Source: File: Army clothing factory.jpg, 2015. 'Their Majesties Visit to an Army Clothing Factory',
1916, Horace Nicholls National Media Museum As official Home Front photographer, Horace
Nicholls took this photograph of a royal visit to an army clothing
factory in 1916. It shows the sheer number of working women required for the
war effort'. [online] Available at:<http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/Collection/CollectionSelections/TheFirstWorldWarOnCamera.aspx> [Accessed: 10
February 2015].
Source: File: ww1 British '02 Pattern 'utility' service dress.jpg, 2014. 'An
extremely rare WW1 British other ranks ‘02 ’utility’ pattern service dress
tunic. This is the simplified ‘02 pattern tunic as manufactured late 1915 and
through to the latter stages of 1916 to save basically on uniform material.' [online] Available at:<http://www.monsmilitaryantiques.co.uk/viewitem.php?id=1463> [Accessed:
10 February 2015].
i
An official inquirer arrived in
Leeds, Yorkshire,
Regarding possible delays in the
manufacture
Risk of British Army uniforms - only
to be told
That there was to be no strike - all
was settled.
The situation had been building up
to the night
Of Monday 8 February, when two sides
met -
The employers and the operatives
then sat,
Until a resolution, in the late
hour, was finally set.
A proclamation was made of the Leeds
Branched
Members, of the Amalgamated Union of
Clothiers -
To condemn Leeds wholesale employers
in their
Failings to comply in a reached
prior agreement.
This had taken place on Friday 29
January 1915,
By the sub-joint committee - whose
continued
Belief was upheld, for the necessity
and uniformity
Pay rates, for all contracted
Governmental Khaki.
An appreciation is made known for
piece rates -
Already greatly increased through
AUOC actions.
While the greater membership created
a pledge
To support financially and morally
for equal pay.
ii
The many changes imposed by war
conditions
Had affected all the clothing trade,
felt all about
The country by the first few weeks
of 1915
As in Leeds needing to adjust to
occupations.
Until the Month of August, in 1914,
skilled works
Of women operatives were occupied by
men's
Bespoke tailoring - whereby
processes of London
Shops, or other areas, displayed
their suit patterns.
It followed that the customer was
firstly measured,
For the final suit to be cut and
completed in Leeds.
At that time those skilled women
workers earned
30s weekly, to look down on
ready-made machinists.
Then a war situation brought
necessitated changes
In the production need, for uniforms
to be made
With speed - this then led to the
War Office to take
Outside contractors, who could
also sub contract.
It then became highlighted for the
Fair Wages Act
Needing to be observed - for a
skilled machinist
Could easily earn 40s a week –
murmurs began,
Of dissatisfaction, among the women
workers.
iii
Up to 4000 workers felt a right to
their grievance -
With result of two meetings, leading
to decisive
Request to ask the Leeds Wholesale
Clothiers
Association, to meet with Union of
operatives.
This was to seek and arrange upon a
pay scale
For all machinists, finishers, pressers
to take
Account of sewing costs, for all
contract works -
The suggested rate was 3s 11/2d for
simplified
Tunics and 1s 2d for simplified
trousers created.
These employers referred to as 'the
masters,’
Had tended to play down the
agitation as not
Being very sincere – while the
Unions purpose
Is to build up the women members’
confidence.
While women had been kept wary of
unionism,
It was known that one employer, felt
the union
Officials out to make trouble -
noting how that
Sub-contractors may not give a full
wage packet.
Possibly a fact was that general
rate might prove
Difficult; due to varying conditions
of many factories.
How up to date equipment would have
advantages
To workers, than those in a firm
with old machines.
iv
In addition the varied skills for
different processes -
One firm may give higher rate for
finishing and less
For pressing, than another firm
- a tunic will then
Pass through processes 8 or 9 times
to completion.
As uniforms for field service would
take a greater
Process - from an independent
opinion, the khaki
Workers on average were earning far
more than
Prior to war - so for them war was a
good situation.
In a witness to one of the bigger
firms that turn
Out army clothing, an addition of
sub division
Labour was felt small – centred on
the creating
Simple tunic and trousers, for an
army in training.
Under peace time situation, the
great Leeds factory
Had quickly turned out thousands of
suits weekly.
While the area for lads and boys
bespoke suits,
Had turned to tacking up army
trouser and tunics.
v
The first stage was to set up fifty
Khaki layers,
Onto which was traced chalk outlines
of sleeves,
Pockets, front, back, then against a
knife vertically
Set to cut the stack, over the
lines, with rapidity.
These pieces were piled up and
carried quickly
Across to the various stages, set
out in the factory.
Variety of machinists worked on the
uniforms - As
In two girls on machines, turning up
trouser hems.
Such girls, expertly earn 40s a week
- while
On the upper floor are seen rows of
machine
Operators, who work under the
electric lights -
Ladies in overalls, with their hair
in neat styles.
These girls, matronly and comely,
use dexterity
In completing all buttonholes with
close accuracy
The eyes of the button holers',
guide the cloth
Under cutters and needles, in a
threads width.
Government supplied buttons, being
stamped
With regimental badges, are
carefully sewed
By hand - carried out with
regulation number
Of stitches sewn in a strict,
particular manner.
vi
Within one eighth of an inch to it’s
designated
Place - orders of buttons to be
officially passed,
So that when a company of men are in
lines,
They do not wear a wavering line of
buttons.
Finally trousers and tunics once
being formed
Reach the sorting room - in order to
suit varied
Proportions of men, the tall, the
short, the lanky
And muscular - yet without mention
of the podgy.
Then a game is played, to quantify
and match
Ten fittings. So the right trouser
fits the right tunic
With an added matter, of varied
Khaki shades
Used - calling for practiced eyes of
the sorters.
Once done the uniforms are baled and
packed.
No doubt a collective sigh that the
strike that had
Been averted, as an inspector saw
the uniforms go
In Transport, to the Army Clothing Factory,
Pimlico.
This uniform factory of Leeds was as
an example,
Of how close problems for the Board
of Trade
Could be, if an other industries had
then followed
To effect military equipment being
processed.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1915. Khaki Strike – Settlement
Reached – women’s Work at Leeds. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 1 Jan. P.2. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11393562/Daily-Telegraph-February-10-1915.html [Accessed: 1 February 2015].
Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 10 February 2015).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Leeds
