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24
In slum districts the mothers often worsen their prospects by
marriage. Before marriage they may earn from twenty to twentyfive
shillings per week. After marriage they may have a very
hard struggle to keep out of debt.
Mothers with six or eight children may receive from their
husbands exactly the same money as they did when they were first
married and had no children to keep. These are the mothers who
pawn their own or borrowed goods on Monday and redeem them
on Saturday. These are the mothers who have recourse to the
women money-lenders of mean streets. The usual charge is one
penny per week for every shilling lent.
Several mothers were insufficiently fed during pregnancy, during
the lying-in, and during the period of suckling. During the
lying-in some were entirely dependent upon the good services of
neighbours who brought them occasional cups of tea.
Some mothers were ill-treated, and disfigured by their husbands.
Some were thin,, anæmic, consumptive, overworked, and overdone
with child bearing. Nearly all the mothers drank ale or stout
"to keep and improve their breast milk." It is very likely that
hot water would be equally efficacious.
Some of the wages paid to mothers for homework were as
follows :—
Box making for tooth picks 1s. 6d. per gross.
Box making for laces 1s. 9d. per gross.
Bookfolding l0d. per 1,000 sheets.
Tie making 5d. and 6d. per doz. ties.
Blouse making 3s. per dozen blouses.
Mantle making 7d. each.
Making knickerbockers l½d. each.
Making one pint paper bags 6d. per 1,000.
Putting 20 press studs on a card 5d. per gross of cards.
Sewing leather ends to braces 5d. for 6 dozen.
The lot of the home worker is sometimes very hard and grievous.
Burdened with housework, with the care and feeding of young
children, worried with the arrears of rent and the prospect of