“The Labourer is worthy of his Hire.”
At a General Meeting of Plain Silk Framework-knitters, held at the Fox Owl Inn, Derby, December 9th, 1811, to take into consideration the Grievances under which they labour, it was unanimously Resolved, that every means in their power should be employed to stop the progress of future Impositions upon their Manufacture, and that a Statement of their Case be once submitted to their Employers, with an application for immediate Redress.
GENTLEMEN HOSIERS,
GALLED by the pressure of unprecedented times, we cannot any longer main indifferent to our common interest as men. As a body of ingenious artizans employed on materials of great value; pent up in a close shop fourteen or hours a day; (a confinement prejudicial to many constitutions), having under our constant care a machine confessedly difficult, from the construction of its principles, to preserve in good condition, and allowed to be one of the first productions of British genius; devoting our time and abilities alone, to adorn the rich and great, we conceive ourselves entitled to a higher station in society; and that in point of emolument, we ought to rank with mechanics of the first eminence. If the position be admitted that one calling is more respectable than another, surely the making of Silk Stockings is an employment, both in point of value and elegance of the article, highly respectable; and considering our manufacture is consumed alone by the opulent, it ought to produce a competence adequate to the just wants of our families.
About thirty years ago, a Silk Stocking-maker obtained a decent subsistence; but since that time we have had to contend with two great drawbacks upon our necessary comforts, the one is imposition upon our manufacture, the other a tripled augmentation in the price of nearly every article we consume. That has crept upon us by a slow and imperceptible motion; this by bold and rapid strides; each at once aiming the blow that has laid us prostrate beneath every other mechanic in this part of the empire.
To prove that we have imposition upon our manufacture, we must advert to its originally established order, that has, till now, stood inviolate for nearly two centuries. By its established order, we mean the gauges of our frames: by these alone we ascertain the quality of a silk stocking, and in proportion to the number of gauges, our wages have been regulated for nearly two hundred years; these always remaining sacred between the employer and his workmen. In most articles of plain silk, one shilling for two extra gauges was generally given; that is to say, from a 24 to a 26 gauge, one shilling extra; from a 26 to a 28 gauge, one shilling extra, and so on in proportion. Is it not an imposition then to be compelled to make 24 work on a 26 gauge, for the price of a 24 gauge? Is it not a still greater imposition to be compelled to make 24 work on a 27 or 28 gauge, without a remuneration? As the price stands at present, we are losing from nine-pence to one shilling and nine-pence per pair, the quality of the work being nearly equal to the gauge. That these impositions exist we presume no Hosier will take upon him to deny; neither do we pretend to charge any individual amongst them as being the author of them. We are at a loss to know where to fix the stigma (too much blame being due to ourselves for not watching better over the trade) as each striving to manufacture on the lowest terms, makes us little better than mere engines to support a jealous competition in the market. The average earnings of plain silk hands are indeed too well known to you, to be a very small pittance for the maintenance of a wife and two or three children; they do not exceed 10s. 6d. per week: if some average 15s. per week, this will do very little for a family. Three shillings at least must go for house-rent and taxes—one shilling for coal—one shilling and sixpence for soap and candles, for himself and family; and if he has a wife and three children he must have one stone and a half of flour, which is at least six shillings more; here we see the poor fellow has left three shillings and sixpence to provide all other necessaries of life.
It is not very discouraging to us to know that the shoe-maker has doubled his wages within the last twenty years, that the tailor has done nearly the same, and the labourer who had about that time six shillings per week has now eighteen shillings? Whenever any other class of mechanics turn out for an advance of wages, so far as we are concerned in the consumption of their particular manufacture, it has a direct tendency to diminish our’s; while at the same time the price of our labour, to our great mortification, is fatally doomed to be stationary. If a mechanic in any branch of business either increases his hours of labour, or takes a piece of work extra to what he has been accustomed to do, justice, reason, and honor, demand an adequate remuneration. But alas! how far different this with a Silk Stocking-maker! Instead of our wages increasing with the price of provision (which ought to be the case under every civil government) we are generally making stockings one shilling under their real quality. The time is now when it is impossible for us to go any longer in a contented condition, under present circumstances. The imperious dictates of human nature impel us to raise up a manly voice in our own behalf: governed by every principle of right towards you, acknowledging that due deference to your superior station, yet loudly calling your attention to our present case. Much encouraged by the late address to the trade, from the Gentlemen Hosiers in Nottingham, we avail ourselves of this auspicious moment, fully believing that you see the necessity of an amelioration of our wretched condition. Hedged in by a combination act, we cannot say to you as a public body, that we demand an advance of wages, but we can say JUSTICE DEMANDS that we should receive a remuneration for extra labour: this is all we want, and until it is obtained, nothing but complaints will be found to exist amongst us.
