1864 - Evidence on the employment of
children

MRS. S. ROWLEY'S, PEARL BUTTON MANUFACTURER, CLEMENT STREET.
384. This manufactory, though quite small, is said to be
about the largest in the trade. The workshops are cheerful
and airy, and the place apparently thoroughly well conducted.
The dust given off from the lathes, &c., which are worked
by treadles, in some of the earlier processes settles on all
surrounding objects and on the ceiling like flour in a mill.
Two or three of the men, however, who perform the more dusty
processes, as cutting out and turning, and whom I questioned
on the point, attributed no bad effects to the dust. But lathe
work is said to cause considerable strain upon the eyes, and
I noticed four not old men working side by side in spectacles.
385. Mr. Joseph Anstey, manager.I have been in the pearl
button trade 39 years. It is a small trade, and confined almost
entirely to Birmingham. There are one or two small establishments
in London, one in Dublin, and two or three in Sheffield, but
they do not average more than half a dozen persons in each,
The total number in the trade in the whole kingdom was about
1,200, but now there are not more than 500 or 600 at work.
It may be that there are only 300 or 400 trade union men,
but the number may be made up by the black legs,
i.e., men who do not belong to the union. The numbers given
are from the Report of the secretary of the trade union. The
pearl ornament is quite distinct from the pearl button, and
much smaller, and is carried on in Birmingham and London.
There are in the pearl button trade probably about 500 women
and girls, from 13 upwards, and about the same number of boys
from 12 up to 18, all of whom work at the lathe, except some
of the boys, who file. Scarcely a dozen in the trade are under
the age of 12, except the carders. Boys cannot begin cutting
out till about the age of 16, and turning till about 14. Women
and girls drill and polish. The work can be done by steam,
but no quicker. It must take its time. A shell cannot be forced
through. A good sized one weighs 7 or 8 lbs. If more speed
were put on it would burn the button to pieces. The shell
cannot be softened in any way for working. A great many have
tried steam, but never could make any good of it, and, I suppose,
never will.
The trade has been crushed down by there being so many intermediate
buyers, the larger buying from the less, and there being the
profits of so many hands. The profit is so small that it discourages
capital, and the work can be carried on with very little,
a man merely having to buy a little material. If the trade
were better there would be fewer small masters and more larger:
There are now about 150 pearl button manufacturers in the
town. A great many work in attics, or get just a bit of a
shop, working with merely their own family. You would hardly
find a dozen that would show outside any sign of the manufacture
being carried on. The great evil of the trade is that boys
are not apprenticed enough. The trade unions will only allow
a certain number. It is generally found that the character
is better where boys are compelled to go apprentice. But in
other ways the trade unions have done some good to the character
of those employed. It was very, bad. The habit of masters
drinking with their men is, however, very bad, and brings
up boys to the habit.
The general rule of respectable places is to work from 8 to
8, but in the smaller places, which are very numerous, the
hours are less regular. The men often play the first two or
three days of the week, and work longer at the end. On Monday
the little men go to buy their shell, and perhaps take their
men to bring it. Then they go drinking, and are not fit for
work till Tuesday. This is very bad; not only by the example
which it sets their men, but also to the boys, girls, and
women. They must work hard at the end of the week to make
up for this; some from 5 a.m. till 10 or 11 p.m.; but even
then there are very few that do not take their dinner hour
and tea half hour, I do not think that they could stand it,
without, as they are on foot all day. The work is not so much
hard as tiring and dreadfully aching. Though the carders have
to card the buttons after they are made, I do not think that
they are kept up much later, as they work close upon the makers.
In good trade the rate of wages is,boys from 4s. or
5s. to 7s. a week; girls as finishers and carders from 3s.
6d. to 9s.; men, cutters, from 25s. to 33s.; turners from
18s, to 26s.; and men who bottom or work the back
of the button; 17s. Taking all kinds together, mens
wages, working full time, would be about 1l. 1s.
The dust of the work is considered injurious to the lungs,
though some men live to a good age. There is dust in all parts
of the lathe work, but more in the cutting and turning; but
all generally work in the same shops, and the filers close
to the men that they work for. The health of the people
here is generally good; but, of course, if they take to drinking
the work injures them more. The common kinds of button are
not polished on a lathe at all, but put in aqua fortis and
shaken in a jowl. At first they are stirred about with a stick
till the strength of the acid is gone off, i.e. for about
three minutes, and then the hand is put into it and the buttons
rubbed about. This is usually done by boys and girls. It does
not hurt the hands unless they are bad or have cuts before.
. If it is too sharp they take their hands out and dab them
in water. I knew a girl, however, who had back friends,
i.e., chaps on her hands, who got her fingers bad for several
weeks from putting her hand in so. They do not use acid in
sufficient quantities to get it on their clothes, though it
would burn them if they did.
The lathe work is close for the eyes, as they must watch constantly,
and cannot be taken off a moment or the work would be spoiled,
but there is nothing really injurious to the eye. Glasses,
however, relieve it, and sometimes men who can see without
put them on for rest after working three or four hours without
them.
The state of education of those employed here is about the
same as in other trades. Some of the girls have been in others,
as at hooks and eyes, pens, and press work. Many have been
kept at home to nurse, the women being away at factories.
386. Sarah Lindford, age 14. Polish buttons at a lathe with
soft soap and rotten stone. Drilled at first; am now polishing
with smoking sauce, [which phizzes{sic}] in a
bowl. Have been at the work four years nearly. Have pretty
good health and a good appetite; have not often a cough. Was
a good deal tired with the lathe at first. My leg used to
ache when I got home, and I had a pain it my knee and up the
left side above my waist. Have it sometimes now but not often.
Began to work full days when I first began, viz., from 9 till
7. Here the hours are from 8 till 8. Go home to dinner. Sit
down in the shop to tea.
Can read [not all words of three letters only]. Was half a
year at the day school, never at night; go on Sunday afternoon,
and to chapel.
387. Jane Shelly, age 13.Drill at a lathe. Began nearly
two years ago; was tired a dood {sic [presumably 'good'!}
deal at first, but could go on without stopping. Gets 4s.
a week. Was at errands in a warehouse before.
Cab read. [Reads] I may of endless life partake.
Partake, by itself, without the other words, means
die. Endless life is in heaven.
388. Selina Holmes, age 17.Hub at a lathe.
Have finished pearl buttons since 12 years old. Came in from
the country (8 miles) to live here.
Can read (a little); not write.
389. Christina Slack, age 12.Carder three years here
and at another place. Can read, write, and sum.
390. Mary Elizabeth Payne, age 11.Carder. Was at home
till a year ago. Can read, write a copy, and sum figures on
it slate. Did not ever do addition.
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