Episode 1 Snowdonia 1890

PROGRAMME THEME

'In spring 2010, two families volunteered to go back in time.

'Their destination, 19th-century Snowdonia,

'and a unique way of life.'

Get them all together!

It's getting a bit stressful now.

If they come round asking for the rent, we're finished.

-How do you move a cow?

-SHE LAUGHS

'For one month, they faced a battle for survival

'that combined both farm and quarry.'

I told you yesterday and you've done exactly the same. That's a penny now, I've fined you.

-'A Welsh life, long abandoned.'

-You will learn the ways of temperance!

We do not speak Welsh in school.

CHEERING

Just treat them as you treat a man - firm!

'Now experience how they coped with the tough realities of Snowdonia, 1890.'

I'm frightened to eat, in case we haven't got anything left.

Give me respect, you get it back.

It is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

'Snowdonia, in northwest Wales.

'Two centuries ago, this area was home to a singular community

'that lived a hand-to-mouth existence,

'farming the land and working in the surrounding slate quarries.

'Close-knit and Welsh-speaking, they lived on smallholdings

'and cramped, basic cottages, high on the mountain slopes.

'Now, modern families are coming to test themselves

'to see if they can endure the same hardships.

'Over 100 applied, but only 2 were chosen.

'From Abergavenny in South Wales, the Braddocks.

'This is Mark and Alisa's second marriage,

'and their children are from previous relationships.'

I don't think we're a conventional family, because everybody's so individual.

I love them to bits, but it can be overpowering, so many strong characters in one room.

Some days you come in and think, "What have I come into?" But it's good fun.

'19-year-old Jamie, Mark's son, is at university.

When I go out, I pretend I'm a professional footballer.

You chat everyone up saying, "I play for Cardiff. I'm in the reserves. They just signed me."

Feel free to edit that out!

'Alisa's youngest two are 13-year-old Tommy

'and nine-year-old Leah.'

-Organised.

-Organised...erm, busy.

And quite a smiley family.

'Her eldest son, Jordan, 17, lives with his grandparents.'

I'm looking forward to spend time with my family.

I don't see Tommy and Leah a lot, I'd like to see them a lot more.

'The Braddocks are always on the go,

'With Mark working 12-hour shifts as a medical technician,

'and Alisa busy running her own stage school.'

I know it's quite daunting, but maybe we can have the drama in your face.

My stepmum isn't used to doing housework

-and cooking and stuff like that.

-I beg to differ.

She likes to be like posh totty!

I scrubbed that kitchen! Have you seen how white it is?

She's always got to have her make-up done and her hair done.

This experience is going to be hilarious!

'This will be a big test for them,

'not least because they'll all be living together for the first time.'

ALL: We are the Braddocks!

I would like my family to change from this experience.

For us to all group together and do team activities day in day out,

that would be a lot of fun.

When we're all living on top of each other,

it could get a bit strenuous at times.

I honestly believe that nobody will crack or give up.

I think it'll be a good experience for the whole family.

'The Braddocks are non Welsh speakers

'and they see this as possibly their biggest challenge.'

Very strong-headed people, North Walians. Very, erm...

If you don't speak Welsh, you're not Welsh, according to a lot of them up there.

'The Braddocks' neighbours will be from Denbigh in North Wales.

'The Welsh-speaking Joneses.

'They're a professional working family.'

Hello, David Jones speaking. How can I help?

'David is a partner in a law firm

'and Catrin works as a tribunals officer.

'The children - Ben, 18, 11-year-old Ela and nine-year-old Jac,

'all attend a Welsh language school.'

I'd like to study law in university.

My father is a solicitor and ever since I was younger, I've always wanted to do what he does.

'They're a family who are used to a comfortable lifestyle.'

Home life is very comfortable. We have a nice house, a big garden.

We've got a high standard of living.

I suppose, a bit spoilt, you know, as people are in this day and age.

Maybe we've got too much and we don't really appreciate it.

The prospect of surviving Snowdonia does scare me,

but I'm ready for the challenge.

I'm definitely the organiser of the family.

I keep everybody on track.

I suppose the kids and my husband would say I can nag quite a bit,

which I would tend to agree with really, if I'm honest.

I don't eat meat.

I might find it a bit difficult with food,

but there's vegetables and things.

-And grass!

-Yeah, I can eat grass!

And you can have some bacon baps or a sausage roll!

'But whatever the challenges,

'there's one reason why all this will be worth it for the Joneses.

'David's grandfather was a slate quarryman,

'who died in a tragic quarrying accident.

'They want to journey back to their roots to engage with their past

'and really see what life would have been like.'

You can read about history,

but you never would get the experience to actually live it.

