Comments on: Hop Picking Season

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:17:50 +0000

We’d moved to the edge of Surrey by the time I started senior school in the late 50s, but there were several Gypsy families nearby, with the girls attending the same school as me. However, they were always late starting back in the Autumn term, because they’d all gone hop picking with their families. My brother was a professional climber at one time, and would take me to Harrison’s Rock on the edge of Kent to teach me climbing. We’d get the train to the nearest station to the Rocks, but always had to walk across the Hop fields to reach the Rocks.

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 19:15:10 +0000

We’d moved to the edge of Surrey by the time I started senior school in the late 50s, but there were several Gypsy families nearby, with the girls attending the same school as me. However, they were always late started back in the Autumn term, because they’d all gone hop picking with their families. My brother was a professional climber at one time, and would take me to Harrison’s Rock on the edge of Kent to teach me climbing. We’d get the train to the nearest station to the Rocks, but always had to walk across the Hop fields to reach the Rocks.

By: JerryW

JerryW — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:55:38 +0000

They are all smiling, but hop-picking was very hard work! I’m not sure how many East Enders would regard it as a holiday nowadays.

I wonder where that pub is, in the last photo. No pubs in or near Hunton now!