England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
Where did you next go to?--To Mr. Warburton's in Meadow Lane.
What business is Mr. Warburton?--A worsted spinner.
What were your hours of work?--When first I went to the mill we
worked from six in the morning till seven in the evening.
What time had you allowed for dinner?--When first I went we had
an hour, but we did not keep that long; we removed to Lady Lane,
and then we had but half an hour.
What time had you for breakfast and drinking at Mr.
Marshall's?--A quarter of an hour for breakfast, I believe, and a
quarter of an hour at tea, I think; but it is so long since that
I cannot recollect particularly.
When you removed to Lady Lane, how long were you required to
work?--After a little time, in Lady Lane, we began at five in the
morning, and worked till nine at night.
Did they allow you more time for dinner there?--No; we had half
an hour for dinner then, and none for breakfast or tea.
How did you get your breakfast and drinking?--We got some little
of it, and then went on with our work.
How old were you when you went to Mr. Warburton's--Nine years
old.
Do you think you were always allowed your whole time at
dinner?--No; sometimes it was twenty minutes only; and sometimes
the engine went on before we could even get our dinner.
Were they punctual in allowing you to leave at night, or did they
get any time out of you then?--They used to get many a half hour
out of us at night.
Are you sure of that?--I am sure of it.
Were you not very much fatigued with that length of labour?--Yes.
Did they beat you?--When I was less, they used to do it often.
Did you not think that treatment very cruel?--I have cried many
an hour in the factory.
You were exceedingly fatigued at night, were you not?--Yes; I
could scarcely get home.
Had you to be carried home?--Yes, to be trailed home.
How were you waked in the morning?--The bell in Mill Street rang
at half-past five, and we got up by that.
That was not a pleasant sound to you?--No, it was not.
Was the fatigue gone off in the morning?--No, I was worse in the
morning.
Did this begin to affect your limbs?--Yes; when we worked over
hours, I was worse by a great deal. I had stuff to rub my knees,
and I used to rub my joints a quarter of an hour, and sometimes
an hour or two.
Were you straight before that?--Yes, I was straight before that;
my master knows that well enough; and when I have asked for my
wages he said I could not run about as I had been used to do.
Did he drop your wages in consequence?--No; but he would not
raise my wages, as I hoped he would. I asked, 'Could I not mind
my work?' and he said, 'Yes, but not so quick.'
Are you crooked now?--Yes, I have an iron on my right leg; my
knee is contracted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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