This will be the chance to live it, which will be unbelievable.

'The scene is set and the challenge can begin.

'Today, the Joneses and the Braddocks

'begin their journey into the past.

'For one month, this will be their home.

'Neighbouring farm cottages, perched high in the Snowdonia uplands.

'Cramped and basic, with no running water or mod cons.

'Set in two acres of land,

'these remote cottages stand 900 feet above sea level.

'For the Braddocks, three rooms for six people

'may prove a little too close for comfort.'

The outside is lovely.

Gosh, it's huge!

It's bigger than what I thought.

-It's lovely and warm.

-It's lovely. Gosh!

Baking powder, plain flour.

Really relieved. I thought I'd be sharing a bed with my dad,

or even worse, one of the kids!

So who's having them, then?

I'm on the left, Tommy's in the middle and Leah's on the right.

It's cool, innit?

-Oh, that's nice!

-Look at this bed. What do you think?

-That looks comfortable.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

We can cuddle up on this. Is it a water bed?!

I thought it would be like all...

I thought the house would actually be grey, dark and scary.

But it's actually better than I thought.

'Jordan spies important news.'

It says here, "Wanted immediately.

"Eight good quarrymen who understand the splitting and dressing of slate.

"Report to management agent Mr Smith

"at Moel Tryfan quarry in Caernarfon in two days' time."

You've got a job interview, then, lads.

"None need apply who's character will not bear the strictest inquiry."

Best behaviour, Mark!

'The Joneses will be living a field away.

'Their cottage is even smaller than the Braddocks', with only one bedroom.

'So somebody will have to sleep in the kitchen.'

-Oh, wow! It's quite warm.

-It's lovely and warm.

It's lovely and cosy, isn't it?

I reckon this will be the warmest bed

because it's in the kitchen where the fire is.

-Is that our bed, then?

-Yes, that's our bed. I reckon we bag that bed.

Now, that's if things come flying over!

Have you got one in your room?

Yeah. Under the bed.

I'll let you go first on that!

Cool bedroom!

And this is it, that's the whole tyddyn.

-You can share with Jac.

-I'll sleep in the kitchen.

-Can the two boys sleep together?

-I'm not going in the kitchen!

My first impression is that it's lovely. It's lovely and cosy.

Not a lot of room, obviously.

The problem is, it's going to get dirty really easy,

so these two, especially Jac, have got to be careful what they bring in and out.

We have apples. I never knew there were apples.

"Dear Mr and Mrs Jones.

"We are pleased to confirm that places have been secured

"for your daughter, Ela, and son, Jac, at Tan y Coed school for the sum of 1d per pupil."

"Strict penalties will be in operation for unauthorised absence, lateness and..."

This is the bad one. Jack, do you know what insolence means?

Cheek will be punished.

Right, OK? So if you're cheeky, we have to pay fines.

-Strict penalties.

-OK. No-one should be cheeky.

'The Joneses are settling in,

'but there's a shock in store for vegetarian Ela.'

I know you don't like rabbits.

I know you don't like dead animals, Ela.

ELA CRIES

OK, OK. Look, we can hang them somewhere else.

We can move them and hang them somewhere else, don't worry.

'For an 1890s quarryman's family,

'slaughtering animals was a necessity of life.

'Ela will have to get used to this

'if she's to survive in this environment.

'Both families have been given subsistence funds and food for one month.

'But there's a real danger that stocks could well run out.

'How they get by in the long run

'will depend on how well the women manage the household.

'To help Catrin and Alisa in their tasks,

'they've been given an 1890s household manual.'

-"A bad wife is confusion, weakness..."

-Absolutely.

Oh, my giddy aunt!

"At 6.45am you've got to open the beds and air the rooms,

"attend to the range, the children and prepare breakfast.

"At 10.00am, special weekly work.

"11.30am, cook midday meal. 12.00pm, special weekly work.

"19.00, supervise children's bath. 20.00, retire."

So where in there do I get my massage and my nails done?!

They must have missed that bit out!

I don't know where to start, basically.

We're really relying on my mother. Big work for her.

-We've all got to chip in.

-Yeah.

-Do what we can, innit?

'As darkness descends and the paraffin lamps are lit,

'the women get to work preparing supper.

'A bit of a challenge for Alisa.'

I do three meals. Frozen, takeaway and microwave!

It's very rare I cook fresh food.

-Her speciality...

-But I can make a stew.

Alisa's speciality is called chicken-ding. You eat it when it dings!

-Shut up!

-Pop it in the microwave, three minutes later, ding.

I'm better on the phone to the local Chinese.

Alisa is also a cookery black belt.

