 |
The Workers at
Davenports and Scriven's reports |
By
1840 Davenports was the largest firm in Longport, indeed one of the largest
firms in the Potteries, employing between 1200 and 1400 people.
Evidence
about the working conditions at the factory can be found in the report by
Samuel Scriven “On the Employment of Children and Young Persons in the
District of the Staffordshire Potteries” presented to the Royal Commission
on Children’s Employment in 1841. 
He
interviewed 7 of the employees and their evidence is reproduced below. Note
the statement by Moses Lees, the superintendent, “we have but few very
young” and the testimony of John Demcile, who started work at the factory
when he was 6 years old, and Thomas Massey who began aged 7.
MESSRS.
WM. DAVENPORT AND CO., Longport.
No.
257. John Demcile, aged 13:—
I
run moulds for Hamel Tilstone; have done so seven years, always in Mr.
Davenports factory. I go to Sunday-school top of the hill; never went to
day-school above twice or three times. I cannot read or write, they teach me
in the spelling-book at Sunday-school. I do not know bow long I have been
there, ‘tis ever since it was opened (two years). My father has been dead
eight years; he was a kilnman in regular work. Mother did nothing; I’ve got
five brothers and sisters; one works in packing-house, another works at
Mayor’s as painter, another is at Venables's as squeezer, the other stops at
home; she goes to school at Dale Hall. I remember what I did before I came to
work, and when father was alive—nothing; sometimes run about the streets at
play. I come to work at six, and according how I get up. I go home according
what I may have to do, sometimes six and seven, and at nine when I’m very
much wanted. Hamel is very good to me, he never “laid on” me. I get my
breakfast at home; have coffee or tea and bread and butter, and treacle, just
as it happens. I go home to dinner, and get tatees and bacon, not often beer;
I am allowed an hour and a half at dinner. I only take half an hour, because
I’m wanted back to Hamel to finish my work. I am paid by the week, 3s. 3d.
If I work till nine at night I get just the same. Hamel is paid by the
quantity he makes.
February
16.
No.
258. Thos. Massey, aged 13:—
I
work in the warehouse; have been employed about six years. I can read; I can
write a little. I go to church school to learn on Tuesday nights; I went to
day-school about six months before I came here, I go to Sunday-school now. I
come at half-past six in the morning, to get the fires in, fetch coals up, and
then begin to work in the sorting-room. I go home at six o’clock; I work now
and then ‘till nine at night I get play days at Easter and Whitsun, and
Christmas, and at wakes and races. I would rather work 15 hours than 12,
because I am paid for it half a day extra. I carry home my wages to my mother;
she does not allow me any thing out. Father is a turner; he is not at work
now; be did work with Mr. Davenport, at Bottom Bank, master turned him away
through his drinking; he loves drink too well. I have got six brothers and
sisters, one paints, another runs moulds, another works at a farm-house; all
of us live at home except the last. I get 3s 6d a week, the others
bring home 9s 6d., which together makes 13s. The family lives upon what
we bring home. Mother is a very good and careful mother; she is asthmatical
and cannot go out of doors; she used to tread lathe.
No.
259. Alfred Downs, aged 12:—
I
run moulds for John Dysche; have worked altogether about a year. I can read,
and write a little. Went to day school at Newcastle National; go to
Sunday-school now at Longport. I come at six o’clock in the morning, and go
home at six; I stop now and then till nine. I get 3s 3d. a week; I get
no more if I stop till nine. John Dysche pays me for the week if he does not
work, it is his own fault; he stays away sometimes to play and goes
to a burying. He is very good to me; he gives me a 1d every week. Father is a
squeezer, and works in this Bank. I’ve got seven brothers and sisters; one
works in biscuit oven, another is a painter, another runs moulds, the other
three stop at home; mother looks after them. I have plenty to eat and drink,
and more clothes than what I have on.
No.
