AMONG THE DRESSMAKERS.
"An Englishman's house is his castle," and an Englishwoman's no less,
and both he and she ward off intruders with an energy inherited from the
days when all men were fighters, and intensified by generations of
practice. Even a government inspector is looked upon with deep disfavor
as one result of the demoralization brought about by liberal and other
loose ways of viewing public rights. The private, self-constituted one,
it may then be judged rightly, is regarded as a meddlesome and pestilent
busybody seeking knowledge which nobody should wish to obtain, and
another illustration of what the nineteenth century is coming to.
Various committees of inquiry, from the Organized Charities and from
private bodies of workers, visit manufactories and industries in
general, where women are employed, to make it evident that there is a
desire to know how they fare. Why this wish has arisen, and why things
are not allowed to remain as the fathers left them, are two questions at
present distracting the British employer's mind, and likely, before the
inquiry is ended, to distract it more, as, day by day, the numbers
increase of those who persist in believing that they are in some degree
their brothers' keepers,--a doctrine questioned ever since the story of
time began. Obstacles of every nature are placed in the way of legalized
inspection, and evasion and subterfuge, masterly enough to furnish a
congress of diplomatists with ideas, are in daily practice. Years of
experience make the inspector no less astute, and so the war goes on.
It will be seen then, what difficulties hedge about the private
inquirer, who must go armed with every obtainable guarantee, and even
then leave the field quite conscious that the informants are chuckling
over a series of misleading statements, and that not much will be made
of that case. So little organization exists among the workers
themselves, and there is such deadly fear of losing a place that women
and girls listen silently to statements, which they denounce afterwards
as absolutely false. Natural as this is,--and it is one of the
inevitable results of the system,--it is one of the worst obstacles in
the way, not only of inquiry but any statements of results.
"Of course he lied or she lied," they say, "but don't for anything in
the world let them know that we said so or that you know anything about
it."
This injunction, which for the individual worker's sake must be
scrupulously attended to, hampers not only inquiry but reform, and
delays still further the attempts at organization made here and there.
The system applied to dressmaking, our present topic, differs from
anything known in America save in one of its phases, and merits some
description, representing as it does some lingering remnant of the old
apprentice system.
For the West End there is generally but one method. And here it may be
said that the West End ignores absolutely any knowledge of what the East
End methods may be. Between them there is a great gulf fixed, and the
poorest apprentice of a West End house regards herself as infinitely
superior to the mistress of an East End business. For this charmed
region of the West, whether large or small, has spent years in building
up a reputation, and this is a portion of the guarantee that goes with
the worker, who has learned her trade under their auspices. It is a slow
process,--so slow, that the system is not likely to be adopted by hasty
Americans. In a first-class house in the West End, Oxford and Regent
Streets having almost a monopoly of this title, the premium demanded for
an apprentice is from forty to sixty pounds. This makes her what is
known as an "indoor apprentice," and entitles her to board and lodgings
for two years. Numbers are taken at once, beds are set close together in
the rooms provided, and board is made of the cheapest, to prevent loss.
This would seem very small, but add to it the fact, that the apprentice
gives from twelve to sixteen hours a day of time and a year of time as
assistant after the first probation is past, and it will be seen, that,
even with no fee, the house is hardly likely to lose much.
The out-door apprentices pay usually ten pounds and board and lodge at
home, but hours are the same; never less than twelve, and in the busy
season, fourteen and sixteen. Tea is furnished them once a day, but no
food, nor is there definite time for meals. In the case of in-door
apprentices, with any rush of work, a supper is provided at ten, but the
"out-doors" must bring such food as is needed. For them there is, as for
learners, no pay for over-time; and the strain often costs the life of
the country girls unused to confinement, who fall into quick
consumption, induced not only by long hours of sitting bent over work,
but by breathing air foul with the vile gas and want of ventilation, as
well as, in many cases, the worst possible sanitary conditions. If the
initiatory period is safely past, the apprentice becomes an "improver;"
that is, she is allowed larger choice of work, looks on or even tries
her own hand when draping is to be done, and if quick is shortly ranked
as an assistant. With this stage comes a small wage. An out-door
apprentice now earns from four to five shillings ($1.25) a week. The
in-door one still receives only board, but soon graduates from second
to first assistant, though the whole process requires not less than four
years and is often made to cover six. As first assistant she is likely
to have quarters slightly more comfortable than those of the
apprentices, and she receives one pound a week,--often less, but never
more. In case of over-time, this meaning anything over the twelve hours
which is regarded as a day's work, various rates are paid. In the
mourning department of one of the best known Oxford Street
establishments, fourpence an hour is allowed. This rate is exceptionally
high, being given because of the objection to evening work on black. The
same house pays in the colored-suit department two and a half pence
(5c.) an hour, and provides tea for the hands. Twopence an hour is given
in several other houses, but for the majority nothing whatever.