One chop and you're dead!

That's not funny.

'Over at the Joneses,

'David is finding the 1890s smallholder's simple diet

'a bit too bland for his liking.'

This is the bit when we don't tell Ela

that we've had to put some bacon in there to get some actual flavour.

She's not having any bacon.

This may come out later at a certain date,

but this was just to get some flavour.

Otherwise, it was going to be the most horrible thing you've ever tasted.

I know it's not a nice thing to do, but otherwise, she wouldn't...

-You've been bad.

-Don't you say anything.

She wouldn't enjoy it, cured bacon.

-The other family have...

-Can you put that on your sandwiches?

-No, you've got to cook it.

-It's nice.

-What do you think of the food?

-What have you done with mine?

-What?

Have you cooked it with the meat in it?

-No. We moved a bit out.

-You haven't cooked it with meat?

-No.

-We had it in another saucepan.

'It seems the gamble has paid off.'

It wasn't very nice, having to lie to her,

but she didn't actually catch us in the act, which was quite good.

If she finds out about it, she's not going to be happy, but there we go.

'It's the end of their first day in Snowdonia 1890

'and the families bed down for an early night.

'Tomorrow will be the dawn of a brand-new set of challenges.

'It's a bright start to the morning in Victorian Wales.'

Somebody hasn't even got up yet,

so I don't know how he's going to get his breakfast.

'It's 8.30am and Jamie Braddock is still asleep.

'Our modern day families have agreed to live as closely as they can

'to the experience of 1890s smallholders.

'So he should have woken at dawn.

'Gareth Wyn Jones, a neighbouring farmer, makes a timely visit.'

'In 1890, a large proportion of the community didn't speak English,

'so the Braddocks, with hardly a word of Welsh between them,

'would have struggled here.

'Smallholders were a very close-knit group who relied heavily on each other.

'For the next month, both the Braddocks and the Joneses

'will have the support of neighbours like Gareth.

'Each family have been given a dairy shorthorn cow to look after,

'a common breed of the time,

'which will have to be milked by hand morning and evening.'

# Moo-moo, milk the cow

# Moo-moo, milk the cow

# Moo, milk the cow. #

'The families will rely on their cow for milk

'to make butter, cheese and bread.'

It's hard. I'm aching now.

My hands and wrists are hurting, especially my fingers.

-We don't need to do this, do we?

-No, we can stay in bed.

-We can stay in bed, yeah.

-Stay in bed.

'It's 9.00am and Jamie Braddock is up at last.'

Come on. You've had a lie in this morning. Let's go and get this cow.

Does he know which end's which to put the rope round?

Off you go. Go on. Off you go.

Mark, we want some feed for this one in a bucket now. OK?

'As Gareth gets the Braddocks to do some work,

'the Joneses are left to their own devices.'

It's happened again.

We had half a bucket. We're not down to a quarter of a bucket.

Don't milk her now, please. We need to clean her teats.

They're dirty and that's no good.

Well, go and clean them, then!

Don't stand here, telling us to clean them!

'The Joneses are already feeling the strain.

'And things aren't going well for the Braddocks, either.

Hold that cow!

-What's happened?

-She stood on my foot.

-That's nothing!

-What?

-That's nothing.

You've got steel toe caps. What's the matter with you?

Is she all right? She's a feisty one.

I'd be quite happy to make her into beef burgers right now!

I don't want milk. I'd rather have a burger.

'Now it's Alisa's turn.'

Gently. Very gentle. Just to get the milk to start.

-Are you proud of your mum?

-Yeah.

-She's brilliant! Look!

Is she better than the Joneses? Who's the best milkmaid?

Erm... Our mum.

We'll see how much butter you get by the end of the week.

I thought it was more complicated than it is, but it's quite easy.

It was quite therapeutic.

'With the milking done,

'both cows are taken back to the Joneses' shed.

'There are plenty of little jobs still left to be done,

'but Jamie is skiving again.'

I can treat this experience like a health farm.

A relax and recuperation thing.

To me, this is relaxing, doing nothing, even though I'm bored.

Oi! The cow's out. You didn't close the gate.

Quick, she'll be in the veg patch!

'The Braddocks' cow has escaped. Guess who left the gate open.'

Look, this is not on. First day!

She could have gone anywhere.

This is a disaster. This is your first day and your cow is out.

Take her back in that shed now. Sharpish!

It's like Dumb And Dumber do farming, I tell you.

'The livestock on the smallholding are authentic 1890 mountain breeds.

'Native Welsh pigs, heritage breed chickens

'and 12 heavily pregnant Welsh mountain sheep.'

Get them all together!

Go on, Jamie, standing there like a lamppost. Get going.

