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
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. General Features.—As to the class of girl employed, not 10 per cent, of them come from the fisher people, though formerly the percentage was greater. Over 90 per cent, are town girls, perhaps half of them daughters of unskilled workmen and half of artisans. In many departments there is great scope for quickness and skill, and during the busy season the wages (weekly) will often be considerably higher than in most other local trades, but the hours are longer. During the busy season there is much competition for the girls. Many girls who work in factories are not fit for work in thi^ trade. They must be strong and hardy, both because of the character of the work and the long hours. In some de- partments the girls must wear clogs, water-proof leggings and overalls ; and when, during a strike at the linen factories, this firm offered to take on some of the girls, they refused to adopt these garments. [The Distress Committee induced this firm to take on a number of unskilled men but they were found to be uniformly bad workers who generally left after a few day's -employment. All those sent were either idle or unemployable.] Firm No. 150. Work done.—Herring curing and fresh fish cleaning. Number employed.—One hundred and fifty girls ; employed regularly all the year round. Wages.—The median wage for a normal week is 13s. 7d. General Features. — There are no seasonal fluctuations in employment. When the herring curing is over, the girls are turned on to clean fresh fish ; the former is done during the winter, the latter during the summer, when the country hotels are thronged with visitors. Only four of the workers are married women or widows—not that any rule is made against employing married women, but simply that these do not apply for work. Hours.—The hours are not limited. Sometimes the girls are worked up till ten o'clock at night. The Factory Act does not limit the number of hours if the girls' employ- ment is changed ; they could be employed all night; but this firm does not find that necessary. The average hours worked are fifty-seven per week. Firm No. 151. A large firm engaged in the making of cake and biscuits. There are a number of subsidiary industries—the making of tin boxes and packing cases, for example, in which a number of skilled mechanics are engaged. Most of the firm's needs (except printing) are thus supplied on the spot. Founded about fifty years ago, the traditions of the firm seem to be on patriarchal lines and the conversion of the firm into a limited Habihty company has not disturbed that tradition. The aim of the directors is to make the conditions at the factory such that girls wall want to come there and stay rather than work in any other factory in the district. To attain this end they provide certain attractions. There is a system of optional allowances distributed by the firm to employees who have given faithful service and are for some reason disabled. About £1,500 per annum is distributed in this way. A sick fund is partly provided by the firm and partly by occasional levies on the employees according to the calls upon it. Widows do not share in the sick fund or in the allow^ance scheme. The firm provides a dentist, a doctor, and -excellent lavatory accommodation. Cricket and football clubs are attached. Every effort is made to ensure cleanUness, e.g., by the provision of tooth brushes at 2d. each, by dismissing persons found spitting after being warned once, by providing the girls with overalls and trying to persuade them to wear washable clothing of a better type than the usual flimsy blouses. By insisting on windows being kept open, the sick fund payments have been considerably reduced. During the last six or seven years much has been done to reorganise the work, with the result that there are now fewer times of pressure than formerly. The busiest period is from July to Christmas. The pressure immediately before Christmas is met by a fortnight's overtime. The cleaning of the factory is done during the slack weeks immediately following. Some employees are then put on short time^ but a large number is required to clean the place. On November 1st, 1905, the firm employed 2,499 On January 18th, 1905, the firm employed 1,928 Showing a variation of 571](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24400105_0091.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
