Life before Canada

John Cowey, born in 1800, was from Eadington, a village about 5 km. southwest of the market town of Morpeth in the parish of Mitford, County Nothumberland. He was a farm labourer, a husbandman or a "hind", who had found a job on an estate near Eglingham around 1826.

As a hind, John would have been contracted to work from year to year. In Northumberland, farming was a prosperous enterprise. Prior to the introduction of farm machinery in the 1800's, estate farmers required many labourers. Farming estates were large and isolated, each one forming a small hamlet of itself. The farmer would build adjoining terraces or rows of hind houses. These were provided rent free

The hirings for a year of service would take place early in March, but the notice for ordinary hinds was given in February. The notice was termed "speaking". The number of hinds required would depend on the success of the farm. Those hinds who received no notice to leave are spoken to, and agree to stay for another year of service. If the farmer did not speak, the hinds considered themselves discharged and would be required to move on, or "flit".

Hiring day was a major social event, the most important event of the year. The hinds who had been terminated, their families, and the estate farmers would gather in large numbers at the major market centres. Morpeth, from where John may have been contracted, Wooler and Norham in the north Border country would have been such centres.

These gatherings were always attended by travelling shows with their roundabouts and swings. There were village dances known as the "village hop", and athletic contests of racing, wrestling, and football.

The hinds who were hired in March began, and ended, their service on Whitsuntide, around the 12th of May. This event was called "the May", or "the turn of the year".
Since only a certain number of men and women were required by the farmer, he could not employ all members of some families, especially as the children left school and were ready for work. If a lad was ready to work but not required, the family had to flit to another estate where they could all be hired.

During the May, the fields were deserted as men and horses were all busy with the flit, or migration.
Once settled onto their new farms, a week's holiday followed which allowed the hinds and their families to get settled into their cottage. The May weather allowed a toriugh house cleaning and airing, as well as the necessary repairs

One unfortunate aspect of the May migration was the disruption in the lives of the children. They would lose the continuity of teaching and influence both in church and at school.
Boys and girls went to work at age 10. Most children only attended school for approximately 22 weeks. Schools were distant, roads or paths were almost impossible to use in bad weather, and teachers, if found, were poorly paid. Often, parents were unable to pay for their children's education. Once the harvesting began, the eligible children worked in the fields alongside their parents, some as carters, planters, or pickers.

At the March hirings, hinds were asked by the farmer if they could "stack and sow", both agricultural jobs of importance. Stacking corn sheafs in the field was almost an art form. Bad stacks signified careless husbandry, while well shaped stacks could earn a hind a shilling or two more a week.

The hours were long. In the winter, work began at dawn and ended at dusk. In the spring and summer, work began at 6 am, and ended at 6 pm.