“THE BUILDER,”
both as a medium for obtaining information, and for Advertising their own productions and requirements, we may enumerate the following:—
- Architectural Authors and Publishers
- Asphalte Companies
- Artificial Stone Manufacturers
- Auctioneers and Agents for Buildings, Land, Timber Sales, &c.
- Bath, Portland, Granite, Yorkshire, and other Stone Merchants
- Brass Fender, Rods, Plate, &c. Manufacturers
- Brass Founders
- Blind Makers, Venetian and others
- Booksellers
- Bent Timber Manufacturers
- Brokers, Consignments, Sales, &c.
- Bronzists
- Builders’ Cards and Advertisements
- Building Material Dealers
- Carpet Warehouses
- Carvers
- Cabinet Makers
- Chimney-piece Manufacturers
- Cement Manufacturers
- Carriers, Canals, and Vans
- Clerks of Works and their Employers
- Clock Makers and Bell Founders
- Coppersmiths and Braziers
- Contractors and Contracts
- Drawing Schools, Academies, and Schools of Design
- Engineers and Workmen
- Estate and House Agents
- Fender Makers
- Founders and Furnishing Ironmongers
- Fire-proof Materials
- Fencing,—Iron, Wood, or Stone
- Foremen wanted
- Glass and Lead Merchants
- ” Manufacturers, Plate and Stained
- Gas Fitters, &c.
- Grindstones, &c.
- Houses of Call
- Insurance Companies
- Iron and Steel Merchants
- Iron and Tin Plate Workers
- Iron Bedstead Makers, Safes, &c.
- Land Jobbers, and Sales for Building, &c.
- Lamp Manufacturers
- Lath Renders
- Lead Merchants
- Lime Merchants and Burners
- Locksmiths and Bellhangers
- Lock Manufacturers
- Loan Societies
- Mathematical Instrument Makers
- Machine Makers, Engines, &c.
- Metallic Sash Makers—Springs, &c.
- Mechanics’ Institutions
- Mechanical Instrument Makers
- Millwrights and Millstones
- Modellers and Carvers
- Marble Workers—Chimney-piece Manufacturers
- Nail Merchants
- Oven Builders
- Paint and Colour Merchants
- Papier Maché Manufacturers
- Paviours
- Picture Frame and Gilt Moulding Makers
- Patents—Patent Agencies, &c.
- Plasterers and Plaster of Paris
- Pump Makers, &c.
- Pencil Makers
- Prices Current—Timber, Lead, Iron, &c.
- Publishers, Printers, &c.
- Railway Companies
- Registration of Designs
- Roman Cement Makers
- Sales—Timber, Land, Houses, &c.
- Scagliola Manufacturers
- Saw Mills, Sawing, Saw Makers
- Stone Quarries and Merchants
- Slate do. do.
- Staffordshire Tiles, Bricks, Pipes, &c.
- Ships—Imports, Exports, Emigration, &c.
- Steam Engines, and Boiler Makers
- Stove Grate Makers
- Tool Makers
- Turners
- Ventilating and Warming Buildings
- Upholsterers
- Wire Drawers and Workers
- Water Closet Makers
- Wood Paving Companies
- Wood Letters
- Window Blind Makers—Transparent, &c.
- Workmen wanted
- Zinc Manufacturers, and Door-plate Makers
- Zincography and Artists
The following presents a list, taken from the census of 1831, of the building and connected classes in Great Britain only, and of these only the male adults of 20 years old and upwards:—
| Architects and Engineers—No number given. | |
| Agents—None given. | |
| Auctioneers | 2,823 |
| Bricklayers | 29,653 |
| Brickmakers | 10,184 |
| Builders | 5,204 |
| Carpenters | 103,238 |
| Cabinet Makers | 21,774 |
| Carvers and Gilders | 2,854 |
| Chair Makers | 802 |
| Ironmongers and Ironfounders | 10,411 |
| Land Jobbers | 651 |
| Lime Burners | 3,122 |
| Masons or Wallers | 49,159 |
| Marble Cutters | 1,732 |
| Nailors | 1,882 |
| Painters | 15,653 |
| Plumbers and Glaziers | 11,999 |
| Plasterers | 9,683 |
| Sawyers | 19,181 |
| Slaters | 4,539 |
| Turners | 5,905 |
| Upholsterers | 2,932 |
| Undertakers | 1,121 |
| 314,502 | |
To which, if we add for Ireland, for apprentices and increase of population, we shall have a number probably far exceeding half a million!
That this description of paper has been long a desideratum, is evinced by the history and character of the associations of years past. The struggles on the part of masters and men, and the attitude taken by the public towards both, required an interlocutor of this nature to promote a good understanding, and to secure equity and justice to all. With such an auxiliary, what waste of time and funds had been avoided—what noble projects carried out—what petty strife suppressed—what distractions kept down. Our dignity would have been maintained, and our cause ennobled.
But more than this. How many of the claims of humble merit have slept in this interval for the want of a friendly expositor, or a common vehicle of publicity? And how many valuable inventions have languished wanting encouragement, or died still-born in the obscurity of their birth? How many toilsome wanderings of the artisan in search of employment might have been avoided?—how many common benefits have been withheld?—How frequently the hand of brotherly charity undirected, and the worthy object frustrated of its aid? In the glut of work in one quarter and its scarcity in another, how promptly would
“THE BUILDER”
have adjusted the balance? Its columns at all times open to inquiries, and the office for reference, would have solved many difficulties, and facilitated many purposes of good.