| Full Transcript- source 3 |
| These are witness statements included in Lord Ashley's 1842 report. The first statement was made by Mr Wood and the second was made by Mr Sadler. [s=shilling; d=penny] |
| (Catalogue ref: ZHC 2/79; p 1338) “I strongly disapprove of females being in pits; the female character is totally destroyed by it; their habits and feelings are altogether different; they can neither discharge the duty of wives nor mothers. I see the greatest difference in the homes of those colliers whose wives do not go into the pits” “One reason why women are used so frequently in the coal-pits
is, that a girl of twenty will work for 2s. a day, or less, and
a man of that age would want 3s. 6d. It makes little difference to the coal master; he pays the
same whoever does the work. Some would say he got his coal cheaper,
but I am not of that opinion; the only difference is, that the collier
can spend 1s. to 1s 6d. more at the alehouse.” |