It cannot reasonably be expected that we shall obtain a full remuneration for the impositions on our manufacture AT ONCE; probably this will be a work of some time: therefore we have fixed upon SIXPENCE per pair on all sorts of silk hose; at the same time observing that we consider this a very paltry consideration indeed, compared with the alarming high price of provisions, and the repeated advances all other mechanics have received in their wages. This partial remuneration for extra labour, as we may justly call it, we have every reason to believe may on your part with great ease be ceded; knowing some little of men and things, we certainly conclude that not one pair less of silk stockings will be worn. If a poor man is obliged now to give three shillings and sixpence more for a pair of shoes than he did in time past, is it unreasonable that a gentleman out of his fortune should give sixpence extra for a pair of silk stockings, when at the same time there is a shilling extra in labour upon them? Instead of complaining, we might suppose he would rather say, ‘Let the ingenious live.’
During the last twenty years, while provision has been so rapidly advancing, we have seen it our duty frequently to petition you for an advance in wages. In 1805, we attained twopence per pair: although you certainly granted us a favour, we were very much disgusted with the smallness of the advance. You told us if you raised the price of our labour, (and you always tell us so) the French would undersell us in the market. Considering the high repute of British manufacture, we have reason to hope this would not be the case; an allowed preference always being given to it. And we observe that a branch of commerce that must be spun out of our very bowels, to support a competition with the trash produced by the French manufacture, rather than its being an ornament to our national glory, is to us as individuals; and makes us regret the day that ever doomed us to be Plain Silk Stocking-makers.
Gentlemen, there is every reason in the world to prove that a remuneration ought and must take place. Several Hosiers in this town have openly avowed its necessity. The high price of provision is on our side, reason, honer, morality, philanthropy, necessity, justice, your own interest, as being accountable to the Almighty, the practicability of the case, the combination act, and the general sufferage of mankind; all declare that we ought to be remunerated for extra labour.
Gentlemen, being invited by some of you to state our grievances, we have used great plainness on the subject; well knowing that this will prevail, when acts of violence would render us detestable to mankind.
In order to prevent any future imposition on our manufacture, we have drawn up the following Statement, by which we mean to abide.
RESOLVED— That all Hose shall be marked with the Figures in the Welt according to what they are.
Women’s Jacks . | Men’s Jacks. | Price of Women’s. | Price Men’s. | ||||
S. | D. | S. | D. | ||||
24.......…120… | 128 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
26.......…128… | 138 | 26 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 1 | |
28.......…138… | 150 | 28 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2 | |
30.......…150… | 162 | 30 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 2 | |
32.......…162… | 174 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 2 | |
34.......…174… | 186 | 34 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 2 | |
36.......…186… | 198 | 36 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 2 | |
24 narrowed down 1 plain, 14 jacks in women’s, 16 in men’s, 14 bindings in in women’s heels, 5 in men’s, 5 bindings in in women’s bottoms, 6 in men’s.
26 narrowed down 1 plain, 15 jacks in women's, 17 in men's, 5 bindings in in women's heels, 6 in men's, 6 binding's in in women's bottoms, 7 in men's.
28 narrowed down 2 plain, 17 jacks in women's, 19 in men's, 6 bindings in in women's heels, 7 in men’s, 7 bindings in in women's bottoms, 8 in men's.
30 narrowed down 2 plain, 19 jacks in women's, 21 in men's, 7 bindings in in women's heels, 8 in men’s, 8 bindings in in women's bottoms, 9 in men's.
32 narrowed down 2 plain, 21 jacks in women's, 23 in men's, 8 bindings in in women's heels, 9 in men's, 9 bindings in in women's bottoms, 10 in men's.
34 narrowed down 2 plain, 23 jacks in women's, 27 in men's, 10 bindings in in women's heels, 11 in men's, 1 bindings in in women's bottoms, 11 in men's.
36 narrowed down 2 plain, 25 jacks in women's, 27 in men's, 10 bindings in in women's heels, 11 in men's, 1 bindings in in women's bottoms, 12 in men's.
24 and 26 half size, 4 jacks--28 and upwards 6 jacks.
Any alteration in the above width to be paid for accordingly.
We expect and trust the above remuneration for extra labour, together with these regulations, take place on the 1st of January, 1812.
From the Derby Committee of Plain Silk Hands.
This proclamation was published in the Nottingham Review of the 20th December 1811. Kevin Binfield (2004, p.80) has pointed out that the epigram introducing the address is from Luke 10:7, a section of the Bible which contains passages that presage a shift from peaceful means to possible violence, a tone which is resonant throughout the address.
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