Fifty years of the water cure : with autobiographical notes / by Joseph Constantine.

  • Constantine, Joseph.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fifty years of the water cure : with autobiographical notes / by Joseph Constantine. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    days there was no Ten Hours' Factory Act. The first two years of factory Hfe I disHked, in fact, it was misery to me; afterwards it was less so, the good, kind old master, the late Robert Clough, who took a fatherly interest in his workpeople, had spotted me for a future overlooker; however, that was not to be, but the recognition led to promotion and more congenial employment. During the two summers before entering the factory most of my time was spent rambling alone in the woods bird- nesting, and fishing in the beck (the river Worth). The last spring two hundred nests, which I had myself discovered, were on my list; they were a great treasure to me; no other boys were informed of their whereabouts, as they might disturb them. Our garden joined up to one of the woods, which gave me easy access to it; the songs of the birds were my delight. The thrush was my favourite, and it has remained so notwithstanding the thrilling song of the lark. The Great Northern line from Halifax to Keighley, where it enters the Worth valley, has gone through and destroyed the dear old garden, and has besides made sad havoc with the woods. For the labouring classes these were the times of long hours, small pay, and dear bread, and little or no schooling; not more than one in ten of the children were sent to a day school; school pence could not be spared. It was my misfortune to be one of those who were not sent to a day school, but at an early age I learned to read at a small undenominational Sunday schoolroom, which had been built by the combined efforts of the
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