The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-03-10 00:00:00

FEMALE LW3OUR IN l' HE CHAIN AND ALIL

TRADES.

A no etiug of the Et --i'orce,ttershire and South
StaffmeNnire 'trades u •cil was held at the Retie
and Crown Inn, Woidsley, oil Saturday afternoon.
Mr. flusselbee (President) occupied the chair, and
there were a good number, of representatives of
different treats present.—The President called at-
tention to the steps that bad been taken in bring-
ing the quest.cia of female labour before Perlie-
meat, and sa d th-t society might t Ike credit for
being the priecipai ag, 'icy through which that had
been effected. They did not go in for the total
ab lition of female labour, but the Here might
come when that would
,be brought about Mr.
iGrem, of the firm of El,za Tinsley and Co., had ac-
c..se i heir seeretary of getti g ue that agitetion
eitu the view of benditine a partic&ar trade, but
he (the President) denied that that body. (the
Trades Counce) hal been formed for the purpose
of supportine any partivular class—(hear, hear).
It had been organised with the view of asziAiug all
bodies of wor ,ing men. He (the president) had
instructed their setratary to attend the deputation
thee waited upon the Home Secretary with regard
to female labour. He did so because he thought
that after the action they had already taken in the
metter they could not do less than be represented
upon the Parliamentary Committee.—Mr. Wil-
liams said he regretted very much that Mr. Jog-
gins was not present at that meeting. He (Mr.
Willi tine) went to London and waited upon the
Purl athentley qoannittee, and the whole case was
laid before them. He &so took wi.h him samples
of the work done by females an raiaature ex-
aniplcs of the tools used by them. So setisfied
were the Parliamentery Cornmitt,e of the justness
of their cause, that although the statement was
only made on Wednesday night, eta the Friday a,
pia was introduced ieto the House of , Commons
asking the Government to restrict and exercise
fulther control over f.-male labour in forges and
otaseops It hit ben have .tly alleged
tacy were tiesirous of abudseing female
labour. That was not their purpose but they
were forced to certain meaeutes by reasons as
sien,•4l by the ern elo‘.ers themselves. It was
strange that amonoit the whole tra.te none would
come forward to speak against what they were
doing but Mr. Green; and .yet toe latter denied
that he was the mod: hpisee o thu other em-
ployers. Whit they a,k..id him to form ato trd
no said he Could not du au) thing of the kind.
I'Vy wished to have a man to deal with wife
would be the repre,enta,iVe of those on whose be-
half he expre-see slice an amouat of concern.
Mr. Green, as a large manufacturer of spikes, was
' deeply interested in female labour. Mr. Greta
had asserted-that one workman who was now 73
Nears of age commuted t . work before he was nine
years old; but he did n t mention tba,. the him in
'question, was receiving a pension from the firm of
which he (Mr. El; cent was the load. lie (Mr..
Williams) felt sorry that Mr. Green should make
hitusult so Personal in many ways. 11.,, had in-
vited Mr. lithingham (the President of the Chain-
makers Association) to attend that meeting, but he
had net respooded ro the invitadoa. In answer to
qie si ions from the Presid, nt, Mr. Williams said
there had been several gen-lemen down fr. .m Lon
mom, sit, he na been reuud the district ui h triem
and a resolution had beea passed toy the f radea
Iritiou Parliamentary Committee to the effect hit
h ving heard ef the system in the nhaia and. nail
111 king, and s.atements as t • contraveurione of the
Facto y and Works ops Ac, they deeply deplored
the p. sitioa of the e orep,ople ot those districts,
and saungly approved of toe st ps of the South
Si.tffordshire and E tst Worcestersldre Trades
Coencil. Sir William H acourt, the Home Seer,:
tar , had pr,mised to make inquiries.—The Presi
cl..!nt remarked that it had been argued that
females should go to work early., laecause unless
they did so they would not acquire the requishe
• suppleness of the wrist. This was a fallaey, as he
Mee Ittao vn grown men to take to the trade and
become expert. in it.—Mr. Pars ,ns knew of women
who knew tiolhine of the trade until after they got
married, and who teen ;caret it and bee ime as
quick as tie s ith hal been lager at it. He re-
ferred to "marks ma sin the public preae by Air.
Ureter, and seid it was wal known that he
indi-
rectly employed far tn,re female than male
labour. T. is had the effect of reeucing tmt.e wages
of maul :s. He said Ord Mr. Green hLe accused
him of slandering the wives and daughters of
Rowley parish, of which he was a native. He re-
m •mbered Mr Juggihs stated that female labour in.
workshops with men Wilde(' to immorality.. Wee
Mr. Green prepared to prove that it did not? lie
(Mr. Parsons) had had 40 or 50 years' expbrieuce in
„the rate, and knew whit he Was talking about,
and went to the meeting at Rowley from a sense of
duty.
The President referred to the absence of Mr.
Pr:on (the deleeate of the nail forgers .of the Lye),
and said that at inc time he express:al his strong
approval of the ohjects of the Couecil, but he W 3,
afraid he had beco,i,e awe Lk vessel. It would be
far better for men who could nut fo low up the
principb s they advocated not to advocate them.
He had been infertned that a certain, amount of
ferce had been brought to bear oil Mr. Price, and
that in a ,e,mie sees,- h.• wee compelled to atter his
tone. Mr. Green had accused their secretary of
toeing an agitator, who did not work at the trade,
i‘ut from what was transidriwz, around thuiti it eat
otivious that responsible leader shoeld be a
person who was not dependent upon the employers
The latter were then utiala:e to coerce him,
Mr. Humphries stated that he was secretary to
the Iroe Pla e Workeis' Society, wh-n the latter
had a strike fir 26 or 27 w.eks. At the close the
masters took t ack alr the other men, but refused
to employ hen, ,nd ham c e not been abie to torn
his haed to something else be would have b,eu a
, ruined man.

