Workers in the market gardens had to provide their own boots, coats and gloves. Typical hours were 7.00 until 5.00 during the week and from 8.00 until 12.00 on Saturday mornings. During the summer, overtime was compulsory so workers often started early and continued late into the evening.

The lucky few graduated to skilled jobs, such as grafting trees, but for most, the work was heavy, back-breaking and often cold. A horse was able to pull a small plough between orchard trees, but most jobs were done manually. Boilers in the greenhouses had to be stoked with coke and outside there was always weeding, raking and stone-picking to be done.