CHAPTER II.

_WOMEN IN THE TRADES._

[Sidenote: Census figures.]

Before 1841 the census occupation tables do not state the numbers employed in the detailed trades, and even in that year we find either that no separate return was made for some of the industries with which this volume deals, or that no women were employed at all. Presumably, therefore, previous statistics would not have shown that women were employed in these industries to any appreciable extent.

The following tables show the employment of women in England and Wales and Scotland in the Printing and Kindred Trades according to the census returns from 1841 to 1901. The figures must be used with caution, as they include employers as well as employed (an error, however, which is immaterial in the case of women workers). Subsidiary helpers are also classified with those actually entitled to be regarded as members of the trade, and the tables do not discriminate sufficiently between the various subdivisions of occupations. These last two errors considerably affect the figures relating to women. In the bookbinding section, for instance,[4] the figures are altogether misleading, since by far the greater number of women included as bookbinders are really paper and book-folders, and are no more entitled to the name bookbinder than a bricklayer's labourer is to that of bricklayer.

[Footnote 4: Since 1881 in the Scottish returns.]

ENGLAND AND WALES. Males. Females.

_Census 1841. (Employers and Employed included.)_ Booksellers, bookbinders, etc. 8,873 2,035 Printers 15,582 161 Lithographers, etc. 667 12 Paper manufacture 4,375 1,287 Paper rulers 113 16 Paper stainers 1,243 92 Type founders 629 6 Vellum binders 131 3

_Census 1851._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 5,501 } 3,926 Printers, etc 23,568 } Lithographers (Great Britain) 1,984 6 Paper manufacture 6,123 4,686 Paper stainers 2,001 Not enumerated.

_Census 1861._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 6,556 5,364 Printers 30,171 419 Lithographers, etc. 3,588 -- Paper manufacture 7,746 5,611 Machine rulers 564 54 Envelope makers 179 860 Paper stainers 1,556 399 Type founders 863 11

_Census 1871._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 7,917 7,557 Printers 44,073 741 Lithographers, etc 3,785 Not enumerated. Paper manufacture 10,142 6,630 Envelope makers Not enumerated. 1,477 Paper stainers 1,311 448

_Census 1881._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 9,505 10,592 Printers 59,088 2,202 Lithographers, etc 6,009 147 Paper manufacture 10,352 8,277 Envelope makers 175 1,933 Paper stainers 1,822 445 Type cutters and founders 1,137 32

+-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | _Census | Employ- | Employ- | Working | Others | TOTAL. | | 1891._ | ers. | ed. | on | not | | | | | | Own | Speci- | | | | | | Account. | fied. | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Book- | M. 615 | 10,038 | 355 | 479 | 11,487 | | binders | F. 72 | 13,401 | 74 | 702 | 14,249 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Printers | M. 3,979 | 73,288 | 1,052 | 3,640 | 81,959 | | | F. 158 | 4,133 | 32 | 204 | 4,527 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Litho- | M. 499 | 7,486 | 359 | 292 | 8,636 | | graphers, | F. 9 | 309 | 7 | 24 | 349 | | etc. | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper | M. 396 | 11,081 | 97 | 440 | 12,014 | | manu- | F. 12 | 7,598 | 29 | 390 | 8,029 | | facture | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Envelope | M. 9 | 260 | 6 | 14 | 289 | | makers | F. 2 | 2,339 | 13 | 104 | 2,458 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper | M. 135 | 1,861 | 60 | 78 | 2,134 | | stainers | F. 10 | 370 | 7 | 16 | 403 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Type | M. 35 | 1,204 | 23 | 52 | 1,314 | | cutters | F. 1 | 49 | 0 | 5 | 55 | | and | | | | | | | founders | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | _Census | Employ- | Employ- | Working | Others | TOTAL. | | 1901._ | ers. | ed. | on | not | | | | | | Own | Speci- | | | | | | Account. | fied. | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Book- | M. 554 | 11,609 | 388 | 113 | 12,664 | | binders | F. 46 | 18,933 | 82 | 162 | 19,223 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Printers | M. 4,805 | 89,306 | 1,603 | 774 | 96,488 | | | F. 117 | 9,463 | 48 | 65 | 9,693 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Litho- | M. 496 | 9,648 | 445 | 93 | 10,682 | | graphers, | F. 7 | 1,015 | 14 | 7 | 1,043 | | etc. | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper | M. 337 | 14,920 | 47 | 55 | 15,359 | | manu- | F. 11 | 8,815 | 7 | 18 | 8,851 | | facture | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Envelope | M. 14 | 352 | 1 | 3 | 370 | | makers | F. 6 | 3,113 | 1 | 23 | 3,143 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper | M. 45 | 1,928 | 34 | 25 | 2,032 | | stainers | F. 2 | 280 | 1 | 4 | 287 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Type | M. 35 | 1,223 | 15 | 14 | 1,287 | | cutters | F. 0 | 181 | 0 | 2 | 183 | | and | | | | | | | founders | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Sta- | M. 352 | 3,910 | 91 | 28 | 4,381 | | tionary | F. 24 | 4,615 | 12 | 47 | 4,698 | | manu- | | | | | | | facture | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+

