"Me and my brother were still working at the Berry [Bury] farm for Giles Austin, he raising my wages to two shillings per week for 2 years, and Edward getting one shilling and sixpence per week. Mother was still earning a little where she could. Edward being so young and was sent about one mile from home to herd cows. He would run home crying , telling mother he had lost the cows, and she would have to take him back twice in one day, some days. 

"Who can tell what mother had to under go. I have said many times, "Mother, what are you crying for?" The reply would be, "My boy, the greatest desire I have is to live and see you two youngest boys grow up so that you both take care of yourselves." 

"We were then in such a condition of poverty that we had to ask our master to buy us some shoes and stop sixpence per week from our wages, until paid for, because we needed it all to eat for we were working very long hard days for very little pay.

"But time rolled on and I thought my wages were not sufficient and so he agreed that I should have my Sunday dinners with them. I worked 7 long days for 2 shillings and my dinner on Sunday, for 2 years. I then applied for more wages, which was granted on condition that would sleep there and rise in the morning with his hired servants; I agreed to do so for sixpence more a week, which made me half a crown [2 shillings & six pence old money,  twelve and a half new pence since 1971]for 7 days work, without the Sunday dinner. Now I was changed to different work - called up every morning with the exception of Sunday morning, at 3 o'clock, to help clean the horses, etc. I worked from three o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock in the evening for 2 years.

"I then asked for more wages. My master refused to give it. I threatened to leave his employ. My master, Giles Austin being one of the parish gargents, he says to me, "I will make a plaster to put on your back. I'll make you keep your mother." And when he said that I knew what he meant, for the next board meeting he went to, he had eighteen pence per week taken off from my mother, which the parish had been allowing her since my father died. My brother Edward, was still working for him for two shillings a week and his dinner for working all days on Sundays. This Giles Austin had been very cruel with us both. For very frivolous things he would beat us with an easel stick until we were bruised and carried the weils for weeks, and all because my father was not alive to protect us. I was out of work for a little while and mother wanted me to go back, but no, I thought there was more than one master in the world and I would try to find one.

"The farmer joining the one I had left, was not very good friends. He, Mr. Thomas Lines, hearing that I had left Mr. Giles Austin sent for me to come and work for him, which I agreed to do. In this change I had bettered myself and conditions for I received three shillings a week for 4 hours less work.

"My brother Edward still following me up in the various changes of work and wages, took my place caring for the horses, the same amount of pay for the same amount of hours work, which was half a crown for seven days work. This was a very hard place for Edward but he was compelled to do it for want of food and clothing. Mr. Thomas Lines was well pleased with my work and I liked the change working for Mr. Lines for two years. He got drunk one day, came down into the meadow where I was herding the sheep. There he found me and his other boy who should have been in another field, keeping the crows off the barley and wheat. This boy, Henry Smith, sauced him and run away. He then caught hold of me and commenced to beat me. I took it very mild. Soon after our master had gone home, this boy Smith came to me and said, "I would not stand for that if I were you. I would go up and demand my money, if I was you. Come on and I will demand mine too." We both went up to the farm house and demanded our money. The mistress paid off Smith and told me I had better go back to the sheep again, but I insisted on her paying me like she had done the other. 

"Mrs. Lines went into the house and told her son that I would not go back. Her son, Thomas, came out of the house saying, "Bring me that rope. I will tie him up to the mill." I took it very patiently and they tied me to the old mill. They went into the house a little while. On his return, looking at me, said, "Will you go back to the sheep if I let you loose?" "No sir, but I will make you pay pretty dear for your beating me and tying me to the mill for I have the marks to show on my back and on my wrists." The old lady, his mother, hearing these words said, "Thomas, let the boy loose and I will pay him if he wants to go." I was soon liberated and free.

"My mother wanted to know why I was home so early. I told her what had happened. She said, "You had better go back to your work in the morning for I don't know what we shall do if you don't keep on in your work." But I was willing to search for work somewhere else; I did not wish to be idle. It happened to be the week that mother went to Mrs. Hobes [Hobbs] to wash and while sitting at the dinner table talking, Mr. William Hobes asked mother where I was working. Mother stating that I was out of work just now. "Tell him to come to me tomorrow morning. He is just the lad I want for a shepherd." I being acquainted with sheep for years, I suited them very well and I was very pleased because I was acquainted with the family. Three of the girls used to go to school when I did. This was like a reunion to me. Their mother knowing my circumstances was very kind to me. She would very often send one of the girls out to me with something to eat, for very often I didn't get enough to eat. So you see God provides for the orphans and widows.