Come on. Hands out of your pockets as well!

'Sheep provided wool, meat and a little extra income,

'so had to be well looked after.'

Don't frighten them. They're heavily pregnant.

'First job is to herd them up.'

-Give them a chance to think.

-'Easier said than done.'

Jac, please don't do that again. All you need to do is stand.

Don't frighten them!

Let them see the gap. Once they get around that corner, they'll be in.

Steady, steady. Don't move. Don't even breathe.

One at a time, boys.

Good work there, Dave. Well done.

Fantastic!

'Each family selects six ewes and marks them with black tar

'to deter foxes and other predators.'

It's not very nice. It smells very weird.

'At last the sheep are safely herded into separate fields,

'but the hard work's already taking its toll on David.'

I imagine this would have been something to do on the day off for the quarry worker.

If this is classed as a day off, it's a nightmare. It's hard work.

'It's been a busy day for both families

'but Alisa has managed to prepare a slap-up supper for her brood.'

Very nice, Mummy.

Do you like it?

'The Braddocks should be doing the evening's milking before they sit down to eat.'

You had better ask them to come and give me a hand.

'At the Joneses' they're trying to do things right,

'but Jac just wants his supper.'

-Can you get tea on?

-Shut up, Jac.

Don't be cheeky. I want water in there now.

-There's no tea until we do these chores, Jac.

-Tea doesn't make itself.

-I'm hungry.

-I don't care how hungry you are.

-They're having tea.

-Good for them.

-The meat is nice.

-I'm pleased it turned out well.

-That ham is nice.

-I could get used to this.

You want this muck out, all of it, Dave.

If you don't, you'll get problems with the cow.

You're going to get muck on their udders and then infections.

You don't want to lose this cow.

'It's a heavy workload

'and right now it seems to be the Joneses bearing the brunt of it.'

Jamie and Mark should be in here helping you.

You shouldn't be mucking out for both cows, Dave.

-Who's the fool, OK?

-Yeah.

You've got to put your foot down and get it sorted.

'The cow treads on Catrin's toe and it's the last straw.'

I'll go and get some water.

Jac, dos i mewn efo dy fam. Dos i mewn efo mam.

'Catrin decides to confront her new neighbours.'

We've got problems down in the cowshed there.

It's basically full of shit. Sorry, kids.

It needs cleaning all out.

Gareth said they can't sleep in there tonight.

Both cows are there. We're trying to milk ours.

-Where's ours?

-Ours is in our shed.

-Oh, right.

Erm, but if you can give us a hand. I don't think we can do it all.

We've had a right rollocking off Gareth

and the animals will be suffering if we carry on,

so we'll have to come up with a plan.

'As the sun sets on their first few days,

'both families still have a lot to learn

'if they are to get by and get on in Snowdonia 1890.'

The Braddocks, shameless that they haven't milked the cow.

You don't live like that up here. Animals come first.

If it's not sorted they're going to have problems they're not able to solve.

They're going to lose the cow, lose maybe their farm and the family will be homeless.

They've got to pull themselves together.

If they're not going to work as a team, they're finished.

Up here, anyway, on this mountain.

'Next morning and calm has descended.'

Nothing was going right last night

and I did get quite, well, very upset about it all,

but I think it was because I was tired as well.

After a good night's sleep, I've felt a lot better today

and things have gone a lot better for me.

I've tried to be on the ball,

I've been out milking - I've milked quite a bit this morning.

That's what I'm realising quickly, you know,

that you've got to get organised and get on with things

you might not fancy doing at all.

But they need to be done.

If they're not done, we're not going to survive here.

I didn't realise, we were all sat there with a three-course meal,

because I'd been doing very well with the cooking, I'm very pleased with myself,

but sat there with dessert and a main meal and even some sort of stew as well.

She hadn't even had her dinner on

and the Joneses came home and there was nothing to eat.

I felt I was wrapped up in my own little bubble.

I'm managing very well and I did feel a bit guilty.

-Oh, are you baking bread?

-Black!

-Black is good.

Technically, as long as it's not doughy in the middle, we'll be fine.

'At the Braddocks', the children are getting ready for their first day at school,

'and the men their first shift at the slate quarry.

'19-year-old Jamie is philosophical.'

I think I'll just treat it like anything else and wing it.

What's the worst that can happen?

'Smallholding life was an incredibly demanding existence.

'Families and in particular women laboured from first light till dusk.'

More organised this morning. We got the cow out quite easy and she milked a lot better.

Me and Ben have got... Where's the watch?

Ten minutes to get to work. We'll have some porridge before we go.

