A Discourse on Trade, and Other Matters Relative to it

by John Cary

But we soon found, that the great Cause of begging did proceed from the low Wages for Labour; for after about eight Months time, our Children could not get half so much as we expended in their Provisions. The Manufacturers, who employed us, were always complaining the Yarn was spun coarse, but would not advance above Eight-pence per Pound for Spinning, and we must either take this, or have no Work. On the other side, we were labouring to understand how we might distinguish, and put a Value on our Work, according to its Fineness. This we did by the Snap Reel, which when we were Masters of, the Committee made an Order, That the Master should buy in a Stock of Wool, and Spin it up for our own Accounts, and then proceeded to set the Price of Spinning by the Snap Reel, wherein we endeavoured to discourage coarse Work, and to endeavour fine, because we saw the latter was likely to bring more Profit, not only to the Poor, but to the Kingdom in general. We likewise ordered some Things to be made up of the several Sorts of Yarn, at the Rates we had set them; and on the whole, we found the Commodities made of fine Yarn, though they were much better than those made of Coarse, yet stood us in little more; because what the one exceeded in the Charge of Spinning, was very much made good in Abatement of the Quantity used. We therefore sent to the Manufacturers, and shewed them what Experiments we had made; but finding them still unwilling to advance above the old Rate, the Committee voted, that they would give Employment to all the Poor of the City, who would make Application to them, at the Rates we offer’d to work, and pay them ready Money for their Labour.

We soon found we had taken the right Course, for in a few Weeks we had Sale for our fine Yarn as fast as we could make it, and they gave us from Eight-pence to Two Shillings per Pound for Spinning the same Goods, for which a little before they paid but Eight-pence, and were very well pleased with it, because they were now able to distinguish between the fine and the coarse Yarn, and to apply each Sort to the Use for which it was most proper: Since which, they have given us Two Shillings and Six-pence per Pound for a great many Pounds, and we spin some worth Three Shillings and Six-pence per Pound Spinning.

By this Means we had the Pleasure of seeing the Children’s Labour advanc’d, which a little before I came up, amounted to near Six Pounds per Week, and would have been much more, but that our biggest Girls, we either settle forth, or put in the Kitchen; and those we receive in being generally small, are able to do but little for some Time after.

The Encouragement we had received on this Beginning, put us on proceeding further: The Court resolved to purchase a great Sugar-House, out of the Money directed by the Act to be raised for Building of Work-Houses, and fit it up for the receiving in the Remainder of the Poor, (viz.) ancient People, Boys, and young Children; which was accordingly done, and a Committee was appointed to manage it. This we called the Mint Work-House, because it had been hired by the Lords of the Treasury for that Use.

The Committee began to take in the Boys in August last; these we cloathed, dieted, and governed, much after the same Manner as we had done the Girls, but put them on a different Employment, (viz.) Spinning of Cotton Wool, and weaving of Fustians: We have now about one hundred of them together, who settle well to their Work, and every Day mend their Hands; they get us already six Pounds per Week; they are likewise taught to read, and we shall hereafter teach them to write.

We next took in our ancient People; and here we had principally a Regard to such as were impotent, and had no Friends to help them, and to such as we could not keep from the lazy Trade of Begging; these we cloath’d as we saw they needed, and put on such Employments as were fit for their Ages and Strengths, having our Eyes chiefly on those to which they were bred; we found it difficult at first to bend them down to good Orders, but by Degrees we have brought them under Government.

Then we called in all the Children that were on our Poor’s Books, and put them under Nurses; those who can speak and go, are carried down into the School, to learn their A, B, C, &c. As they grow up, we shall put them into the working Rooms.

The Boys are kept at a Distance from the ancient People, who do also lodge in distinct Apartments, the Men in several Chambers on one Floor, and the Women on another; all do something, though perhaps some of their Labours comes to little, yet it keeps them from Idleness: Both the Old and Young attend Prayers twice a Day, (except the Bedridden, for whom other Care is taken) and go to Church twice on Sundays.

We have now three standing Committees, (viz.) For the Poor, for the New Work-House, and for the Mint Work-House: The first gives all Directions, and makes all Allowance, for the Poor, without whose Order no Guardian can act any Thing considerable, except in Cases of absolute Necessity, which at the next Meeting of the Committee he must give an Account of, and desire their Approbation. The other two Committees have Power to act in the Affairs of that Work-House for which they are chosen: They receive in both Old and Young; they bind forth Apprentices, correct, order the Diet as they please, oversee the Working, sell the Manufactures, when made, order the Payment of all Moneys, which cannot be done unless the Note be sign’d by the Chairman; and generally direct every Thing relating to those Houses.

The Accounts are made up thus: The Treasurer’s Account is audited every Year, by a Committee chosen for that purpose; at which Time he is succeeded by another Treasurer, chosen by the Court: The Accounts of the Guardians who pay the Poor in their several Parishes are audited every three Months, by a select Committee chosen likewise by the Court, and are then paid by the Treasurer: The Accounts for each Work-house are audited by the respective Committee every Month, when the Master adjusts, not only his Account of Cash, but also of each particular Specie of Goods he hath under his Care, the Ballance whereof is still carried forward to the next, which when allowed of is signed by the Chairman: And the Account for each House is so stated, that it shews at one Sight, what the House is indebted; what Debts are out-standing, and from whom; what Goods remain in the House, and the Quantity of each Specie.