SCOTLAND. Males. Females.

_Census 1841. (Employers and Employed included.)_ Booksellers, etc. 2,164 283 Printers 2,446 21 Lithographers, etc. 234 1 Paper manufacture 732 738 Paper rulers 61 8 Paper stainers 31 1 Type founders 292 --

_Census 1851._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 1,09 } 710 Printers, etc. 3,526 } Paper manufacture 1,265 2,159 Paper stainers 49 Not enumerated.

_Census 1861._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 1,174 100 Printers 4,400 70 Lithographers, etc. 1,101 2 Engravers 651 6 Bookfolders 2 1,094 Machine rulers 171 18 Paper manufacture 1,648 2,773 Envelope makers 5 309 Paper stainers 77 -- Type founders 434 --

_Census 1871._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 1,293 174 Printers 5,476 113 Lithographers, etc. 1,125 36 Print and map colourers 192 57 Bookfolders -- 1,646 Paper manufacture 2,770 3,504 Envelope makers 7 412 Paper rulers 214 100 Paper stainers 110 50 Type founders 496 --

_Census 1881._ (_Employers and Employed included._) Bookbinders 1,433 2,587(a) Printers 6,936 839 Lithographers, etc. 1,269 153 Map and print colourers and sellers 50 41 Paper rulers 188 115 Paper manufacture 3,363 4,612 Envelope makers 32 580 Paper stainers 34 97 Type cutters and founders 471 71

(a) Bookfolders are included here.

+-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | _Census | Employ- | Employ- | Working | Not | TOTAL. | | 1891._ | ers. | ed. | on | Speci- | | | | | | Own | fied. | | | | | | Account. | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Book- |M. 68 | 1,413 | 13 | 22 | 1,516 | | binders |F. 3 | 2,865 | 3 | 18 | 2,889 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Printers |M. 322 | 8,367 | 69 | 84 | 8,842 | | |F. 5 | 1,417 | 1 | 7 | 1,430 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Litho |M. 109 | 1,516 | 22 | 10 | 1,657 | | graphers, |F. -- | 397 | 1 | 2 | 400 | | etc. | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper |M. 10 | 315 | 1 | 13 | 339 | | rulers |F. 1 | 192 | -- | 4 | 197 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper |M. 107 | 4,332 | 21 | 51 | 4,511 | | manu- |F. 3 | 4,546 | 4 | 66 | 4,619 | | facture | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Envelope |M. 3 | 33 | 2 | -- | 38 | | makers |F. -- | 698 | 1 | -- | 699 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper |M. 6 | 113 | 1 | -- | 120 | | stainers |F. -- | 28 | -- | -- | 28 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Type |M. 9 | 496 | 3 | 4 | 512 | | cutters |F. -- | 75 | -- | -- | 75 | | and | | | | | | | founders | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | _Census | Employ- | Employ- | Working | Not | TOTAL. | | 1901._ | ers. | ed. | on | Speci- | | | | | | Own | fied. | | | | | | Account. | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Book | M. 67 | 1,422 | 16 | -- | 1,505 | | binders | F. 4 | 3,522 | 4 | -- | 3,530 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Printers | M. 378 | 9,643 | 54 | 2 | 10,077 | | | F. 7 | 2,852 | 1 | -- | 2,860 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Litho | M. 87 | 1,640 | 25 | -- | 1,752 | | graphers, | F. 2 | 728 | 1 | -- | 731 | | etc. | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper | M. 103 | 4,860 | 6 | 1 | 5,000 | | manu- | F. 2 | 4,653 | -- | -- | 4,655 | | facture | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Envelope | M. 4 | 53 | -- | -- | 57 | | makers | F. 1 | 895 | -- | -- | 896 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Paper | M. 1 | 120 | 1 | -- | 122 | | stainers | F. -- | 52 | 1 | -- | 53 | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Type | M. 6 | 419 | 5 | -- | 430 | | cutters | F. -- | 53 | -- | -- | 53 | | and | | | | | | | founders | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+ | Sta- | M. 22 | 95 | 1 | -- | 118 | | tionery | F. 1 | 492 | 3 | -- | 496 | | manu- | | | | | | | facture | | | | | | +-----------+----------+---------+----------+--------+--------+