'Whilst the Jones family have got to grips with milking

'the Braddocks are having less success.'

The cow is like an on-going saga at the moment.

She milked OK last night after a bit of a fuss.

We got about a bucket from her but she's not allowing anybody near her this morning.

-It's half in, half out.

-What has it done?

'The family's cow has tried to escape from the barn.'

She's gone over the door.

How are you going to do that one? She won't go backwards.

She might be missing the other cow.

That's my hand you're chewing.

She's quite a stroppy cow,

so we call her Ruth because she's ruthless.

COW MOOING

'There's a further interruption to the morning routine in the form of an unexpected visitor.'

My name is Dafydd Hardy. I'm the agent on behalf of the landlord.

'In 1890 most smallholders didn't own their land,

'they were tenants and struggled to pay their rent.'

Let me go through the agreement.

The expectation is that you keep the property to good repair.

Any produce you grow, you keep, but anything you sell, I need to know about it.

You and I will come to an agreement as to what the landlord is willing to accept on it.

It's for 12 months and a rent of eight pounds, eight shillings and four pence.

That is payable on a quarterly basis or monthly if I demand it.

I will try and give notice, but if I can't, I'll just turn up.

I'll sign it on behalf of the landlord.

'Smallholding life was a hand-to-mouth existence.

'Both families have been given sufficient funds for one month

'but the agent could wipe this out by demanding a full quarter's rent

'of two pounds, two shillings and tuppence.'

I don't really know how we'll cover the rent at the moment.

I've got to start work. Even if we produce anything, they're going to take a cut.

We do the hard work and they get the money back. Typical.

I just hope they don't ask for the rent within the next week or so.

We haven't got enough money.

We've got about two pounds and something.

Two pounds, eight shillings and ten pence.

Ella, we might have to send you out to work. Jac, make sure you don't break anything.

'The men set off on their two-mile walk to Moel Tryfan slate quarry,

'where they'll be working for the next month.

'The 1890s was the golden age of the North Wales slate industry.

'At that time, this small region was the world's largest producer of fine quality slate.

I'm sure it's not going to be easy.

Nothing has been easy so far.

We could do with a sympathetic boss who understands that we're useless.

Especially at this time of day!

'There were two types of quarrymen.

'Rock men, who blasted slate from the rock face,

'and the men who split and dressed the slates.

'They worked together in gangs and were paid for each slate they produced.

'After a two-mile walk, the men arrive at their new place of work.

'Awaiting them is quarry steward Mr Humphreys.'

Good morning. We're very disappointed with you being late first day.

We've already deducted two pence out of your wages.

We had some trouble with a cow, but I do apologise.

-Obviously, we're late.

-And we got slightly lost on the trail.

Never again, OK? You start at 9am and finish at 5.30pm.

That's five-and-a-half days a week.

The rules are no alcohol at all, OK? No playing about, OK?

I want you working.

-This is Mick and Bobby, you'll be working with.

-Hello.

-Hello.

'Mick and Bob are time-served quarrymen and will lead and train the men,

'but it's a big ask to turn the new recruits into successful quarrymen in a matter of days.'

We'll need to work as a team.

We'll have to make them understand how essential it is

that we produce these slates by the end of the month.

It's going to be difficult, but I'm sure we'll get there.

Start splitting these down to a reasonable size.

'The men must negotiate a contract known as the bargain

'before they can work the area of rock the steward has lined up for them.'

There's good stuff in here. You've just got to find it.

Bob, you're always complaining. Get some decent stuff, will you?

'Put simply, the price payable per slate varies according to the quality of the rock.'

Well done. How is that, Mick? Good slate?

It's not bad.

'If it's difficult to work, they'll receive a higher price,

'while good quality rock from which it is easier to make slates will give them less.'

That's good slate here.

That's nothing.

-We'll look at this at the end of the week.

-You're complaining already.

Come on, let's get going.

It was in the interests of the 19th-century quarry steward

to oversell the quality of the raw slate

so he could minimise the final sum payable to each man.

-I'll give you 30 shillings. That's my final offer.

-32.

No, 30 and that's it.

-Say 30 and see how it goes first week.

-The quality of slate.

30 shillings to begin with. If you give me good slates,

-I'll increase it to 35, OK?

-OK.

Right, let's get going, come on.

To earn that sum each, the men will have to produce

3,000 top quality slates between them,

but they won't be paid until the end of the month.

At the smallholding, the children are leaving for their first day at school.

Look after your brother.

Bye, everyone, have a good day.

SCHOOL BELL RINGS

In 1890, school attendance

was compulsory for all 7 to 13-year-olds.

For the next month, Mr Williams, the school master,

will teach them their three Rs -

reading, writing and arithmetic -

at a cost of a penny per child per week.

