Peter Van der Heyden. docenciapvdh@outlook.com

14.6. Carpenters, Joiners, Masons, Bricklayers

From the study by Clark, we give the table for 1780-9 to 1860-9, for skilled building craftsmen: Building Wages, the Cost of Living and Real Wages by Decade, 1209-2003 Decade Craftsmen day wage (pence) Craftsmen day wage (1780-9 = 100) Cost of Living (1780-9 = 100) Craftsmen real wage (1780-9 = 100) Sigue leyendo «14.6. Carpenters, Joiners, Masons, Bricklayers»

14.5. Coal Miners

In the following, it is important to note that the high figures for wages usually given for “miners” only refer to the pit-face workers. The totality of the workers in each mining business had an average wage of about the half of the direct miners .The wage levels of the miners and their working conditionsSigue leyendo «14.5. Coal Miners»

14.4. Milliners, dressmakers, seamstresses, shirtmakers

These girls and women had a very difficult life (except for a few who worked for fashion houses, or in houses of the richer class). They had to work very long hours – up to 18 hours daily – in the work-rooms; the government inspectors and doctors said that they had never seen in otherSigue leyendo «14.4. Milliners, dressmakers, seamstresses, shirtmakers»

14.3. Boot and Shoe Makers

These workers in London worked individually in their workshops for masters, and were formed into two unions. The wages of the journeymen shoemakers in London remained the same from the strike in 1812, until 1842, when they were reduced by 15 percent, reflecting the lessening of duties on imports, particularly from French production. From 1842Sigue leyendo «14.3. Boot and Shoe Makers»

14.2. Labourers

With reference to the 376,000 common labourers, we do not have any detail as to their activities. The administrators of the Census of 1851 did not know. “… who undoubtedly include many agricultural labourers, many road labourers, many bricklayers’ labourers, many dock labourers; and also many who are ready to work in any of theSigue leyendo «14.2. Labourers»

14.1. Most Important Occupations

If we want to have a correct “picture” of the development of wages in the working class during the first stage of the Industrial Revolution, we have to inspect the most important branches of employment, collect the figures, and see in which cases the wage level was fixed by factors apart from the general economicSigue leyendo «14.1. Most Important Occupations»

Chapter 14. Developments and Wages in the Other Occupations

13.10. Violence against Farmers

In the years after 1830, there was often friction between the farmers and the labourers, with respect to the standard wages. In many cases, the farmers could not pay the new wages out of their margin, and had to use their capital. “In what state are the poor?” “They are generally in employ.” “Have theySigue leyendo «13.10. Violence against Farmers»

13.9. Beer Drinking and Beer Houses

Another factor which affected the labouring people in late 1830 was beer. The Beer Act was passed in 1830, and came into effect on 10th October. This allowed any rate-paying person to open a beer-shop on the payment of 2 guineas annually. This was in addition to the existing public houses, which needed a licenceSigue leyendo «13.9. Beer Drinking and Beer Houses»

13.8. Defence of the Farms by the Labourers

In the West Country, those labourers who had fixed employment with a farmer, did not take part in the violent riots and machine breaking. Rather, they volunteered to guard the property of the farmer or the landowner: “During the riots which disgraced this county and the country in the latter part of the year 1830,Sigue leyendo «13.8. Defence of the Farms by the Labourers»