Cost and standard of living -- England -- London; London (England) -- Economic conditions; Working class -- England -- London
Another woman who lived in “the Duchy,” as they all call it, and whose
house has since been demolished, had not the temperament which had the
courage to owe. She paid her 8s. for rent with clockwork regularity, and
fed her husband and four children and herself on a weekly average of 8s.
6d. a week. The average for herself and the children worked out at 1s. a
week, or less than 2d. a day. All four children were very delicate. The
baby, who weighed 8½ lbs. at birth, weighed 16 lbs. 8 ozs. at one year.
The ex-baby suffered from consumption of the bowels, and was constantly
in and out of hospital. The two elder children were tuberculous. The
father was a printer’s labourer, and appeared to be fairly strong, though
a small man. The mother was delicate and worn, but seemed to have no
specific disease.
Some of the children in the different families had strong individuality.
Emma, aged ten, stood about 4 feet 6 inches in her socks. Four years
later, when she began to earn by carrying men’s dinners backwards and
forwards to them at work, she measured 4 feet 10 inches. At ten she was
a queer little figure, the eldest of six, with a baby always in her arms
out of school-hours. She was not highly intelligent, but had a soothing
way with children. Her short neck and large face gave the impression of
something dwarf-like. But she was sturdy and tough to all appearance, and
could scrub a floor or wring out a tubful of clothes in a masterly way.
She had a dog-like devotion for a half deaf, half blind little mother,
who nevertheless managed to keep two rooms, a husband, and six children
in a state of extraordinary order, considering all things. When Emma’s
school shoes were worn out, her mother took them over and wore them till
there was no sole left, and Emma was provided with a “new” fifth-hand
pair, which were generally twice too big. Emma’s mother found her a great
comfort, and very reluctantly sent her to work in a factory at the age of
fifteen. There she earned 6s. a week, and became the family bread-winner
during the frequent illnesses of her father.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account