Many landowners began to sell off their farms just after the First World War and so many tenant farmers seized the chance to buy the freehold of their farms. However, after 1921, falling prices for their produce (due to cheap imports) meant that the farmers could not keep up with their loan repayments. By the 1930's, many farms had been repossessed by the banks.

The period 1935-1955 saw improvements, partly because of state aid and partly through new technological advances. The rewards for the agricultural worker (particularly financial) still remained very poor….

Even the farmer's son seems to have fared no better !

[John Gresham on farmer's wages]

[John Gresham on his first payday]

A small farm, in the 1930's, would possibly support the farmer, his family, 5 or 6 labourers, and their families.	[Geoffrey Goodson on early labour levels]
Today, such a farm cannot even fully support one family…	[Geoffrey Goodson on modern labour levels]
It is the same pattern for dairy farmers as it is for the arable farmer...	[Joe Spencer on 'only one man now']

"Four families to half a family in 50 years"

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