The Harvest stops for a bit of bread, and cheese ...world history and facts

The Harvest stops for a bit of bread, and cheese ...world history and facts.

Taken 132 years ago in August 1890, this beautiful, and peaceful image was captured by George Woods on his walks around Hastings. When handling sheaves, the men usually tied string around their trousers, just below the knee to prevent the rats, which were very prevalent at harvest time, from running up inside their trouser legs.

 A rat up the trousers could have rather nasty consequences. Every year a local story would be retold of the day old Ernie Fellows forgot to tie string around his trousers and ended up in hospital, and nearly died, although what happened to the rat, which had helped itself to the delicacies it found, was never mentioned.

Many studio photographers who recorded daily life in artistic compositions, and are now, well known, and celebrated for their talent, Francis Meadow (Frank) Sutcliffe springs to mind. There are also many small collections by enthusiastic, and talented amateurs like George Woods, who produced wonderfully composed images that provide a great social, and historical record.

George Woods was born in St. Albans, Hertfordshire in May, 1852. The son of a draper, he ran a drapery business in Wokingham, Berkshire with his elder brother, William, during the 1870s.

Woods’ father, William, died in 1880, leaving his sons some share investments. By 1883 the drapery business had been sold and Woods had begun to develop a private income from successfully trading on the stock market – this later allowed him to devote his time to photography.

Woods moved to Hastings with his wife, Mary, and daughter, Margaret, in the late 1880’s, and during the early 1890’s he spent many hours taking photographs on Hastings beach and in the local countryside. It is possible that Margaret may be the teenage girl seen in many of his photographs.

Mary sadly died from cancer in 1896. In 1902 Woods married his second wife, Ethel Rant, and they set up home with Margaret at 75 Priory Avenue, Hastings.

 Margaret unfortunately developed a serious illness and died aged 35, in 1914.

Woods died at his Priory Avenue home in 1934, aged 8l, leaving his photographic collection to Ethel who donated most of the prints to Hastings Museum shortly before she died in 1962.

 The glass plate negatives were at some point acquired by local solicitor and historian, John E. Ray, and after his death the larger negatives were bought by Hastings Library, forming the bulk of the George Woods collection.

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