Join us for a full day of engaging online talks dedicated to the hardworking men and women who tilled the soil, built the fields and fed the nation. Whether your ancestors were tenant farmers, horsemen or plain "ag labs", from Suffolk to Scotland, Essex to Eire this special event will delve into the vital, and often overlooked, contributions of agricultural labourers throughout history.
Discover how to research their lives, understand their work and appreciate their enduring impact on Britain’s landscape and legacy.
🌾 But he was just an Agricultural Labourer! - Lorna Kinnaird
This talk, "Just an Agricultural Labourer? Using Estate Records to Find the Hidden Lives,” explores how estate records can illuminate individuals who are often overlooked in traditional genealogical sources. Drawing on the rich collections of the National Records of Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, it demonstrates how rentals, tenant agreements, and tenant lists can reveal residence, employment, and community connections. Attendees will gain practical strategies for locating and interpreting these records, turning sparse references into meaningful insights about rural ancestors and the worlds they inhabited.
🌾 Harvest time and Horsemen's Memories - Ashley Cooper
Ashley Cooper, local historian, farmer, and author presents an illustrated talk describing the traditional harvests of former centuries, together with the lore of the old horsemen who did the work on the fields of Suffolk and Essex before mechanisation. Many family historians will have ‘Ag Labs’ in their ancestry. Ashley explains how very skilful and knowledgeable these people were, whilst painting a picture of rural life at the time.
🌾 ‘Land for the people’: Researching Irish Agrarian Unrest in 19th Century Ireland - David Ryan
The 19th century was a transformative period in Irish history. From the Act of Union in 1801, the Famine in the middle part of the century to the growth of Home Rule as a political movement. The century also saw a number of attempted uprisings. However, alongside these pivotal events there was a growing movement to change the system of land ownership in Ireland. Most Irish at the time were tenant farmers with little protection against powerful landlords. This talk will look at how tenant farmers and politicians set out to challenge this oppressive system and how to research ancestors living at the time. Some of the sources examined will include rental rolls, membership records, and tithe defaulter lists.
🌾 Farming's Domesday: Bringing the National Farm Survey to Life
Thanks to a generous grant from Lund Trust, The National Archives is digitising the National Farm Survey of 1941-1943. When the project finishes in 2027, images of both the survey forms (record series MAF 32) and the maps (record series MAF 73) will be available to view alongside enhanced catalogue descriptions, including the names of landowners and farmers.
In this talk we will outline the content and context of the National Farm Survey records and explain how the digitisation project is making them much easier to access. We will also include case studies of how these fascinating records can be useful to family historians and other researchers.
This online event offers something for family historians, local history enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the lives of Ag Labs. Book your place today and dig deeper into the fields of your past.
- The event will be recorded
- Everyone who books in advance will have access to the recordings until 30 September
- 20% Discount for SoG Members
Click here for information about our events. Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.
About the Speaker
Lorna Kinnaird
Lorna Kinnaird is a full-time professional genealogist based in Scotland and a full member of the Association of Scottish Genealogists & Researchers in Archives (ASGRA), the accrediting body for professional genealogists in Scotland. As a member, she has been assessed to rigorous standards of research competence and professional practice. Through her practice, Dunedin Links Genealogy, Lorna undertakes commissioned research across Scotland, helping clients across the world trace their families, interpret complex documentary evidence, and place their ancestors within a clear historical context. She works regularly with records held at the National Records of Scotland and in local authority archives, and has a particular fascination with Scottish Poor Law Records and what they reveal about ordinary lives. Lorna also delivers talks and training for family history societies and community groups. Her teaching emphasises practical research skills, careful evaluation of evidence, and clear, client-focused reporting. This is Lorna’s second course with the Society of Genealogists.
About the Speaker
National Farm Survey Digitisation Team
The presenters for this talk work at The National Archives. Robert Fleming is the Principal Records Specialist – Maps. Dylan Bunyan and Samuel Smith are Cataloguing Officers working on the National Farm Survey digitisation project. Katie Holyoak is a Project Manager working on grant-funded projects. Andrew Janes is the Head of Archival Practice and Data Curation. They all enjoy collaborating with their colleagues to make The National Archives' vast collections more accessible to a range of researchers.
About the Speaker
Ashley Cooper
Local historian, farmer and author, Ashley Cooper farms between Sudbury and Halstead, on the Suffolk-Essex border. He is the author of five local history books, about farming, countryside, and village life, including 'The Long Furrow' and ‘Our Mother Earth.’
About the Speaker
David Ryan
David Ryan is a professional genealogist and historical researcher based in Cork, Ireland. He has worked as a professional genealogist for the past eight years and is a member of the executive board for the Association of Professional Genealogists. He recently completed a Masters in Public History and Cultural Heritage with the University of Limerick.
