The suburban citizen., 1900-08-11
LIFE IN ENGLISH SHOPS.
THE SYSTEM OF LIVING IN AND
ITS CONSEQUENCES.

themselves, writes A. L. Vogl from
London to the New York Post. So
cially they hold aloof from manual
workers, considering themselves SUI
perior. while themselves regarded by
the clerical and professional classes
as inferior to those who are termed
brain workers. This social reserve on
tie part of the shop assistants may
he accounted for by the peculiar con
ditiOns of their daily life. 1t is the
custom in all English retail shops for
the assistants to board and lodge upon
the premises; a housekeeper being
provided by the shopkeeper to attend
| to the domestic needs of his hands
| The daily routine of a shop assistant
is about as follows: Rise at seven
| breakfast half an hour later, begin
| shop duties at SIS.
The ordinary English shop has one
aisle running through the centre, with
| counters along each side, in contrast
| to the American store, with its many
| sections, and crOss-sections, and cor
ner booths. Each assistant has a
particular length usually about six
| or nine feet, of counter at which he is
compelled to stand all day long. As
| sistapls go in patches to dinner and
J tea-served in a room above the shop
and are usually allowed ten minutes
between the time they leave the table
until they reappear at their counters.
Shop hours are from S.15 a. m. to
9.15 p. m. As a result of the efforts
of what is called the Early Closing
Association, most shops now close
once a week at p. m. This early
closing movement arose during the
agitation in England for shorter
hours for workers. Previously, shop
assistants had very little time for any
recreation. and none at all for that
Indispensable social pastime-cOurt-
ing. After shop hours they are free
until II p. m, Tor midnight on early
closing nights at which hour they
must be within doors keys not being
allowed except to department heads.
Married men are, however, permitted
to go to their homes from Saturday
night until Monday morning.
The bedrooms OF dormitOries are fit
ted with single cots and accommo-
date from three to eight in n room.
A sitting-rOom is provided for the men,
and one for the women, and in most
shops the sexes are allowed one social
evening a week. when they may meet
in the women's sltting-room. So thor
oughly is this "living-in" system a ma
tional institution that a special clause
has been inserted in the Truck Act
excepting those stores where the as
sistants "live in" from the operation
of its provisions requiring that all
wages shall be paid in money and not
in kind. Shop assistants receive Il
small salary besides their keep and
a commission on sales. A good sales
mans wages will thus about equal
those of a mechanic. except that he
will work about seventy-eight hours
a week, while the mechanic will work
but ffty-two.
According to English law it is Illegal
to deduct anything from an employees
wages where they are "A fixed sum,
but as the wages of shop assistants are
largely commissions, fines can be de.
Quoted therefrom without breaking
the law. Hence in nearly every shop
they are subjected to a set of fines,
the imposing of which depends upon
the 1oOr-walker; and as may be sup
posed from this, the particular friends
of that gentleman, especially among
the women the free from this annoy
ance. To allow a customer to leave
the counter without making a pur-
chase invariably means fine for the
unlucky assistant, and in most shops
three such causes for fine in the course
of one day-serving three swaps, as it
is termed I'm shop lingO-means dis
nissal. This rule effectually prevents
the English woman from indulging
in those inspection tours Of the shops
which are so dear to the hearts Of all
American women. Many ruses are
practiced by assistants to escape
Swaps" Should he fail to sell Gus
toner an article he will induce her
TO accept some pattern or material,
afterward explaining to the floor
walker that the customer wanted pat
terms in order to select the goods at
home; or he will suggest that she may
require something in another depart
ment, and pass her over to some other
assistant, inwardly signing with re-
lief
Fines are inflicted for the most
trivial offenses, and it IS not unusual
for an assistant to find his whole com
mission mulcted at the end Of the
week. The folloying list is copied
from a notice posted in all the dormi
tories of one large dry goods house in
London:
J Sleeping out without a permit, fine
one shilling.
Arriving late in shop, fine one shill
ing.
Absence from prayers, fine one shill-
ing.
Leaving counters without cause, fine
six pence.
Allowing customers to leave the
counter without purchasing, fine one