Scotland in the nineteenth century

9. Industry

Section 9.15: Textile industry

"appointed to examine the petitions presented to the House, from the hand-loom weavers and to report their observations there upon to the House..."

The Committee heard evidence that 800,000 people depended on hand-loom weaving for subsistence. Much of the evidence examined came from Scotland, especially Glasgow and Paisley.

The reason for the large numbers employed in the weaving industry was given as the good wages earned after 1780 which, after the introduction of the fly-shuttle, had risen to nearly £100 a year. At this time weavers had risen to high places in society and many had entered the industry hoping those favourable conditions would return. The state of the industry had since been further depressed by the collapse of the Irish linen industry which produced a flood of immigrants into Scotland.

Witnesses all agreed that the numbers entering hand-loom weaving should be reduced and those from Scotland said that where possible weavers were entering the army, emigrating to the colonies or returning to agriculture, but no industries were able to take up the excess labour force.

Those examined from Glasgow said that there was full employment but the large numbers meant that all were very poor (pp. 41-60 and pp. 72-84). The average day was claimed to be 13 hours, with 6s 5d being earned for a six day week, from which a frame rent of 1s 5d was deducted.

Most of those giving evidence hoped a reduction in the number of weavers would mean a reduction in the hours of labour and an increase in the prices paid for their work.

[page 199]

Some Scottish witnesses were concerned that low wages had caused the splitting up of the family system in which the weavers' children worked with their parents and were educated at home. These children were instead sent to work on the power-looms where they received no education, were beaten and suffered a decline in morals.

The report contained information on Scottish hand-loom weavers (pp. iii and iv) and wages of weavers in various towns including Aberdeen, Glasgow and Paisley (p. xii)

Part IV contains the main body of the evidence relating to Scotland. Remedies proposed for the removal or alleviation of distress to the hand-loom weavers are analysed and include emigration, a board of trade to regulate wages, ways of reducing the number of operatives and the taxation of power-looms to make hand-looms more competitive (pp. 75-92).

The tables relating to Scotland (pp. 90-3) show the type of manufacturing being carried on in the counties and the number of factories in the county. The tables split the work force into those above and those workers below the age of 21 and into male and female workers. The group below 21 are further subdivided to show the age range of the work force.

The bleachers were petitioning against the Factory Act being applied to them. They claimed mainly to employ Irish girls who were mostly over 16, although some were as young as 9. The girls lived in the house of the factory master. Often they arrived in penury and left a few years later with clothes and enough money to set out in life. A girl leaving was usually replaced by her younger sister or other relative. Those under 16 usually worked with their father.