Isabel Wadeson-Lee 10CF

The Industrial Revolution

Six important facts about women and the Industrial Revolution: They mainly worked in domestic service, textile factories, piece work shops and coal mines. Women were essential to the Industrial Revolution as they without work they didnt have the means to live, so they were basically forced to find work. Families often relied on the income that Women and children brought. Women living unsupervised and away from home produced societal fears about their future. The Industrial Revolution gave only few women a better living standard and provided them with independent wages, for the majority it caused lifelong destitution and hardship. Juggling work, children and domestic chores took its toll on home life, causing it to suffer as a result.

Six important facts about children and the Industrial Revolution: Many children were uneducated as a result of work. There were some proposals to abolish women and children from specific jobs, but it was opposed by workers. Conditions in which they worked were often hazardous, and werent adequately hygienic. Typically a childs job in a textile factory was a scavenger or piecer. Both these jobs were dangerous and a lot of pressure was placed on the children in these jobs. Children were bought and illegally taken from orphanages and workhouses to work in textile factories, and therefore became property of the factory owner. They were known as pauper apprentices. Towards the end of the 17th century, approximately a third of workers in the cotton industry were pauper apprentices.

1) 1. Men: Mill manager, Overseers, Clerks, Mechanics, Engine Drivers, Carpenter, Blacksmith, Lodge keeper, Power loom machinery attendants and steamers, Mill machinery attendants and loom cleaners, Spindle cleaners, Bobbin stampers and packers, Messengers, Sweepers, Watchmen, Coachmen, Grooms, Van driver and Winders. Women: Gauze examiners, Female assistant overseers, Warpers, Twisters, Wasters, Weavers, Plug winders, Drawers, Doublers and Winders.

Women were no less capable than men, yet I assume that it was a common belief. 2. Men seemed to have the more physically exerting and higher paying jobs, while womens jobs were dealing with more typically feminine things like weaving, and on average they were paid less for their jobs.

3. Mill Manager was the highest paying job for men, and the lowest was a Winder. For Women the highest paying job was a Gauze Examiner, and the lowest paying was a Winder. 4. Both men and women received the same pay for being a Winder. 5. The majority of men were employed as Overseers and Clerks. 6. The majority of women were employed as Weavers. 7. 1: 9 8. Men were more likely to get promoted (therefore paid more) and women were most likely to end up with a job that was going nowhere. The fact that woman may need to take leave for giving birth, need to look after their children, and arent as hardy* as men, all may have contributed to the inequality and sexism of the corporate structure. This also puts women ranking second to men in the community and family, and the birth of a boy was most likely more rejoiced than that of a female. *This is not my personal belief, as I believe women are just as resilient as men, but I am just stating what was most likely a popular belief at the time. 9. 2) 1. They either worked as well, did the chores at home or they attended school if they were fortunate enough. 2. At home they have the opportunity to rest without severe punishment (i.e. beating), they can have their meals, and they dont have the pressure of someone specially employed to make sure they do their work up to the correct standard 3. Because many families were dependant on the income that women and children brought. 4. Reasons for mostly employing women are that they will settle for cheaper wages as that is often the best they can get, and there could possibly be a perception that they are more dexterous than men. Today womens work isnt necessarily a Dead end job, if there are opportunities for further training and promotion within the company. 3) 1. Because there wasnt work variety, they were working in dark, cramped, inhumane conditions, and chained up like animals. 2. They used extremely basic technology in those days, and machines werent adapted to the kind of work. 4) 1. I think that coal was used for lighting fires, and powering factories and machines, and personally I believe it was an extremely important resource, and many depended on it.

2. 12- 13 hours a day. 3. Back problems, loss of eyesight, displaced hips, bent ankles, malnutrition and respiratory problems. 4. Mothers werent at home to look after their children, and if a family member fell ill there was no one to care for them. Both adults and children would be exhausted from the hard labour, and there was no extra time for house chores. Also children would grow up being very independent as they would have to fend for themselves a lot of the time. 5. I would say not generally as much as they used to, but there would still be women working in mines, the difference being they would be paid equal to men. 5) 1. Because the work wasnt physically difficult, and the job probably seemed a lot more glamorous and appealing than working in a mine for example. 2. Loss of eyesight, poor digestion, malnutrition, respiratory problems, exhaustion, abdominal pain, poor circulation, and overall bad health. 3. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), loss of eyesight, back problems, poor overall health. 4. An upper class woman would have plenty of fine clothing with lots of detail, whereas a poor woman would have simple, dull clothing, and would often only own one or two items. The upper class woman would be accustomed to top quality food and drink, and a working class woman would perhaps have basic bread, stew and water. A poor woman would be living with many others in the same room, so she would be cramped and without privacy. It would be the opposite for a rich woman. 6) 1. The song was directed to the upper class noblemen and noblewomen of England. 2. The song revealed that some of the societal concerns about lowly seamstresses were that they were working long, arduous hours (often all day and night), unprotected and vulnerable, being paid unfairly for their work, and also that they may turn to prostitution. 3. The song writer used very persuasive language to help convince the wealthy to aid the poor The pride of the world is oer whelmed with care, Old Englands considered, for honour and virtue, and beauty the glory and pride of the world, is referring to the fact that the neglect to lift the seamstresses out of the poverty cycle, and a life of hardship and exhaustion, is letting down the countrys image of honour and morality, and if the wealthy make an effort to help and fairly employ the less fortunate in their land, they will be supporting and living up to their countrys reputation. 4. I would introduce the concepts of heaven and hell into the picture, if I were writing a song to persuade people to aid seamstresses, as the majority of people were religious, and had fears about dying with a guilty conscience and going to hell, and if you offered a seamstress a decent job and wage this would not happen. I would also say what a compassionate, noble and reputable deed it

would be to help a suffering seamstress in need, to emphasize the kind of person we all strive to be, and that you would become this kind of person if you assisted a poor seamstress.