Most of us find we have some agricultural labourers among our ancestors. But when we find one in our family line, do we pass quickly on thinking them of no interest?  Gray’s poem reminds us ‘let not ambition mock their useful toil’. Noted genealogist Dr Nick Barratt, of the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are, explains why we can take pride in those experienced in rural crafts who fed the nation during the 18th and 19th centuries. He also shares ways we can find out more in the archives about the lives of those workers and sets out to shed more light on their story.

Barratt has written a number of books on genealogy, including Who Do You Think You Are – How to Trace Your Family. He also writes a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph, The Family Detective.