• ,ir. Price (raures ,ntetive of 110 Rii!svey Ser-
vants' ooeiety) moved a res Aution approvin.; of the
a,e.t on of t o President in directing. the Seoretary to
.v.tit upon the Trad-s Uni,,n Parliamentary Com-
mittee

'rids was seconded by Mr. Willutts, hupported by
Mr. Snead, and carried:
Mr. Wille.ts tuen made some remark.; to the
• 11.)ct thit working at making small nails did not
injure women, but approv, d of the action of to
usoun,Al, as thf, regulation of the hours during which
they were employed w,:uld be productive of g•poo
prevenc a large amount of m sery and wretched-
ness.

Mr. Snead sad that the employment of females
prevented men from getiog • sutfici nt wa4eB CO
enatil, them to support th-jr wives and families.
Mr. Willetts said they should guard themselves
from making exaggerated statements. Ile believed
that at Sedgley a-w,mati said she had work.'d from
4 a in, to 11 p.m. earn 3i 6d per week. Such a
statement was repulsive.
Mr. Williams remarked that it was stated at the
time that the woman had been working four days
per- week He contended that there were scores of
women who worked ten hours per day and six days
per week who could not earn more than 4s per week
("Shame "). If they made three bandies of iron
at 2s per bundle it was 6s. Toe woman had to pay
lid for shop rent and 7d for gleeds. and then when
there wits a slight dedticti;,n made for wear aud
tear of tools, it -would leave her -4s 2,1 or 4s 0 per
week.
Mr. Holmes (tailor) and Mr. Parsons (rivetmaker)
also spoke of the neces,,ity for legislation in connec-
tion with female labour.
Mr. FinLry (representative of the flint-gl,ss cut-
ters) said there was going to tie a bill brought be-
fore the Elouse of Commons with reference to lead-
poisoning in tranufactor les and he should like at-
tention to be drawn to the fact that there was a
pod del of that going -on in the elass-cutting
trade, lie moved a resolution to the effect that the
secretary be instructed to writ- to Mr. Etroa,trhurst,
M.P., asking the Trades Union Parliamentary
Committee to consider the matter and give it their
best attention,
This was seconded and carried.
It WAS rsolved that the next meeting should be
held at Ni.therton.