The forewoman of one of these establishments began as an apprentice
something over thirty years ago, and in giving these details and many
others not included, expressed her own surprise that the amount of
agitation as to over-time had produced so little tangible result.
"The houses are on the lookout, it's true," she said; "and each one is
afraid of getting into the papers for violating the law, so the
apprentice is looked out for a little better than she was in my time.
I've worked many a time when there was a press of work--some sudden
order to be filled--all night long. They gave us plenty of tea, a hot
supper at ten, and something else at two, but they never paid a
farthing, and it never came to one of us that we'd any right to ask it.
There was one--a plucky little woman and a splendid hand. She was first
assistant and we'd been going on like this a week one year. The girls
fell fainting from their chairs. I did myself though I was used to it;
and she stood up there at midnight, just before the manager came in and
said, 'Girls, you've no right to take another stitch without pay. Who'll
stand by me if I say so when Mr. B. comes in.' Not one spoke. 'Oh, you
cowards!' she said. 'Not one? Then I'll speak for you.' Two rose up then
and threw down their work. ''Tis a burning shame,' says they. 'Say what
you like!' Mr. B. was there before the words were out of their mouths,
'What's this? what's this?' he said. 'Not at work and the order to go
out at noon?' 'Pay us then for double work, and not drive us like galley
slaves,' said Mrs. Colman, standing very straight, 'I speak for myself
and for the rest. We are going home.'
"The manager got purple. 'The first one that leaves this room, by G--,
she'll never come back. What do you mean getting up this row, damn you?'
'I mean we're earning double, and ought to have it. Why shouldn't our
pockets hold some of the profits on this order as well as yours?' 'Will
you hush?' he says with his hand up as if he'd strike. 'No; not now, nor
ever,' she says, she white and he purple, and out she walked; but none
followed her. She never came back, and she was marked from that time, so
she found it hard to get work. But she married again and went out to the
Colonies, so she hadn't to fight longer. It's over-time now, as much as
then, that is the greatest trouble. We had a Mutual Improvement Society
when I was young, but oh, what hard work it was to go to it after nine
in the evening and try to work, and it's hard work now, though people
think you can be as brisk and wide awake after sewing twelve hours as if
you'd been enjoying yourself."
In 1875 a few dressmakers, who had observed intelligently various
organizations among men-tailors, boot-makers, etc., started an
association of the "dressmakers, milliners, and mantua makers," designed
for mutual benefit, a subscription of twopence per week being added to a
small entrance fee. Rules were drawn up, one or two of which are given
illustratively.
"Each person on joining is required to pay _one penny_ for a copy
of the rules, _one penny_ for a card on which her payments will be
entered, and _one shilling_ entrance fee--but the last may be paid
by instalments of fourpence each. After thirty years of age the
entrance fee shall be 6_d._ extra for every additional ten years.
"Members not working in a business house, or not working in the
above trades, can only claim sick benefits, but the usual death
levy shall also be made for them.
"In case of death each member will be called upon to contribute
_sixpence_ to be expended as the deceased member may have directed.
"When a member is disabled by sickness (excepting in
confinements), a notice must be signed by two members as vouchers
to the secretary, who shall appoint the member living nearest to
the sick member, with one member of the committee, to visit her
weekly, and report to the committee before the allowance is paid,
unless special circumstances require a relaxation of this rule. The
committee may require a medical certificate."
Excellent as every provision was, and admirable work as was
accomplished, the women, as is too often the case with women, lost
mutual confidence, or could not be made to see the advantage of paying
punctually, and the association dwindled down to a mere handful. In 1878
it reorganized, and its secretary, a working dressmaker, who learned her
trade in a West End house, has labored in unwearied fashion to bring
about some _esprit du corps_ and though often baffled, speaks
courageously still of the better time coming when women will have some
sense of the value of organization. Her word confirms the facts gathered
at many points in both East and West End. The East has reduced wages to
starvation limit. A pound a week can still be earned in some houses at
the West End--though fourteen or sixteen shillings is more usual; but
for the other side, fourteen is still the highest point, and the scale
descends to five and six--in one case to three and sixpence. Over hours,
scanty food, exhaustion, wasting sickness, and death, the friend at
last, when the weary days are done;--this is the day for most. The
American worker has distinct advantages on her side, the long unpaid
apprenticeship here having no counterpart there, and the frightfully
long working day being also shortened. Many other disabilities are the
same, but in this trade the advantage thus far is wholly for the
American worker.