Phil Wood Posted 20 March , 2016 Share Posted 20 March , 2016 Trawling through reports from local tribunals in 1916 I came across a case where a dairy farmer is protesting about losing his cowman - who was indispensable because he was his only remaining milker. The farmer explained that he had 'applied to the Board of Agriculture for Danish labour' and the Tribunal, ordering the man to be unstarred, recommended the farmer to 'get some Danes'. This story implies that there was an organised effort to get Danes to come to the UK and help man the dairy industry. Has anyone any knowledge of such a scheme? Were there similar schemes associated with other neutral countries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 April , 2016 Admin Share Posted 14 April , 2016 Article in the Lichfield Mercury, 31st March 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 April , 2016 Admin Share Posted 14 April , 2016 Aberdeen Journal, 24th March 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 April , 2016 Admin Share Posted 14 April , 2016 Yorkshire Post, 25th March 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 14 April , 2016 Admin Share Posted 14 April , 2016 Western Gazette (Yeovil), 24th March 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 14 April , 2016 Share Posted 14 April , 2016 Strangely enough, the use of Danish labour on farms was mentioned in passing in an episode of the BBC Radio 4 Series ' Home Front', set in Devon in April 1916 and broadcast this week. I'm trying to recall exactly what was said by one of the characters about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 15 April , 2016 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2016 Thanks guys - in many ways more of what I had - suggestions that a scheme was planned but nothing to show it actually happened (though I guess some Danes must have come over). If I were a farmer I too would be a bit worried by the commitment to pay travelling expenses - especially as the £3 figure was not a maximum, but a 'shouldn'y be more than' figure. In essence they were being asked to write a blank cheque to get a man, with no guarantees of his fitness for the work - and all because the Army was taking away the tried and tested workers. Seems like a lose, lose situation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now