
    I wondered if it could be him in the picture.

    Thanks for maintaining this website – I enjoy reading it.

    Reply
  2. Rosemarie Gant

    Hello Ian. I don’t have a date for this photograph but judging by other photographs that we have it is probably around 1890 to 1900. Since the Tim Harvey in the picture looks relatively young I would imagine this is probably one of your g-g-uncles rather than your 3 x great-grandfather. We have a lot of Harvey photos in the collection but I think this is probably one of the oldest. There are more pictures coming in all the time though so you never know what may turn up.

    I’m glad you enjoy the site – thank you for getting in touch. And of course if you find any old Harvey photos do please get in touch!

    Reply

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