The Woman’s Signal was a weekly British feminist magazine published by Marshall & Son, London, from 4 January 1894 to 23 March 1899. It was edited by Lady Henry Somerset, Annie Holdsworth and Florence Fenwick-Miller. Although primarily a temperance paper, it dealt with several feminist issues including fair wages, working conditions and equality for women.
During its first year in November 1894, one of their reporters , a Miss Irwin travelled the length and breath of Britain, documenting and writing articles for the paper, one such observation being made when she passed through Blantyre. In the magazine, the following,
“On the outskirts of Blantyre, Miss Irwin found a number of girls engaged in picking stones and rubbish from the coal as it comes up to the pit’s mouth. No accommodation is provided for them beyond the rickety sheds where they work in all weathers. These sheds, which are neither wind nor water-tight, are set on a sort of scaffolding, and are approached by precipitous ladders.”
“The girls earn only from 1s 4d. to 1s 6d. a day, working five days a week from between eight and nine hours each day. Despite dirt and roughness, the employment of women here is increasing, as the manager finds them steadier and more regular in their attendance than the boys. It is impossible, however to give anything approaching to an adequate conception of the area of Miss Irwin’s investigations. From the factories and the collieries she passed on to the tailors, brushmakers, and umbrella shops, to the manufacturers of sewing-machines and tobacco, the potteries, lead and colour-works, dressmaking, rag-picking, rope-teasing, sack-sewing, etc, her report is a perfect industrial microcosm.”
Ai imagines what Miss Irwin might have seen.
On Social Media, the following comments were received on Facebook:
Agnes Vorsterman My gran Agnes Mackie sorted the coal at the coal face in High Blantyre. It would have been about that time. My Grampa John Mackie was a miner. Thanks for the photo.
Anthony Smith I very much doubt they would have worn protective clothing or gloves.