Have you ever been so cold you could not sleep? I have. 

Just after the Boer War  [1899 – 1902] there was a long period of Unemployment, but there were no benefits available. Parish Relief was only granted after everything possible had been sold or pawned. 

For many years my father had no regular job, and relatives helped as much as possible, but as food became scarcer the blankets were pawned. It was summer then and we hoped to get them back for the winter, but we never did. 

At that time there were hunger marches when the unemployed carried collecting boxes in which the general public were asked to drop contributions. They were usually led by a few men playing tin whistles, and a drum, making as much noise as possible to announce their coming.