“Just a few more”
Last month’s article about children’s involvement in the harvest sparked a lively discussion on social media. Neil Brearley has added one of his harvest memories which ‘flashes back’ every time he drives along Kirkby Lane…
Our neighbour on Dragon Lane was Gerald Bates who along with his brother Roland owned Chater farm. Their land included a large field off Kirkby Lane where they grew potatoes that were usually harvested in the Autumn half-term.
My grandad, Frank Hill, was a good friend of Gerald and he was keen to join the ‘picking squad’. But after retiring from Desford Pit, Frank had taken on a post-round as his morning job. However, having turned 13 in 1969, it was agreed that I could help with the post so we would both finish early enough to join the pick.
So, it began – up before dawn to sort the post, cycle up to Newbold Heath with the farmer’s mail and finish the round along Peters Avenue. Then a quick cup of tea and a Woodbine for Frank before hopping on Gerald’s trailer with the rest of the crew. There was something uplifting about that journey – the chatter and jokes, bumping past the Windmill Inn, and the feeling that we were all part of a team. We would space out along a furrow then be down picking, brushing and bagging the potatoes each time the tractor came past. By home time, even my young back was starting to ache. Come the end of our third day, relief finally appeared to be on hand when Gerald called us together…
“It’s too boggy for the tractor down in the corner, so we will finish here this evening. Well done everybody – hope to see you all again next year!”
I was already dreaming of a lie-in next morning when grandad returned after a chat with Gerald.
“We’re coming back tomorrow. Gerald’s happy to go 50-50 with anything we can dig out.”
One more post-round and now it’s just the two of us, with our forks and spades, trundling back to the field. I soon found out this was very different work. The wet ground seemed to suck back every time I tried to lift the fork. Even so, we had an impressive pile of sacks when we stopped for our sandwiches. After a short break, Frank picked up his fork again…
“Let’s get a move-on, we’ve time for a few more before Gerald comes back.”
“Surely we can’t need any more potatoes grandad!”
“Of course we don’t! But I know some people who would love a free sack of spuds.”
On we go and by now I’m struggling with every spadeful. Yet Frank is still working at the same steady pace which he has kept up from the start. I even wonder if I’m ‘seeing things’ when Gerald finally returns with the tractor.
“Good Lord Frank, I never thought you could dig this many out!”
After loading up, I settle down for the journey home. Then I suddenly wake up to see three grinning faces surrounding the trailer.
“He nodded off before we left the gate!” chuckles Frank. “I think some tea and off to bed,” says my dad. Then Gerald leans over to put me at ease and pass on some ‘farmer’s wisdom’.
“Take no notice Neil, you did a grand job. Miners and farmers of your grandad’s era have a special staying power that we shan’t see again.”
Neil Brearley September 2026
Photograph courtesy of the Bates family, shows Gerald Bates reliving farming memories with an old-fashioned seed drill.