I shall bid you good morning, children.

Good morning, sir.

Before we proceed, I want to make sure

that you remember all the rules.

You do not speak until you are spoken to.

We must behave ourselves at all times.

-Do you understand me?

-Yes, sir.

You do not yawn in class, boy.

Sit up straight.

Victorian school room discipline was strict.

Early to bed and early to rise

makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

Remember that.

One rule was particularly significant.

Now, then, your parents send you to school

and they hope that you will come out of school

being able to speak English fluently.

We do not speak Welsh in school.

Learning English was seen as a passport to a better way of life.

The Welsh Not was hung around the neck

of any pupil caught speaking Welsh,

passed from child to child. Whoever was left wearing it

at the end of the day would be punished.

Jac and Ela will have to mind their language.

Jac, Jac, Jac, Jac, pick up your blotting paper, please,

and wipe that off the floor. Suck it up, don't spread it out.

Put the blotting paper down and let it be sucked up into the paper.

If you must slouch about, that is what happens.

-Do not lean forward on your desk. Do you understand me?

-Yes, sir.

Ink is not cheap, boy.

Leah is unfazed by the Victorian school master.

He's fine as long as you're good

and he probably is a nice guy,

but then because of the school, he probably has to be mean.

Jac disagrees.

If someone else knocks an ink thing over

and he doesn't give them a punishment, I'm going to sue him.

At the smallholding, Catrin Jones and Alisa Braddock

are home alone.

Taking the children out this morning to school

was, um, it was quite, not heartbreaking

but I didn't really want to see them go in

and I was worried about what they're going to be doing today,

but when they went, it was like peace and quiet, it was just amazing.

Catrin, on the other hand, is feeling lonely.

I'm finding having the place to myself today a bit strange.

Um, it's very quiet here.

Um, I've had plenty to do, plenty of jobs to do,

but I'm not very good on my own.

I find I do like to be with other people.

Bread supplies are running low

in both households so the women have decided to make their own.

I don't know what I'm doing, but

I'll have to get on with it now.

The boys are going to kill me if it goes all horribly wrong.

The family are depending on it, really.

Try a bit more flour.

You know, I don't care what I make as long as I make something.

They'll have to eat it regardless of what it is like.

For Alisa Braddock, the role of stay-home mum

is a complete change,

but so far she's enjoying it.

It's days like this I've been waiting for,

the boys out in work, the children in school

so I can be

a proper housewife.

To do something like this,

very wifey, motherly, is lovely, really.

The domestic scene is interrupted

by Catrin's cow.

Oh, this is... She's given that a good whack, hasn't she?

Catrin's cow has got out again.

Mine is sort of innocently stood in the field, she hasn't moved.

Your friend's a really silly girl.

I don't know what they're doing. They're obviously communicating.

What's the matter with you?

In 1890, it was the women who tended the smallholding.

-Right.

-SHE LAUGHS

-You've to go that way.

-MOOS

Come on.

You like my grass. Is that what it is?

How do you lift a cow?

Shall I go and get Catrin?

Managing the family's dairy cow was their responsibility.

Move it.

See? Firm.

Just treat them as you treat a man - firm.

Come on!

Come on! Come on! Good girl, good girl.

Come on.

Catrin and Alisa have a lot to learn.

MOOS

Up at the quarry, the men are being guided into the 1890 world of work.

-You watch what Mick tells you now, OK?

-All right.

18-year-old Ben Jones is on a steep learning curve.

Start hammering it and twisting it at the same time.

It's just banging, banging, banging, banging.

Bit of a rubbish job, to be honest.

-Like that?

-Yeah, that's right.

Mark Braddock hasn't got the hang of it yet.

I've been picking bad blocks. You put a lot of hard work into it

and it just all crumbles away.

But it's hard work.

Keep on it.

That's good.

For solicitor David Jones, quarrying

-is a world away from his desk job.

-The weight of this

is heavy in itself, just to lift it that high

so fair play to them if they did this for eight hours.

I'd love to see their forearms and muscles.

They must have been beasts of men.

For the men, a hard day's work ends with a two-mile walk home.

The work was all right. I don't think I'm going to get on with the boss.

-No?

-No.

I just want to get straight to bed.

At the Joneses', Catrin and the children are waiting.

-Hello.

-Hello.

No, I'm knackered.

Mark Braddock breaks the bad news about the quarry pay to Alisa.

-It's been mad all day.

-Has it?

-It's all right?

-Yeah. And if we do really well, we get 35 shillings

a month.

So what if we haven't got any money?

-What will we do?

-I don't know. We haven't thought of that one yet.

