St Boswells - Employment

Employment

For many generations the main source of employment in the parish was agriculture. The village lands were divided into two parts—infield and outfield. The infield was cultivated for the growing of crops and the outfield was pasture. Crops grown included wheat, barley and peas. Turnips were a successful later addition. The scrubland and clay soil of the parish meant lots of hard work re-claiming land, drainage work, and liming. Wheat and barley were taken by cart to Dalkeith, Peebles and Melrose for the making of bread and beer, and carts returning from Dalkeith brought lime for the soil.

Improvement in farm implements led to changes in farming and large-scale industrialization put an end to much traditional farm work. An interesting note to the agricultural heritage of the community is that there was resistance from the village residents in the late l9th century to the removal of pig-sties from private homes and it is on record that there were eight farms in the village which were required to be registered as dairies.

Apart from agriculture and related industries, village life comprised many other trading activities necessary to a self-sufficient community. Joiners, plumbers, builders, drapers, bakers, butchers, fishmongers, publicans, carters, undertakers and bankers all managed to make a living from premises within the village boundaries. Modern life, ease of travel and changes in the nature of economic thinking have inevitably led to the depletion of local businesses.