Introduction
Archive reference numbers: Booth A3-A30, B82-161
The industry series gathered data concerning trades and industries by questionnaires and interviews of workers, trade union leaders and employers. Statistics, charts and tables were then compiled and later presented in the five published volumes of the survey which are organised by trade in the final edition of Life and Labour of the People in London. The last of these volumes makes comparisons and conclusions between the trades.
The following trades and industries were covered by the survey [archive reference numbers in square brackets]:
- building trade [Booth A3-A5]
- wood workers [Booth A2, A6–8, B82-B87]
- metal workers [Booth A9, B88-B89]
- precious metals, watches and instruments [Booth A10-A11, B90-B91]
- sundry manufacturers [Booth A12- 15, B92-B98]
- printing and paper trades [Booth A16-A17, B99-B104]
- textile trades [Booth A18, B105-B107]
- clothing trades [Booth A2, A19–20, B108-B115]
- food and drink trades [Booth A21-A22, B116-B135]
- dealers and clerks, transport and gardeners [Booth A23, B136-B139]
- labourers [Booth A24 - A25, B140 - B146]
- public service and professional classes [Booth A26 - 28, B147 - B158]
- domestic service [Booth A29, B159 - B161]
- trade unions, hours of labour and rates of wages [Booth A30]
Click here to see the industrial classification used by the survey.
The questionnaires used to gather information are contained in the "A" series of the Booth Collection and interviews are contained in the "B" series.
This is an example of an industry interview with Mrs Bunten, fur cape liner, 15 September [1893] , pages 62-65 of Booth B96, from the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
Industrial classification
Click here to view the industrial classification system on a separate page.
Questionnaires
The main questionnaires used by the industrial survey are:
- rates of wages
- number of persons employed at various rates of wages
- trade union questionnaire
- domestic questionnaire
- busy and slack week questionnaire
Rates of wages questionnaire
Contains rates of wages, regularity of work, trade declining or improving, methods of training.
This example of a questionnaire concerning portmanteau makers is page 7 of Booth A14, from the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
Numbers of persons employed at various rates of wages questionnaire
Contains rate of wages, number of people paid this rate and whether they are men, women, lads, boys or apprentices.
This example of a questionnaire concerning a firm of engineers, lock and bag-frame manufacturers is page 68 of Booth A14, from the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
Trade union questionnaire
Contains information concerning: formation of society; proportion of unionist and non-unionists and whether they work together; relations between employer and employee; recognised boards of conciliation; number of hours worked and rates of wages recognised by the union; regularity of work and busy and slack periods; overtime; employment during slack periods; shifting of workers between trade and employers; and recognised methods of training and conditions of admission to society.
This example from a questionnaire concerning the Light Leather Shavers Trade Society is page 50 of Booth A14, from the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
Domestic questionnaire
Contains questions concerning residence of workers, meals while at work, dress code, societies to which workers belong and earnings of wives.
This example from a questionnaire concerning the leather trade is page 126 of Booth A14, from the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
Busy and slack week questionnaire
Contains indication of trade of workers, number of workers, wages, hours worked, whether paid according to time or piece and hours of full working week during busy and slack weeks.
This example from a questionnaire concerning the leather trade is page 77 of Booth A14, from the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
Stepney Union workhouse records
Archive reference numbers: Booth B162-168
These notebooks differ from the rest of the industry series notebooks. They are transcriptions of Stepney Union case books. They record detailed case histories of the inmates of Bromley and Stepney workhouses and of people who received outdoor relief from the union. This material will be particularly useful to family historians. The name and age (or birth date) of all individuals mentioned have been included in the descriptions of these volumes.
This is an example of a page from one of these notebooks, from B167 page 1234 of the Booth Collection at the Archives Division of the British Library of Political and Economic Science.
For more records relating to Stepney Union workhouse contact London Metropolitan Archives.
Industry series
