Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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(8) Manufacture of brass and of any articles or parts of articles
of brass (including in the term brass any alloy or compound of
copper with zinc or tin;
(9) Fur-pulling;
(10) Making of iron and steel cables and chains;
(11) Making of iron and steel anchors and grapnels;
(12) Making of cart gear, including swivels, rings, loops, gearbuckles,
mullin bits, hooks, and attachments of all kinds;
(13) Making of locks, latches, and keys.
(14) Making or repairing of umbrellas, sunshades, parasols, or parts
thereof;
(15) Making of artificial flowers;
(16) Making of nets other than wire nets;
(17) Making of tents;
(18) Making or repairing of sacks;
(19) Covering of raquet or tennis balls;
(20) Making of paper bags;
(21) Making of boxes or other receptacles or parts thereof made
wholly or partially of paper, card-board, chip, or similar
material;
(22) Making of brushes;
(23) Pea-picking;
(24) Feather sorting;
(25) Carding, boxing, or packeting of buttons, hooks and eyes, pins,
and hair pins;
(26) Making of stuffed toys;
(27) Making of baskets;
(28) Manufacture of chocolates or sweets;
(29) The making or filling of cosaques. Christmas crackers, Christmas
stockings, or similar articles or parts of articles;
(30) The weaving of any textile fabric;
(31) And any processes incidental to the above.
There are two types of outworker. There are those who take in work not
only for themselves but sometimes for the whole family and other individuals.
Such a contracting outworker is really then a secondary factory owner and comes
under supervision, not only as a person employing outworkers, but also as a
factory owner. In this latter capacity the responsibilities of the Council will
depend on whether he employs power or not.
The other type of outwork is that undertaken by an individual in his own
home, and probably a better term here would be "homework". There is little but
good to say for such homework. It fulfils a useful function, both for the
employer and the worker, and offers some people, especially the housewife with
one child, the disabled and the elderly, a chance to add to the family income
and increase domestic comfort whilst working at times convenient to the
out-worker. Weekly earnings vary according to the ability of the worker and the
time that can be spared for the work.
There has been no evidence of overcrowding, and the conditions of the homes
appear to depend not on whether the women do homework but on whether they are
good housewives.
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