The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-11-06 00:00:00

AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE "ODD

JOBS" CLASS.

The Scotsman gave its readers a most curious,
although interesting article on advertising the other
day (remarks the Pictorial World). The following
peculiar paragraph occurs in the article :--" When
this journal began (1817), we were so mighty genteel.
and foolish as to announce that we would receive no
advertisements but those of a literary Craracter—a
mistake as to our true relations with the public which
we soon corrected, and have since, we hope, atoned
for." The inference to be drawn from this is that the
competition for advertisements, caused by the in-
creased number of newspapers, has put everything like
aicety of selection quite out of the question. But in
publishing this quaint article the Scotsman appears to
have had another object in view, namely, to show by
a single advertisement how deep an insight may be
obtained into the social and moral condition of
the "odd jobs" class. Take the following, for
example :—A few days ago an advertisement appeared
in our columns, offering 30s. a-week for a married man
to keep business premises—a joiner, or any one handy
at occasional repairs, preferred. Immediately the ad-
vertiser found himself smothered under applications to
the number of 814! He has, nothing loth, favoured
us by returning the whole documents, and they are
curious reading, often sad, often funny. More
than half (479) of the applicants professed to be
joiners, or something equivalent; the rest as per
list :—Blacksmiths, 20; bookbinders, 2; brewers, 3;
bellhangers, 4; lyisber, 1; brass-finishers, 3; butlers, 9;
bricklayer, 1; bootmakers, 5; coachmen, 9; coopers,
8; coachbuilders, 2; collector, 1 ; chemist, 1; carriers,
2; clerks, 2; carter, 1; corn.millere, 2; corkcutter, 1;
detective, 1; draper, 1; engineers, 13 ; engine-keepers,
5; estate managers, 2; eldeTs, 3; farm bailif, 1; fire-
man, 1; flesher, 1 ; French polishers,' 2; gas manager,
1; grocers, 5; gardeners, 8; gilders, 3; gamekeepers,
3; hammerman, 1; ironmonger, 1; ironfounder, 1;
janitor, 1; jeweller, 1; litho-printers, 3; masons, 19;
miner, 1; millwright, 1; merchant, 1; "mechanics,"
3; miscellaneous, 68; machinist, 1; organ builder, 1;
printers, 4 ; •pair_ters, 9; policemen, 5; plasterers, 4 ;
plumbers, 15; papermaker, 1 ; ploughmen, 2; pattern-
makers, 3; railway-carriage builder, 1; roadsman,
1; registrar, 1 ; ship carpenters, 4 ; steward, 1 ;
sheriff-officer 1; stationmaster, 1; soldiers, 19;
saddlers, 4 ; sawmillers, 3; sauce manufacturer,
1 ; shuttlemaker, 1 ; slaters, 3 ; tinsmiths, 3; tele-
graphist, 1; trumpeter, 1; tanner, 1; tailor, 1; van-
drivers, 3; weaver, 1; woodcutter, 1; wood and ivory
turner, 1; wood carvers, 2. All but about a tenth of
the applicants were married—some of the remainder
intimated that they could easily qualify in that respect
in a day or two if the advertiser seriously insisted.
The spelling and grammar of most of them were
strikingly defective, though by this test many seemed
qualified for better things. On the whole, well re-
marks the Scotsman, experiences of this sort are
doubly painful, as eliciting not only the great amount
of need, or rather perhaps of discontent, but also of in-
effectiveness, still existing among what may be called
the unattached if not loose classes of the population.

As illustrating the curiosity of advertising, the Echo also
remarks
The advertisements in trade journals are cafculated
to inspire the uninitiated with strange notions of the
wants of the industrious classes, and are by no means
dry reading, though commonplace enough to those
whom they concern. The follswing are all current at
the present time :—A furrier wants a good nailer who
can use the knife and goad sewers," which, unless a
misprint adds to the alarming character of the adver-
tisement, seems hard upon sewers, however idle. An
experienced cutter is also required who "tho-
roughly understands squirrels' backs," a demand
calculated to abash the many whose knowledge is less
concentrated, and whose information on the subject of
any part of a squirrel is naPagre and superficial. A.
youth is wanted "to improve in trowsers;" knicker-
bockers having evidently been unbecoming to him. A
"sham young man" is required as gridiron cook; he
"must be quick." This sounds nice, and suggests
chops "hot and hot." A cabinet-maker seeks "
young man used to the Bench," which is all very
well provided that the Bench at any Police•court
is not used to him. Even this, however, would
not deter some employers, for a tailor wants "a
steady man used to police tunics and trowsers,"
surely a specialita of the unsteady. A jewellery
jobber is wanted "to do up as good as new," and
doubtless remain "beautiful for ever." A " lappet "
is called for presumably by a party who objects to
drinking halls. An employers of " box bands" is
not particular as to their shape, since he asks for "100,
square, oval, plain, or fancy. A manufacturing firm
Leeds " feeders " and "pickers-up," and might as well
. advertise for a charwoman at once. A young man is
wanted as " an improver on pegged and sewn work."
Peggy should mew better, and apply to that phi;enix
among employers who promises "constancy if suit-
able."