-We'll have to...

-You can sell butter, Mum.

We might have to make some butter or something. Bread.

And sell it at market.

My bread's not for human consumption.

In 1890,

failure to pay the rent could lead to eviction

and the workhouse.

You've got Ela's cap on.

It's to keep my head warm.

LAUGHTER

You look like Little Red Riding Hood.

Money worries aside,

the families are settling into smallholding life.

I'm cold!

OK, good night, everyone.

7.30am next day and it's time for the men to leave for the quarry.

10, 9, 8... Do you have to go back in time? You've had 15 seconds.

Jac...

Have you checked your pockets?

-So long.

-What is he like?

That is Snowdonia. Jed.

Nice and early this morning. Glad to see that.

A few jobs for you.

The training with Mick and Bob moves to the next stage

where the men's skill will really be put to the test.

They're learning how to make slates, splitting slabs to the right thickness.

Split it in half, half again and half again

so we get eight slates.

Then trimming each slate to size.

Then you split that.

That's it.

The best one so far.

The youngest gang member, Jordan, has already taken to it.

I did enjoy that. It was good fun.

Most of the men are making good progress,

but Ben Jones shows a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

It's unbelievable how comfy slate is, you know.

In 1890, the quarry steward ruled the roost.

He had the power to impose fines and not just for poor timing.

Sitting down there on the job, I see.

I was watching through the window of the cabin there.

This is a working quarry. Less of this and more work.

Come on, let's get on with it. Come on.

A demanding day's work is a new experience for teenagers

Ben Jones and Jamie Braddock.

It's boring, repetitive

and it's, like, nothing's keeping me entertained at the minute.

Despite the warning, the boys carry on with their antics.

They haven't yet grasped the reality of what's at stake.

HE CRIES OUT IN VICTORY

Ben, Jamie, come here.

I don't find it a laughing matter lads.

THEY STIFLE LAUGHTER I'm going to fine you a ha'penny each.

I caught you chucking stones, like school children.

So that's a penny now I've fined you, OK?

It's going to come out of your wages and that's it.

'Both young lads, both Jamie and Ben,

'seem to have the attention span of a sprout.'

Both lads are eating us out of house and home,

they're always hungry.

But I don't think they realise, unless they make the slates

we're not going to have the money to buy the supplies we need.

So I think a short, sharp shock is needed

for the both of them, really, to realise how serious this is.

At the smallholding, Catrin Jones and Alisa Braddock are making butter

to earn a few extra shillings.

So how's it working out with you family as regards the chores?

Are these men helping you, or...?

All I get is, "No."

Oh! Do you want to have a go?

Right, do you want me to do that?

And we need to empty the ashes soon.

Oh, do you want me to that quickly now for you while I'm stood here?

God, it's so full. It was supposed to be done earlier this morning.

I must have forgot.

You have to make sure it's all clear. We can't have it stacked up.

That's one bucketful already, so just get rid of all of that.

You've got to get these men to cut you some logs as well.

-I know, I know.

-Ben's on the case.

That's the record at the minute, then, two bucketfuls.

The record!

I am trying to delegate.

I'm still not strong enough with all the testosterone.

I'm still battling all the testosterone.

She's just jealous cos I look good in this hat.

It's the children's second day at school

and they're still getting used to strict Victorian discipline.

I was at the back of the classroom.

And I think I heard you speaking Welsh.

We do not speak Welsh in school.

So...

..you must wear that to remind you.

SHE CRIES

Yeah, I just felt sorry for her, cos it's not her fault she talks Welsh fluently.

Tommy's sister, Leah, isn't so sympathetic.

I wouldn't probably cry that much.

So I think she overreacted a bit when she started crying and then stopped,

and then started crying again,

and then stopped and then started crying again.

It got a bit annoying as well, sometimes.

Now, then, before we depart for the day,

I'm afraid, of course, that this is still here.

Yes, sir.

And whoever has it last has to be punished.

Therefore, I want you to write, at home, 100 lines,

-"I must not speak Welsh in school."

-Yes, sir.

-Hopefully, that will be a lesson to you.

-Yes, sir.

Class dismissed, girls first.

In 1890, the punishment would have been the cane or the belt.

-OK, I'll see you later.

-Bye!

Bye! Jac, wait for me.

Did you enjoy it, Jac?

Ela got the Welsh Not.

Oh, no. Come and sit down with me. It doesn't matter.

What happened? Tell me.

Oh, it's OK. It's OK.

Don't worry, don't worry.

We speak Welsh, don't we, at home?

Just tell me. I'm not angry at all at you.

Oh, give me a hug.