[Sidenote: Chief Factory Inspector's figures.]

In 1896 the Home Office began to publish as an appendix to the Chief Factory Inspector's Report a series of figures of occupation which were exceedingly valuable for purposes of comparison, and in time would have been the best existing statistical index of industrial movements. Unfortunately these figures have not been published since 1899; but for the years that they were issued, those relating to the printing trades were as follows:--

FACTORY INSPECTOR'S REPORTS.

_Paper, Printing, Stationery, Etc. (Includes all the industries under this section.)_

Total Total Male Female Male. Female. over 18. over 18.

1895 Factories 159,987 63,626 123,895 42,904 Workshops 3,355 4,692 2,224 3,073 ------- ------ ------- ------ Total 163,342 68,318 126,119 45,977

1896 Factories 169,500 68,769 131,166 45,632 Workshops 4,508 5,919 3,152 3,898 ------- ------ ------- ------ Total 174,008 74,688 134,318 49,530

1897 Factories 171,151 69,898 134,221 45,479 Workshops 4,458 6,305 3,192 4,192 ------- ------ ------- ------ Total 175,609 76,203 137,413 49,671

1898-99(a) 173,964 72,833 137,504 46,681

SOME DETAILS OF ABOVE. Total Total Male Female Male. Female. over 18. over 18. _Paper-making._ 1895 Factories 21,263 11,008 18,271 8,935 1896 " 22,091 11,744 18,777 9,403 1897 " 22,174 11,309 19,086 9,138 1898-99(a) " 22,340 11,506 19,158 9,197

_Bookbinding._ 1895 Factories 11,791 16,098 9,304 10,802 1896 " 13,300 17,159 10,580 11,498 1897 " 14,661 20,877 11,705 13,985 1898-99(a) " 14,893 22,555 12,046 14,653

_Letter-press Printing._ 1895 Factories 104,162 19,974 80,232 12,699 1896 " 104,860 20,634 80,719 12,732 1897 " 100,629 14,473 79,124 8,725 1898-99(a) " 102,800 13,348 81,598 8,283

_Lithography, Engraving and Photography._ 1895 Factories 12,789 4,516 9,024 2,735 Workshops 2,226 1,425 1,494 943 1896 Factories 14,854 5,252 10,572 3,076 Workshops 3,116 2,146 2,224 1,437 1897 Factories 17,960 6,278 12,867 3,451 Workshops 2,794 2,115 2,076 1,477 1898-99(a) Factories 17,737 6,457 12,727 3,522

_Machine Ruling._ 1895 Factories 664 482 408 170 Workshops 233 134 97 45 1896 Factories 981 599 594 197 Workshops 269 168 135 59 1897 Factories 1,764 1,414 1,115 538 Workshops 322 166 163 57 1898-99(a) Factories 2,062 1,571 1,328 534

_Paper Staining, Colouring and Enamelling._ 1895 Factories 4,254 983 2,916 540 Workshops 102 28 74 16 1896 Factories 4,468 1,065 3,114 577 Workshops 138 70 111 42 1897 Factories 4,795 1,368 3,395 784 Workshops 40 66 33 38 1898-99(a) Factories 4,874 1,320 3,529 746

_Envelope Making._ 1897 Factories 1,203 4,156 8 96 2,865 Workshops 37 292 25 191 1898-99(a) Factories 1,405 4,996 1,030 3,313

(a) Factories only.

These figures must not be compared with the census returns as they relate only to those establishments making reports to the Factory Inspectors under the Factory and Workshop Law.