Sin categoría – Página 5 – The Industrial Revolution in England was not All Bad

14.9. Hose (Stocking) Manufacture

The hosiery industry was concentrated in the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire (90 % of Great Britain). It was the major occupation in these three counties (in some parts, there were 30 frames per 100 persons), although in the middle third of the nineteenth century a large part migrated to lace making. The familiesSigue leyendo «14.9. Hose (Stocking) Manufacture»

14.8. Silk Manufacture

The operations in the silk industry, starting from the imported skeins of silk were: a) throwing (twisting and joining 3 or more silk fibres in one thread of yarn), b) spinning, c) weaving, d) dyeing. The production did not pass through any technological advances, the weaving was manual, in the houses of the weavers (whichSigue leyendo «14.8. Silk Manufacture»

14.7. Tailors

The earnings for 1777 to 1795 were 22s. a week, equivalent to 36 loaves; in 1800, 25s., equivalent to 18 loaves; in 1802, 27s., equivalent to 31 loaves; in 1810, 33s., equivalent to 24 loaves; and in 1814, 36s., equivalent to 35 loaves. (The Gorgon, A Weekly Political Publication, London, No. 19, Sept. 26, 1818; Comparative SituationSigue leyendo «14.7. Tailors»

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