It's really hard, cos me and Jac just automatically

go to Welsh if we want to talk to each other.

And it's been really hard, cos like in some of the books it says,

"Oh, Wales is like rubbish,

"Wales is like England, "England is superior to Wales."

And it's like the book's dissing its own country

cos it's like, "England is the capital of the world, England is the best."

It's like, "You live in Wales, Welsh is your language."

It's just... I don't get why they speak Welsh at home, we're allowed to,

but in school we're not.

She was, I think, a bit mortified

that she got in to trouble.

Now, if it was Jac that had come home,

it wouldn't have surprised me.

And I don't think it would really have bothered him.

At the quarry, the weather has taken a turn for the worse

and the men are holed up in what was know as the caban...

..a workplace club - it had a formal structure and hierarchy.

And the men need to choose a spokesperson.

Excuse me, boys. We want to elect the chairman for the caban.

-I would like to put Dave forward.

-I would like to second that decision.

Put your hands up, then.

Dave, you're the chairman.

Can I get people to pay fines?

-Yeah.

-Oh, good.

Actually, it would be a bit stupid to fine Ben, wouldn't it? It's our money!

Right, lads. It's a bit wet out there.

A bit too dangerous for you to carry on. I think we'll call it a day.

All right? See you here tomorrow, nine o'clock sharp.

-Is there no chance of us working?

-Not in this weather. It's too dangerous.

We've had a chat, we're prepared to work.

Well, I know you're prepared to work but I'm not prepared to let you work in this sort of weather

so I think you should go home, come back tomorrow, 9 o'clock sharp. OK?

The men set off for home, glad to be leaving work early.

But mindful of the cost to the family budget.

-Terrible!

-A day's production.

Do you realise now, tomorrow, we've got to work twice as hard now.

I'm dreading that!

By the time they reach the smallholding, they're drenched.

-Have a good supper.

-Yeah, we'll catch you later.

But there'll be no warming themselves by the hearth just yet.

There's 12 sheep in our front garden and one broken fence.

Oh, no, you're joking!

You can do that.

I just got home and I can't be bothered.

That's a fine example of a Welsh mental sheep.

You'd think the sheep would have enough fields to run round.

No, they want six fields rather than three.

I want barbed wire on the top of that fence now!

Finally, the men get a chance to dry out.

Oh, I'm quite tired.

But the working day isn't over.

Before the Jones family sit down to dinner,

there are animals to feed...

..and the cow to milk.

You, relax yourself. Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

First few days were hell on earth.

They were a nightmare.

It's hard work - so much to do.

Uh, milking the cow was hard work.

That was terrible.

Now we're doing fine.

Good routines going. Get up in the morning, milk the cow,

get the kids up, get all the chores done.

Feed all the animals, muck the cow out and it's all good.

But it is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

Don't move a muscle!

Good girl, good girl.

For the second night in a row, the Braddocks have settled down to supper leaving their cow unmilked.

-That was lovely.

-Was it nice, everyone?

-It was really nice.

-Yeah.

On arrival, the families were warned by neighbouring farmer Gareth Wyn Jones

to put their animals first.

He's called round to see if they've followed his advice.

Feeding on the floor.

A bucketful of feed gone to waste.

Poor Ruth.

Good girl.

I don't know what we're going to do with them.

Going to have to take her home, I think.

You've go to milk that cow!

If you want food on that table

and you want money in your pockets to pay the rent,

to keep this roof above your heads

and keep these kids at home,

you've got to get milking.

Come on, lad. let's go.

Oh, my gosh - look!

How much water? Oh!

Look! Oh, you've got to sort it out.

-For every three buckets, you'll get one bucket of milk.

-Right.

And if she's not getting clean water, she's not going to milk for you.

No butter, no cheese.

Mark, no water!

-She's desperate for water.

-OK.

Look, look at her.

So first thing after work, instead of going for tea,

get all these jobs finished first.

-And get all the lads to get a job each.

-Yeah.

-Chickens, cow, hay.

-Yeah.

It's less work for you.

You know, that's what my children do.

I would organise them and get them a rota.

So far, looking after livestock has proved too much for the Braddocks.

You know, we want to do it all right.

It's getting me quite upset, to be honest.

But she's got to be looked after

and I feel sorry for her because we're letting her down, really.

Aren't we?

But we'll sort it.

Next time in Snowdonia 1890...

-Ugh!

-With cash running low, it's sheep heads for supper.

I can't believe people eat it!

There's a showdown with the quarry owner...

They're trying to make fools out of us.

I don't think it's a joke.

This money is coming out of my pocket.

And the minister wades in.

You will learn the ways of temperance

otherwise you will not last long in this community!

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