The hours of painters had been shortened about a year ago, and it was found that they did just as much work. For the six weeks before Christmas they regularly work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with as much overtime as is allowed, i.e., three nights a week.
PROSPECTS.—They may rise to forewomen; e.g., the forewoman over the stampers came as an ordinary hand.
GENERAL.—There is a dining room, and every girl can pay 3s. a week and get dinner of meat and pudding and tea every day. This covers all expenses, wages of cook, gas for stove, all utensils, etc. Last year there was money over, so they had free meals for a week.
17. G., Large Stationery Firm in London. Visit to Works.
WORK.—About 60 girls are employed. Stationery and Printing with following divisions:—(1) Plain cameo and relief stamping (about 25 girls), (2) illuminating, i.e., putting on the colour by hand (2 girls), (3) envelope folding and cementing (9 girls), (4) packing, including cleaning (girls in each department), (5) folding notepaper (saw 3 little girls doing this), (6) feeding printing machines, big and small, and lithographic machines (about 6 girls), (7) various odd jobs, e.g., cutting visiting cards to proper size, (8) feeding ruling machine (1 girl).
REGULARITY.—This firm's trade is regular. They are busy all the year round, though perhaps they are busiest at Christmas. The bulk of their orders come from the country though.
HEALTH.—The little printing and lithographic girls looked anything but healthy.
MACHINERY.—Machines have not displaced women. There was nothing dangerous about the machinery used, though the small printing machine which 1 girl was feeding might be dangerous.
HOURS.—The hours worked are from 8.30 a.m. to 7 p.m., with one hour for dinner and half an hour for tea; on Saturdays, from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. They work overtime at Christmas.
PROSPECTS.—Girls in (4) may rise to (1), and those in (1) to (2).