§ 1. Modern manufacture with machinery favours the employment of women as compared with men. Each census during the last half century shows that in England women are entering more largely into every department of manufacture, excepting certain branches of metal work, machine-making and shipbuilding, etc., where great muscular strength is a prime factor in success.
The following table,[239] indicating the number of males and females employed in the leading groups of manufactures at decennial points since 1841, clearly indicates the nature and extent of the industrial advance of woman.
Male and Female Employment in Manufactures, 1841-91.
| M. 1841. F. | M. 1851. F. | M. 1861. F. | M. 1871. F. | M. 1881. F. | M. 1891. F. | |||||||
| Earthenware | 23,600 | 7,400 | 34,800 | 11,700 | 42,500 | 13,400 | 49,700 | 17,700 | 52,200 | 19,700 | 64,300 | 23,800 |
| Fuel, Gas, Chemicals | 5,800 | 300 | 16,400 | 1,700 | 24,800 | 1,500 | 34,900 | 4,100 | 44,000 | 4,000 | 66,400 | 6,300 |
| Fur, Leather, Glue | 31,600 | 2,400 | 44,500 | 6,500 | 47,300 | 8,300 | 49,400 | 10,200 | 49,400 | 13,300 | 59,100 | 18,200 |
| Wood Furniture, Carriages, etc. | 147,500 | 4,900 | 180,200 | 8,900 | 202,200 | 14,100 | 214,200 | 19,500 | 221,600 | 18,400 | 253,600 | 23,300 |
| Paper, Floorcloth, Waterproof, etc. | 8,900 | 3,200 | 13,600 | 8,300 | 14,600 | 10,700 | 20,300 | 13,400 | 24,600 | 23,200 | 28,600 | 34,200 |
| Textiles, Dyeing | 346,200 | 257,600 | 462,400 | 472,100 | 439,700 | 526,500 | 414,500 | 555,500 | 396,400 | 566,200 | 430,500 | 585,600 |
| Dress | 343,600 | 177,200 | 397,500 | 471,200 | 378,600 | 550,900 | 363,300 | 552,700 | 344,700 | 609,300 | 353,800 | 681,300 |
| Food, Drink, Smoking | 82,700 | 8,000 | 120,900 | 12,400 | 133,400 | 15,600 | 145,700 | 18,500 | 152,300 | 28,900 | 173,100 | 50,200 |
| Watches, Instruments, Toys | 19,600 | 800 | 23,500 | 1,300 | 32,800 | 2,900 | 35,900 | 3,000 | 41,700 | 3,400 | 44,600 | 5,500 |
| Printing, Bookbinding, etc. | 21,100 | 1,800 | 30,400 | 3,800 | 41,300 | 6,200 | 57,600 | 8,600 | 75,000 | 13,100 | 102,100 | 19,100 |
| TOTAL | 1,030,600 | 463,600 | 1,324,200 | 997,900 | 1,357,200 | 1,150,100 | 1,385,500 | 1,203,200 | 1,401,900 | 1,299,500 | 1,576,100 | 1,447,500 |
From this table we perceive that while the number of males engaged in these manufactures has increased by 53 per cent. during the half century 1841 to 1891, the number of females has increased by 221 per cent. This movement, which must be regarded partly as a displacement of male by female labour, partly as an absorption of new manufactures by female labour, proceeded with great rapidity from the beginning of the period up to 1881. The check apparent in the last decennium, in which the number of males employed seems to have increased faster than that of the females, does not, however, indicate a reversal or even a suspension of the industrial movement. It is attributable to an abnormal change in a single great industry—the cotton trade; excluding this, the employment of females in each group of manufactures has grown faster than that of males.
TEXTILE WORKERS.
If we confine our survey to adults (excluding males and females below fifteen) the rapid and regular advance of female employment as compared with male is still more striking.
