Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress. : Appendix Volume XXXVI. Some industries employing women paupers. A supplement to the report (Appendix vol. XVII) by Miss Constance Williams and Mr. Thomas Jones on the effect of outdoor relief on wages and the conditions of employment.

  • Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress 1905-09
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Laws and Relief of Distress. : Appendix Volume XXXVI. Some industries employing women paupers. A supplement to the report (Appendix vol. XVII) by Miss Constance Williams and Mr. Thomas Jones on the effect of outdoor relief on wages and the conditions of employment. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    EMPLOYING WOMEN PAUPERS. FiKM No. 142. _ ! This firm is engaged in the manufacture of hquorice. At the busiest season in October the firm employs about 120 hands—eight skilled men, seventy women and forty girls, aged fourteen to sixteen. These numbers are irregular as the girls come up in rather a casual fashion. In December, the slackest time, only about twenty girls are employed. The manager beheved those who left went to other factories; they generally drifted back again if it became known that there was a rush of work. Only nine of the women are married. Girls start with a wage of 6s. It is not €asy to say what wages are being earned with any regularity, for as soon as they are proficient the girls go on piece and can earn as much as £1, though this is exceptional. Piece work is based on a fraction over what is paid for day work. A girl whose mother was in receipt of out-rehef was earning in the last weeks of 1906, 9s. Id., lis. Oid., 9s. 8|d., 10s. lid., 9s. 4d., 5s. 8d. Another girl at the same work, whose mother was not receiving rehef, earned 7s., 6s. 4d., 7s. 6d., 5s., 3s. 9d., 7s. 9d. The work is very dirty and sticky ; those who earn most are the stampers and packers ; for stamping a certain amount of skill is required. The manager had no idea who was receiving out-reUef and who was not (it was a mere chance that we discovered the girl whose mother received it) ; he sometimes had enquiries from the guardians but very rarely. In his opinion far too many male loafers received rehef ; he thought the girls worked very hard for what they got, and did not see why the parish should not help their mothers. In busy times it was easy to get regular workers. The girls looked very rough and dirty, and the manager said they were always coming and going. IF.J., to whom we talked, earned, according to her book, as packer, 10s., 10s. lOd., 7s. 6|d., 2s. 9d., 6s. 8d., 8s. 7d.; she said they had to take their chance of work being sh\ck. In the week she earned 2s. 9d., there was very little of her work to be done, while others were extra busy. Firm No. 143. . i Worh done.—Confectionery. Number employed.—Twelve girls, all unmarried; eldest thirty, thirty-five, thirty-seven. Forty to fifty boys. Seventy to eighty men. Wages.—For girls : Time work, 5s. to 14s. according to worth. Piece work, 8s. to 9s. average (this was given at a guess by manager ; books showed average to be 9s. 2d.). Por boys : Start at 5s. and run up to 8s. Men labourers, 18s. When the boys reach 8s., some go and look for work elsewhere, some enter firm at men's wages. The firm have not much use for them then, and wish they would leave. Regularity of Work.—Not much slack time, no dismissing of hands. FiEM No. 144. This is an aerated water factory. ]\Iineral waters and other drinks equivalent to about 150,000,000 half pint bottles are sold per annum by the firm. Bottles which retail at Id. each are sold at 8d. a dozen and comprise a v-ery large proportion of the sales. If the price were put up to Ud. to the consumer there would be an enormous falhng off in the consumption. Profit can only be made because of the large production. The firm has many branch factories. Ten years ago, when the business was v^ery prosperous, hours were reduced by seven and 2s. were added to the weekly wage. But during the last six years, largely owing to the sugar tax, the firm has not paid a dividend to ordinary shareholders nor to the preference shareholders for the last four years. The work can be picked up in a few weeks, as httle or no skill is required. Wages. Ifomew.—Washers, lis. per week; Labellers and sighters 12s. a week ; Bottlers 15s. per week, if em.—Carmen, 26s. per week; Labourers, 24s. per week ; Stable-hands 30s. per week., Hours.—S to 7.30. Dinner, 1-2 ; tea, 5.30 to 6. Satudays, 6.30 to 1. Overtime.—Women, 4d. an hour; men, 6d. The firm do not engage boys, but the vanmen do, and are given an allowance for the purpose. Van travellers earn very much higher wages than do the carmen and labourers. Boys have a chance of becoming vanmen or travellers. The firm tried piece work for women, but had to discard it because it led to dirty bottles, scamping, etc. Subbing on Wednesday night used to be common, but the practice has been aboHshed.