"My brother, Edward, by this time began to think he was in bondage and was looking out for a better place. One day his master, Giles Austin, had been beating him. He concluded he would not stay there any longer; then starting Saturday night accordingly he left and went to work upon Mr. Wingfield's farm [Long Croft Farm Bovingdon] for more money and less work. He then considered he was out of bondage. He was getting so along that he could get enough to eat and pretty well to wear. After I had been working for Mr. William Hobes [Hobbs] for quite awhile, he came to me and asked what I had done with that pair of silver scissors that we had out in the stock yard. I told him the last time I saw them they were hanging around the dog's neck. He said, "I've no doubt you took them down to Bovingdon and sold them." This made my blood boil. Says I, "The girls and your sons, William and James, saw it around the dog's neck." He was a very wicked and jealous man. He used to go to Hemel Hampstead market on Thursdays and come home about eleven o'clock drunk and used to beat his wife, sometimes. 

"Now my mistress and her daughters did not think I had carried them off, although we searched diligently and could not find them. About three months after, the children were playing in the stock yard and saw a piece of black ribbon and in picking it up to see what it was there the silver scissors were hanging to it. The girls, running to the house to show them to their ma, she said I told you that we should find them sometime again. I am so pleased because your father accused John of taking them away and now he will know for himself that he didn't. This was something I didn't like but I thought I would stop here until I (could) better my chance.

"His son James had taken my place of herding the sheep and I had to go to plow. I recollect one day while out in the field plowing with the hod (odd) man. We were talking about a cricket match and there was a song got up about it. Luton Boys Forever and I hope they'll get the day." Now this William Hobes had been to market and got pretty well along in drink and had challenged to play another man at crickets for five pounds and had laid down the money while in drink. The next day wanted to take it back but no, it was a fair bet and it must come off. Now this worried him a great deal because he thought he would lose. His sons told him he would lose the bet. Now previous to this match we were out in the field, ploughing. The hod [odd] man was singing the cricket song and I joining in the chorus as he entered the field. He came straight up to me and took the whip and commenced whipping me with it. I dared not say anything to him but when Saturday night came and I had my money, I bid farewell to Mr. Hobes [Hobbs] farm.

"I then worked around until the eleventh of October when I hired out to Mr. William Rose at Boxmoor farm [Moor End is between Boxmoor and Bourne End] for one year, my wages being three shillings and sixpence a week and 30 shillings at Michaelmas. [It was at Boxmoor farm that the Rose family lived in the 1851 census.] Now this was a pretty good place for me as they didn't keep any hired girl and my mistress would have me help her in the kitchen sometimes, although I was hired for their shepherd. But my mistress would have the hod boy help me with the sheep so that I could help her in the kitchen. Now I took great delight in doing whatever she asked me to do because she would bring me half a pint of beer and some broken vitals. I kept in her favor all the winter and tended to the sheep, with the help of the hod (odd) man. In the spring they paid off the hod [odd] man [his name was Samuel Seedman] for his bad behavior and they hired another shepherd boy for less wages than they were paying me. My master thought I would do the hod [odd] man's work for the same pay they were paying me for tending the sheep.

"He sent the boy to herd the sheep on Shipangel common [Shot Hanger or Sheet Hanger common], about one mile from the farm house. I had been working very hard during the winter out in the wet and cold and now the summer was coming I thought I should lay out on the common with the sheep. But the boy did not want to leave the sheep to go home. I told him I was hired to attend the sheep for one year and I should do it without they raised my wages. The master came to see me and asked what I wanted. I told him I was hired to attend the sheep for one year and I should do it without they raised my wages. The master came to see me and asked what I wanted. I told him sixpence more a week and 10 shillings more at Michaelmas. He said I asked too much and he should not pay it. 

"I said I do the work I was hired to do then. At 10 o'clock the same day my master came to me and told me he wanted me to go with him up to Mr. G. D. Ryder and he should see what he said about the case. This was one of the magistrates and the squire that Mr. Rose rented the farm off, and I thought I shouldn't get justice. I told my master I was not willing to go because he had been up to lay the complaint before the magistrate before he asked me to go with him. But I went up with him. It was raining very fast. I had a five bushel sack on my shoulders to keep me dry but it got wet through and my clothes also. They left me in the hall a little while until the honorable Granvill Dudley Ryder was ready to hear both sides. I was then called to a beautiful room where the carpet was laid. I then related my circumstances before him, and he told me my master would allow me sixpence more a week and if there was any further complaint I should not get along so well. I went back to work and was satisfied with the decision.

"My mistress gave me the privilege of hunting up the eggs, which gave me another sixpence more a week, which made 4 shillings. With this amount I could board myself and pay my mother for washing my clothes. I took the old (odd) man's place of work which consisted of milking the cows, feeding the pigs, pumping the water, packing in coal, cleaning the kitchen, feeding the chickens and so on and so forth. 

"The eleventh of October came again in 18- and I hired out to Jacob Sanders, Bovingdon, for 4 shillings a week and two pounds at Michaelmas."
 

