The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-08-23 00:00:00

THE STRIKE OF CRAINMAKERS.

The chainmakers on strike in the Cradley district
have been ventilating their grievances at meetings
held in different parts of the district during the week
and, according to the case they present, the pinch of
bad trade and low wages has made their lot a bad one
for some time past. There are about 2,000 on strike,
and it is stated that the percentage continuing at
work is a small one. The strike at present is confined
to the out-workers—that is, those who work up their
employers' iron in their own shops; but ,the factory
hands are also moving, and a notice they have given
for an advance of 4d per cwt. expires this day (Sat-
urday) week. The out-workas are asking for a re-
turn to the "4s list." This is a scale graduated
upon the basis of 4s per cwt for common 4-inch
chain, the present price being 2s 6d. Small chain
up to is made in the out-shops, and the larger
sizes are made in the factories. Till the price gradu-
ally sunk to 2s 6d the 4s list is said to have been the
lowest known. The notices as to the factory prices
have been given in the Chester and Tipton districts,
' as well as around Cradley.
A meeting was held at the Cross Walk, Lye, on
Thursday, which was attended by about 800 pert:ons.
The chainmakers mustered at Cradley Heath, and
walked to The Lye in procession. Some of them
were singing rhymes, in which it was declared—
" The chainmakers are now on strike,
Aud very well they may;
For working brings them little more
Than when they are at play."
Then came a recital of the distress felt by the men,
the author very impartially distributing the blame
among men, the masters, "the Tories," and to
"trades' disasters." The conclusion of the whole
matter was an exhortation to unity, and "like the
chain at which you work," to "move and be moved
together." A force of the Worcester:hire constabul-
ary, under Sup:Tintcndent Wheeler, met the chain-
makers when !hey cro:tsed the boundary from Staf-
fordshire into Worcestershire, and accompanied them
to the place of meeting. This step was taken owing
to some in•lerference with ehaintnakers at work a
dty or two ago. There was nothing other than
peaceable in the conduct of the persons who were at
the meeting at The Lye, and the speakers specially
urged that there should be no molestation of those
at work.

Mr. Breakwell, miners' agent, was voted to the
chair iv. the meeting, and expressed his belief that
there was a necessity for this stop on the part of
chainmakers, owing to their present wretchedness
and poverty. Bome said the Government were
chargeable to a great extent with the state of things
in. the country, but, without charging it altogether
upon them, their conduct had tended to intensify
and prolong the distress among the working classPs
The employers and the employed were also charge-
able with some of the mischief which had comet
about, and Mr. Breakwell complained of some em-
ployers inducing men, weak in their top garret and
strong in their muscle, to work for less than market
price, and so eventually influencing others. He
likewise alleged that there was still a good deal of
truck in the district. This enabled one master to
undersell another in Vie make', and brought about
great evils; and the speaker urged union among the
men as one of the best ways of maintaining wages at
a satisfactory standard.
Mr. John Cooper said he was sorry people wore
going about with lying rumours regarding the
chainmakeng. He heard one female that morning
say, "They are going a rioting," but the fact was
that they did not want to injure anyone. They
were determined honestly and civilly to maintain
what they were out for. People who three years
ago had comfortable homes, had now no furniture
or comforts left, no bed to lie on, and some of them
were altogether homeless. With only 6s. or 7s. a
week coming in, what could the mother of a family
do? If a man made 6 cwt. of chain a week at
present prices, after paying for carriage; gleeds,
blowing, &c., he had only 7-. left for himself, and
this was without taking into account the wear and
tear of tools. If they worked they clammed, and if
they played they could but die in the struggle.
They were determined not to work tlny more till
they could earn food for their children and clothes
to their back. - - - .

Mr. Forrest said he had known the trade about
fifty years, and at one time men could earn 345,
and women 14s at the chain trade. Five years ago
thfir average wages had been about ISs a week,
ansi now they were but a third of that sum. Mr.
Forrest desczibed the circumstance to which he
attributed the present state of things, and said it
was partly caused by the men themselves not
being united. Let them be determined not to
work till they got the 4s list, which, even when
they obtained it, would not bring in weekly but
Something like 13s for men, and about half as
much for women. There were men in the chain

