Coupon Sorters.—Messrs. Rothschild, St. Swithin's Lane, and Messrs. Baring, Bishopsgate Street Within, employ a small number of women in sorting coupons; the only necessary qualifications are an ordinary English education and good references. At Messrs. Baring's the hours of work are from ten to five. The junior clerks receive 15s. a week, and the seniors' salaries average £1 to 25s.; they are engaged by the week. I believe that Messrs. Rothschild's rules are very similar.
Law Copyists.—Many women are now employed in law copying; they are apprenticed for six months, sometimes paying a small premium of 2 or 3 guineas, but in some cases they are only required to give their time. After six months they begin to earn a few shillings a week, which may increase, according to efficiency, to 25s. Their salary is regular, and does not depend (as it does in the case of men) on their employers having work or not. The hours are from nine to seven, excepting on Saturdays, when they leave a little earlier.
The following firms employ women, but only the first three will teach:—Mr. Hardy, Castle Street, Holborn; Mrs. Le Fuel, Brownlow Street, Holborn; Mr. F. Watkins, Dyer's Buildings, Holborn; Messrs. Hooper and Sons, Ludgate Hill; Messrs. Hadley, Castle Street, Holborn. Law clerks also occasionally employ women as copyists, and I think efficient writers might frequently obtain private employment from solicitors, especially if they had any acquaintance with them, or they could take specimens of their work to strangers, and boldly ask for a trial. Employers like girls to begin to learn soon after leaving school; they will take them as young as fifteen.
Telegraphy.—The following is an exact copy of the rules for telegraph clerks. Applications for admission to the Telegraph Office must be made to the Postmaster-General, as all nominations are made by him.
The subjects for test examination are:—
(1.) Writing from dictation.
(2.) Writing with a pencil, or style.
(3.) Arithmetic (easy sums in the first four rules).
Limits of age, not under fourteen or above eighteen.
Successful candidates have to attend the Post Office Telegraph School to undergo a course of instruction in telegraphy, for which instruction no charge is made, but they do not receive any pay while at the school.