Hop Pickers' Barbecue (1955)

[@myhistoric]

I was seven years old when this was filmed. My father worked for Whitebreads he was responsible for organizing the hop pickers accommodation each year. After almost 70 years I recognize a number of people in the film!

[@elizabethsheffield6609]

....bet those sandwiches were the best they ever tasted! this was the same time our family went there....one of these videos must have us on it...surely!

[@Eric-the-Bold]

West London Chiswick , Devonshire Road/William Street. A relation had an open backed lorry, he and his wife would take us all down to Paddock Wood, leaving his wife with us. Open fires spuds on a stick, black pot cooking rabbit stew. Cant wait for the Fish and Chip van. Tucked up, on the straw the rain bashing off the corrugated roof. Outside the Pub, bottle of Lemonade and crisps. Our own kids gang, didn’t know that East London existed, but kids are kids we all mixed, even with the Gypsy kids , our Chiswick heritage, Hawkers etc . Off scrumping. Being told off for putting leaves in the bin. Whats that your cooking? On the Gypsy fire? First you gut it son , then roll it in clay and when its cooked pull off the clay and off comes the spines? It was an hedgehog. I was not offered any. Mum said if your hungry enough. Off down to Paddock Wood summer 2023, down memory lane.

[@bozzyboswell5951]

I was raised in Marden village next to paddock wood! I loved the old days when I was a teenager about 20yr ago, the pickers would still come down for the summer from the south/east end usually and i remember the madness all the olders in the local boozer lol Good old days I remember growing up

[@bozzyboswell5951]

I was one of the local gypsy kids

[@piatpotatopeon8305]

I like beer, but I'm definitely not a hop-head. I wonder how the older beers would've tasted. The ones from before the use of hops started really taking off.

[@brutusbastados4801]

The carver eating a bit off the carving fork and then using it to serve some more up. No health and safety back then!

[@sianiswack633]

And thus Toby's Carvery was made