Workers on the Strawberry Line

Workers on the Strawberry Line, Somerset, England – c. 1920s

A group of laborers pose proudly beside a steam-powered road roller, likely during construction or maintenance work along the famous Strawberry Line in Somerset during the 1920s. Their tools—pitchforks, shovels, and heavy boots—tell the story of physically demanding work that shaped rural infrastructure in early 20th-century England.

Among them stands Trevor Francis with friends and fellow workers, part of a community where labor and camaraderie went hand in hand. To the far right appears a man remembered only as “Mr Carpenter,” described by family members as a “stray.” In those days, it was not uncommon for farms like Grape Vine Farm in Coxley to offer basic shelter to wandering men in exchange for work or simply out of quiet generosity.

He reportedly lived in a barn with the horses, receiving food, bread, and cider—brought to him by a young girl who would later recount the story. Water was harder to come by, requiring effort to pump, so cider became the everyday drink.

This photograph is more than a work scene—it’s a glimpse into a forgotten social fabric, where hardship, dignity, and small acts of kindness coexisted in rural England.

📍 Somerset, England
📅 Circa 1920s