AND ON THE CONTINENT.
iaa
The same thing is shown if we compare the weekly rate of wagesgiven by Baines with those contained in the official statistics (9).From these facts we have the picture of a formidable rise in wageswhich has taken place in Lancashire during the last century. Theofficial figures are, however, not quite free from criticism. Generalstatistics of wages which can be depended upon are unfortunatelynot at hand, because no census of the wages conditions of all theoperatives employed is available in the cases given.
A comparison which referred to the wages paid to the sameclasses of operatives in the same mill appeared to me, therefore,to be the most free from criticism. I was fortunate in receivingthe following figures from the wage-hooks of one of the largest andmost renowned spinning firms in Lancashire . Since the firm
chiefly spins fine yarns, the wages are partly higher than thea verage wages of official statistics mentioned alongside. But whilst
the latter claim only
an approximate
accuracy, the first are
authentic.
WEEKLY WAGES.
Official average
figures.
1834.
1S50.
1883.
1886.
s. ,1.
s. (I.
s:
il.
s. d. 8. d,
Labourers
15 0
15 0
20
0
—
Mechanics
27 0
27 0
33
0
_
Carders:—
1st class
30 0
27 0
32
0
37 u
2nd class
15 0
13 0
21
0
28 10
3rd class
_
—
24 10
Drawing-frames (girls) ..
9 0
8 3
14
0
12 5 to 15 4
Preparation
9 0
S 3
14
0
U 0„ 14 3
Combing (women)
—
8 6
15
6
—
Jack tenters
—
8 0
16
6
_
Spinners
35 0
40 0
42
0
35 G
Helpers
14 0
13 0
16
0
14 2
A similar state of affairs results from the
wages
of a firm, just
as old and important, in
the neighbourhood of Manchester, which
combines spinning and weaving.
WEEKLY
WAGES.
1832.
1810.
s. d.
s. (i.
Spinner—1st class
35 0
39 0
,, 2nd „
28 2
36 0
,, 3rd .,
28 2
30 0
Dresser
30 G
36 0
Weaver
12 0
IS 0
9. Report of the Board of Trade: “ Return of Rates of Wages iu thePrincipal Textile Trades,” 1889. Baines, pp. 114-5.