The hours of attendance are from 10 to 4.
Hitherto women have been employed as returners and counterwomen in the General Post Office, London, but no fresh appointments have been made for some time, and it does not appear likely that there will be any more.
[CHAPTER VI.]
MISCELLANEOUS.
Assistants in Shops.—I do not think it is generally known how valid the claim of the girls employed by the large linendrapers is to the much-disputed title of "young lady." At all the houses where I have inquired, I find that a large proportion of the girls are daughters of professional men, the fathers of the remainder being for the most part farmers and clerks; they are all fairly well educated, possess good manners, and if their conduct is not above reproach they are immediately dismissed.
I give particulars of five representative houses. I think the rules of others of the same class will be found very similar. All the particulars have been furnished me by members of the firms, and in many cases I have also made inquiries of the young ladies who are employed. Their universal opinion is that they are much better off than they would be if they were governesses; in fact, many of them have been governesses, and have given it up from the difficulty of obtaining comfortable engagements. Their evenings are entirely at their own disposal, and they are allowed to go away from Saturday until Sunday night or Monday morning, if their employers know where they are going. At very nearly all the shops I mention the girls are allowed to sit down excepting when they are engaged in serving. The good feeling existing between employers and employed seems to be very general.
I heard no complaints from either side; the heads of the firms all seemed to think they could not do too much for the comfort of their employés, and they on their side seemed fully sensible of the kindness with which they are treated. Their sitting and bed rooms are all spacious and airy, and their food, which on two occasions I had opportunities of inspecting, plentiful and good.
All the firms employ large numbers of women who do not live in the house, but I shall not give any particulars respecting them, as they are of quite a different class to those I am writing for.
Messrs. Howell and James, Regent Street, employ twenty-five ladies in their establishment, who live in the house. When their contemplated alterations and improvements are made, each young lady will have a separate bed-room; they have very pleasant sitting-rooms, and a library and piano are provided for their use.
The hours of work are from 9 to 6, Saturdays until two, and they all have a fortnight or three weeks' holiday in the summer. The salaries vary from £20 to £200 a year. Apprentices are received for three years; they live in the house, and pay a premium of £40. Improvers are also taken. All applicants must have good references and manners, and be well educated.