Continuing with John's account . . . "I still became a favorite of my misses and often got a griddle cake and cheese for nursing the baby and helping to scrub out the kitchen and pack in wood and so forth. I stopped the year out and went to Chesham Fair to hire out again. 

"My master, seeing me there in the afternoon without the ribbons around my hat (this is a sign that they have not hired out yet for the next year), he came up to me and said, "John I will raise your wages to four and sixpence a week and 2 pounds ten at Michaelmas, if I would do the odd man's work." This I agreed and took the shilling to bind the bargain.

"The odd man's work was quite different here. I had to take my work beside of any man. This was learning me to do different kinds of work on the farm. I worked very hard sometimes, but I did not mind because I could leave off at five o'clock in the evening and go down home 2 or 3 times a week and no work on Sunday. This was the first time for years that I did not have to work on Sunday. I appreciated it very much but I did not improve the opportunity as I should have done. But I would go home on Sunday to change my clothes and sometimes would go to church, but it never had any charms for me. But I served my time and took my money. I then quit hiring out by the year.

"Then I went to work for the day for 18 pence a day for Mr. Hobbs, thrashing (or threshing) barley and oats. I worked there for quite a while but he expected me to do the same amount of work as his other men which were getting 12 shillings. He told his son that he expected me to thrash and clean up as many bushels of grain a day as his other man. I told him if I did as much work I should expect as much pay. But he said I was not a married man. I did not have a family to keep. I wondered how it was but I found out that I had not yet learned to do all kinds of work such as sowing grain, building stacks, making new edges [hedges] and so forth, so I was willing to keep on while I could do better.

"Williams Hobes [Hobbs] came out into the yard and found fault with the work which I had done. I said it was as good as the balance of the work. He and I differed in opinion and he threatened to kick me. I told him two could play at that. He went into the house swearing and I went on with my work. Night came on and I went about a mile to see my brother Henry [at Whelply Hill.]. He said, "If I was you I would leave him next Saturday night." I took my brother Henry's advice and left that place.

"I then went to work for Giles Austin at Berry [Bury] farm, close to home. I worked around doing all kinds of work. This was a good school for me but I didn't get any more wages, just the 9 shillings a week was the highest wages I ever earned excepting hay time and harvest.

"After working by the day for a long time, my master let me take work by the piece such as hoeing peas, beans, turnips, oats and so forth. After a while the shepherd went away and my master asked me to take his place and he would raise my wages to ten shillings a week, which is now 7 days a week work, wet or fine weather. I worked at this kind of work quite awhile, until I got tired of Sunday work. He hired another shepherd but I kept on at the same place until one morning in the spring of 18--. He, Giles Austin, saw me working in our little garden before going to work for him. I suppose he was jealous of me. I left our little garden and went down to the farm house, the other men had just gone out of the house to work. I asked him what I was to do today and he replied that I ought to have been here an hour earlier. Says I, "It is not 6 o'clock, that the time we start work, I thought." "Well," says he, "if you are so particular you had better take your money and go." Says I, "Let me have it. I never refuse taking money, thank you." He called me a saucy little devil and told me to go and hoe wheat in Bush field but I insisted in his paying me off. He then said it was just like me to work for him in the winter and now the sun was commenced to shine, you want to leave me. Says I, "The sun doesn't shine much this morning." It was quite a foggy morning. He went off into the fields next and told his son to attend to me.

"My eldest brother, Joseph, had been working for him a great many years and he didn't much like his master, but young John Austin, his eldest son, was a good young man. We both had worked together. He would leave the cellars unlocked because he had learned that I would not get too much drink, either wine or beer, and for this cause he did not lock anything away from me. He would rather try and help me to some. But I thought I would take a change of work. Young John paid me off that morning and in paying me he made a mistake and paid me too much by one shilling. I did not notice it until a day or two after. Saturday night came and I went down to let him know about the mistake he had made, and I gave him the money back again. He told me he believed I was an honest young man but he thought I would not better my conditions any by leaving. I said that I was willing to try it. I had then been out of work for a few days and I started to hunt up a job and I soon found one.

"John Austin, my old master's brother, rented a little farm and kept a public house - the Sign of the Bull. He said he wanted me to thrash barley awhile. I went along to do what he wanted me to do and every Saturday night that came we had to go about half a mile to the public house to sit there until about 10 o'clock in the evening before he would pay us our wages. And every time he paid me, he would say, "John, you better come another week." Now he didn't like me much because I wouldn't spend more than 6 or 8 pence a week in beer with him. Some of his men would spend more than half their wages for beer, but I didn't feel that way inclined and soon left and went to work on the railroad at Boxmoor, with the man that baptized me in Boxmoor bathing place, in the year 1858, Sunday July 5th.