Death and disease behind the counter / by Thomas Sutherst.

  • Sutherst, Thomas.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Death and disease behind the counter / by Thomas Sutherst. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    15/304 (page 3)
    the most trying circumstances, for, although suffering intensely from overwork, they have never resorted to intimidation, or unworthy means of any kind, in the vindication of their natural rights. Notwithstanding the tendency there is to impress almost every public question with the stamp of one or other of the great political parties of the State, I trust that no one will be tempted to look at this question from a party point of view. Humanity should be above party. My single aim accordingly is to endeavour to conserve the health of those who are unable to protect it themselves, by, in the first place, appealing to those natural sentiments of humanity and justice which in- variably come to the rescue of the oppressed when properly sought by deserving suppliants. THE LONG HOURS. I believe I am within the mark in stating that the majority of shop-assistants in this country work from seventy-five to ninety hours in every week. Of that majority one-fourth work the full ninety hours per week, two-fourths eighty hours per week, and the remaining fourth seventy-five hours per week. The minority excluded from this calculation is composed for the most part of those who are employed in large establish- ments in fashionable localities, where, as a rule, the hours are, without doubt, easy and reasonable. It would, therefore, so far as they are concerned, seem to be needless to interfere with shop labour, unless, of course, the assistants are kept behind the counter unreasonably long after the doors are closed. This I am given to understand is no uncommon thing even in certain large establishments, whose proprietors do not scruple to take credit for magnanimity by pretending to release their assistants at an earlier hour than other people. However this may be, I have to deal with the great majority who unquestionably stand and work from thirteen to seventeen hours a day. They go into the shop early in the morning, and there they remain until eight, nine, and ten o’clock on five days of the week, and until midnight and even later on a Saturday. The bodily exhaustion resulting from such protracted labour would be somewhat lessened if there was a fixed and sufficient cessation of toil allowed for meals, so that the assistants might at all events rely upon a temporary respite from the wasting fatigue of intermin-