261. Moses Lee., aged 50:—
I
have been the superintendent of Mr. Davenport’s works about 11 years; I make
up the wage book of the people, and pay their wages in the shape of bills,
called wage-bills, that is, with the names of 10, 15, or 20 persons, with
their respective amounts carried out, which they get changed where, they can;
some go to the ale-house for it, where they are expected by the landlord to
expend a certain quota in consideration of the favour. Boys and girls are included
in these wage bills but whether they drink I do not know. I think it a bad
practice, but if we were to pay in change many of them would still go to
public house. We pay them in the shape I have stated because it is more
convenient, for such is the difficulty of obtaining silver and copper for the
number of people we have to pay, that before we get it we should be obliged to
pay a great percentage.
We
have five distinct premises engaged in the manufacture of china, earthenware,
and glass, and have, at a rough guess, from 1200 to 1400 hands, many of them
children; we have but few very young, and these are the jiggers,
paper-cutters, and mould-runners; master, I think, has an objection to take
them too early. My opinion of the competency of children so engaged
(educational) is that they may be improved if the parents paid more attention
to them. Generally speaking they are very ignorant, though I do not think we
have much to complain of here; of the four that have been examined, two out of
the four can read. Our machinery is well fenced of, and no children have
business upon those premises, or are allowed to go near it.
We
are well supplied with drains, which empty themselves into the canal at the
back of the works. Our privies for the people are private, and separated for
the sexes by a wall, the doors being opposed to each other. On no
consideration do they interfere with each other; if they did I have no doubt
that the parties would be discharged. We have a number of apprentices that are
bound by stamped indenture; I believe we are in this particular an
exception to the general rule, as other manufacturers bind their children by paper
only; but I cannot speak with any certainty.
Moses
LEES.
Rooms
lofty, spacious, well ventilated, healthy and clean.
Messrs.
WM. DAVENPORT’S Glass Manufactory, Longport.
No.
262. Aaron Maintford, aged 32.
I
am the foreman of the Messrs. Davenport’s glass-works; have been so employed
16 years; altogether with them 24 years. We have 64 persons employed; out of
this number there are not more than six children under the age of 13, and
chiefly to run an errands and sweep and clean the premises; they are not
occupied in any department of the manufactory; they are engaged with the view
of taking them ultimately as apprentices, beginning at the age of 14. ‘There
are 11 apprentices regularly bound by stamped indenture for a period of seven
years to the glass-blowing and cutting. They come (the Cutters) at six in the
summer, and leave at six. In the winter they come at seven in the morning, and
leave at six, being 11 hours per day, deducting an hour and a-half for
meals.
The
blowers work 48 hours per week, seldom ever more, and work in sets of 16 each,
for six hours together, and change every six hours, night and day, excepting
Saturday nights, Sundays, and Sunday nights. There is one man employed to
supply coal to the oven or furnace, who is changed every 12 hours. We are
obliged to keep the furnace up an Sundays. We have no females on the premises,
except three women who clean the glass after it comes from the cutting shop. I
do not believe that there is any process in glass blowing unhealthy either to
the boys or men.
No.
263. Thomas Wiltshire, aged 12.
I
am employed by Mr. Davenport to sweep the cutting-shop, run on errands, break
pummice-stone - nothing else. I can read and write. I went to day-school
before I came to work. I go to Sunday-school now, at New Methodists. They
teach me to read the Bible and that. I come to work at half-past six,
sometimes a little before, and go into the hovel until the cutting-shop is
open, to warm myself. I go home to breakfast at nine o’clock, and always
take my half hour. I go in the other bank to dinner with my sister; she is a
transferrer; father is a printer; mother is dead; another sister cuts paper; a
young brother stops at neighbour Knowles’s between school-times. Two of the
other boys can read in the Bible. I don’t know much about the others. I get
plenty to eat and drink. I get holidays at wakes, and races, and at Christmas.
(1760's - mid 19th C))