The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-09-25
LIFE IN ENGLISH SHOPS.
The SYSTEM or LIVING IN AND
ITS CONSEQUENCES.
Offences FOr Which Fines Are Imposed
A:-athy Engendered by Servitudc-
Clerks fined IT Customer. Depart
Without Making Purchases.

ne ShOp assistants NS they are
called in England. are class 10y
themselves writes A. l.. Nugl from
London to the New York Pos So
Cially they hold aloof fkom nj ual
workers. considering thSmS,<c~ -u-
p"rior. while themselves regarded 10y
the clerical and professional classes
~ inferior tu those who urc termed
brain workers. This social reserve on
tie part OF the shop assistants may
"" accounted for 10y the peculiar con-
uitionS of Their daily lif" 1t is the
custom IN all English retail shops FOR
the assistants to board and lodg" upon
the premises; Il huuSek"cpcr bring
provided by the shopkccper to attend
10 the domestic needs of his hands
The daily routine of shop assistant
is ahou, as follows: Rise al seven
breakfast half an hour later, begin
shop duties AT So.
III" ordinary English shop has one
aisle running through the centre. with
counters along each side. i'm contrast
To the American store. with it's many
sections. aud cross sections. and cor
ncr booths Each assistant has
particular length. usually about six
or nine feet. of counter AT which he is
compelled To stand all day long. As
sistal-s 90 in patches 10 dinner and
tra-serVcd i'm room above the shop
and arc usually allowed ten minutes
between the time they leave the table
until they reappcar mt their counters
shop hours are from SO a. m to
N.lI u. m. As u result Of the efforts
/ of what is called the Early Closing
Association. most shops now close
once week at = p. m. This early
/ closing movement arose during the
agitation i'm England for shorter
hours for workers Previously. shop
assistants had very little time for any
recreation. and none at all for that
/ Indispensable social pastimc-CoIITt-
ing. After shop hours they are free
| until II p. m. (or midnight on early
closing nights at which hour they
must bc within doors. keys not being
allowed except to department heads
Married men are. however. permitted
to 20 TO their homes from Saturday
night until Monday morning.
The bedrooms or dOrmitorics are fit
ted with single cots and accommo-
date from three TO eight in a room.
y sittingroom is provided for the men
ana one for the women. and i'm most
shops The sexes are allowed one social
evening Il week. when they may meet
in the womcn'S sitting room. So thor
oughly is lhis 'living-in" system Il ma
iional institution that a special clause
has been inserted i'm the Truck Act
excepting those stores where the as
Sistants live in" from the opcration
of its provisions requiring that all
wages shall he paid in money and not
/ in kind. Shop assistants receive -
small salary besides their keep. and
commission on sales y good sales
mans wages will thus about equal
/ mos" of mechanic. except that nc
VIII work about seventy eight hours
/ Il week, while the mechanic III wOrl,
/ hut Gfty-twO.
According 10 English law il Is Illegal
/ to deduct anything from an employees
! wages where they are fixed sum.
/ hut rs the wages of shop assistants are
/ largely commissions fines can he dc.
/ Quoted therefrom without breaking
/ III" law. Hence, in nearly every shop.
( they are subjected to set of fines.
. The imposing of which depends upon
the floor walker; aud as may he sup
/ posed from this. the particular friends
/ Of that gentleman. especially among
/ the women. The free from this annoy
/ ancc. To allow q customer to leave
the counter without making pur.
chase Invariably means a fine for the
/ unlucky assistant. and i'm most shops
three such causes for fine in the course
. of ono day-Scwing three swaps as fl
Us termed In shop lingo-mcaus dis
f missal This rule cffcctually prevents
the English woman from INDUCING
f IN those inspection tours Of tho shops
which are 80 dear to the hearts OF all
/ American women. Many ruscs are
} practiced 10y assistants to escape
swaps" Should he fail to sell Gus.
toner am article bc will induce her
/ TO accept some pattern or material.
I aiterward explaining 10 tho floor
/ walker thot the customer wautcd nat.
/ terms iu order tu select The Goods at
home: or me- viii suggest that she may
require something boo another depart
. mcnt. aud pnss her over tu some other
I assistant iuwardly sighng with re-
7 lief
Fines arc inflicted for thc most
TRIVIAL pUruHrs. 1ud !i be- NOT unusual
for uu assistant 10 ind his whole com
mission indicted at lhc end OF tho
week rho rolloyiu- Iist is copied
from notice posted iu al the dorml
tories of one large dry goods house iu
London.
Sleeping ont without permit. fine
one shilling
Arriving late in shop. fine one shill
ing
Absence from prayers. Guc one yhll.
ing
Leaving counters without cause. zinc
Sis pence.
Allowing customers tp leave tho
counter without purchasing. zinc one
shilling
Burning lights Con bedrooms after
hours. fine sis pence.
Eating behind counters. fine three
pence
mci,uuy TO customers. fine six
pence
Talking unnecessarily to- fellow as
sistgnts fine three pence
10 might be- considered bv some that
Che system of living in is. $40 least
so fgr ge hc unmarried assistants are