STOURERIDGE v. LYE.—The return match be.
tween the above clubs was played on the home
ground, on Saturday last, and resulted in an easy
victory for Stourbridge. The Lye were the first to
bat. The bowling of Messrs. Penn and Westwoo d
was so destructive that only Southall scored double
figures, 10. Mr. G. Rhodes made the best hit of
the day for his own team, sending the ball out of
the field off Penn for 4. The whole were disposed
of for 30 runs. Penn,
and Davenport were the
first to represent the home team, both playing
well, when Millward was unfortunately run out
after scoring 2 runs. Westwood then joined
Davenport, and in the first four balls scored 13
runs, and continued to hit all over the field, when
he was caught and bo ivied by Beddoes after
making 37 runs. His runs were three 4's, four 3's,
two's and singles. Parkes was the only other who
made a stand, scoring 19, in good cricketing form,
making a 4, a 3, four 2's and singles. At this
stage rain fell fast, and the home team scored 86.
for the loss of 8 wickets. Score :
LYE,
J. Beddoes, b Westwood 1

R. Rhodes, b Westwood 2
S. Fiddian, b Penn 3
S. Southall, e and b Westwood 10

W. Perry, b Penn
J. Fletcher, st Otter, b Penn 2
3. Allcbureh, b Westwood 2
G. Rhodes, c Leeson, b Penn 4
H. Rhodes, b Westwood 0
W. Lavender, b Penn 0
J. Deeley, not out 0
Extras 6

Total 3O _

STOURBRIDGE.
A. E. Millward;run out 2
C. E. Davenport, cJ. Beddoes 5
C. Westwood, c and b Bethloes 37
C. Leeson, b Southall 0
J. W. Parkes, b Fletcher l9

J. Penn, c Rhodes, b Beddoes 2
C. H. Thomas, b Fletcher 6
J. Rhodes, Ibw, b Fletcher 0
H. J. James, not out 2
A. J. Otter, not out 4
C. Eve's, to bat
Extras 9

STOURBRIDGR V. SALTER'S ELEVEN.—This match
was played on the home ground, on Monday last,
and after a capital match was won by the home
team by 18 runs. Stourbridge were the first to bat
and made 117 runs. Edge made top score, 34.
E. Otter, 27; C. Westwood, 25. Eighty runs were
scored for the loss of 2 wickets, the bowling
being repeatedly changed. After WeAwood was
out the stumps fell rapidly. Salter's eleven then
went in to bat. Harrold played a good innings.
scoring 62 runs, but was missed early in the game.
The only other who made double figures ,was
Horton, who also played in good form. The whole
were out for 99 runs. In the second innings of
Stourbridge, 6 wickets were taken for 20 runs
The following is the score;—

_
STOURBBIDGE.
J. Lewis, b Reeves, 4 b Reeves.... 0
E. Otter, c Horton, b Smith., 27
J. Edge, c and b Marsh 34 c Horton... 3
C. C. Hicks, b Salter
A. E. Millward, c Marsh ......
C. Westwood, b Marsh 25 b Reeves... 2
J. W. Parkes, b Smith 1 not out 3
E. Spy, ut, c Marsh, b Salter 1
C. Thomas, c Horton, b Salter 4
T. Wooldridge, not out 0
C. Davenport, b Salter
Extras 6 Extras... 6

Total ll7 Total... 20

SALTER'S ELEVEN.

G. Salter, b Westwood 0
T. Smith, b Westwood 6
W. Bache, c Otter, b Edge 1
W. Harrold, c Parkes, b Edge ..62
62
E. Silvestre, b Westwood ........... ' . 4
W. Marsh, c Lewis, b Edge
Williamson, c Westwood, b Edge 2
J. Horton, c Westwood, b Edge 0
J. Reeves, c Hicks, b Westwood 2
E. Horton, c Parkes, b Edge l5
15
N. Smith, not out
Extras 6

Mn. P. FOLEY'S ELEVEN V. STOURBRIDGE.--Thi
match i
was played n Prestwood Park, on Saturdai
last. The weather was very unfavourable for
cricket, and did not commence until after one
o'clock. Mr. Foley's team were the first to bat.
and were represented by Messrs. Green and Foley,
After scoring 9 runs, the latter was caught by Otter
off Edge. C. Jackson scored 35, when he was
caught and bowled by Edge. Green made 49 runs,
whet after hitting the ball with the bat, picked it
up with his hand and threw it to the bowler. An
appeal was at once made by Mr. Rodgers to the
umpire, and he was given out (rather sharp practice)
and thus preventing his getting his 50. The
whole were out for 151 nuns, when rain set in and
the Stourbridge did not bat. Score:—

- FOLEY'S ELEVEN.
W. Green, handled the ball 49
P. H. Foley, c Otter, b Edge 9
E. Gilbauks, b Jackson 1
C. Jackson, c and b Edge 3,5