THIS TAPE HAS BEEN RECORDED ON THE 16TH OF NOVEMBER 1978 AT 14 STONEYBANK ROAD, EARBY. THE INFORMANT IS FRED INMAN, TACKLER AND THE INTERVIEWER IS STANLEY GRAHAM.
Tape 71/AH/10.
This tape follows straight on from 78/AH/09. When you left school had you any other idea in your head of doing anything else other than weaving and following your dad tackling.
R- No.
Nothing at all.
R- No.
If you had wanted to do something else, was there anything else in Earby that you could have done?
R- Well there were just one thing. I went to woodwork at school and that woodwork teacher said if I stuck to woodwork he’d find me an apprentice's job in woodworking. Well, I had no interest in it at all, although I say it meself, I were fairly good at the job then and he must have seen sommat good in me when he offered that but me father allus said both me and me brother, we’d to learn to weave whether we wanted or not and then it were allus there were weaving. If there were owt else came on, well go to it. Well he never really did like weaving but there were never really owt else cropped up.
You say your dad didn't really like weaving?
R- No, me brother.
Oh your brother, yes, sorry.
R- Like I did. I liked it all through but he didn't. Although he were a good weaver and a good worker. And then after the strike in thirty two he didn't get back weaving he went back sweeping and he were sweeping when he got called up into the army. When he came back out of army he swept for a bit and then he got a job what he liked. He got it given at less wage than what he were earning. But he got what he wanted then.
When you say he never got back weaving, he went back sweeping, was that because he’d been involved with union activities or something like that?
R- Well they were all on four loom and then the strike came and they all went on six loom. Well so many had to finish.
Ah. So when we’re talking about the 1932 strike, what we're talking about is the start of the more looms system.
R- Well there were so many weavers had to finish in a mill. And he were one of ‘em.
Aye well we'll get on to… Well, I don't know, this is as good a time as any. This is as good a time as any Fred. You tell me in your own words, first of all, tell me what the more looms system was.
R- Well in one way it were supposed to cheapen production. And they had a stamp to pay had the employer [insurance stamp for each weaver] Well if they'd twelve loom
(50)
they'd three weavers on and they'd three stamps. Well if you went on more looms, if they'd twelve loom they'd only two weavers on. That meant that they were saving a stamp there and I suppose all them little bits counted.
So in other words it was the employers that wanted to put weavers on to more looms than they had been on before so that they had less expenses. Now in point of fact would that have raised the weavers wages?
R- Slightly, but the wage list were altered and it didn't really make above a shilling or two, happen a couple of shillings a week more. But they hadn't to sweep, they got a sweeper on and in the wage structure they'd, well half a crown a week knocked out of their wages to pay the sweeper. But wi’ not having to sweep themselves they could keep the six loom running better and probably that made ‘em more wage.
So in theory they could make that half crown.
R- They could make that half crown.
Did they do anything else to improve the weaver’s conditions besides that?
R- They slowed the looms down a little bit.
From what to what?
R- I wouldn't like to say figures 'cause they varied at different mills. I wouldn't like to say what they were. But they were supposed to slow 'em down and then they gave ‘em a little bit longer package of weft and it were supposed to make it equal to when they had four looms.
(5 mins)
R- They'd no more work than what they had.
Now when they give ‘em that longer weft package that ud mean altering the shuttle's wouldn't it?
R- Yes.
Now I'm going to lead you on a bit here because it's something I've already done a lot about with Ernie. A longer shuttle means that unless the box is altered it makes it more difficult to time a loom doesn’t it, because obviously your shuttle’s longer. Did anybody in Earby put extensions on their boxes, or did they get away without?
R- Well, in this instance they only put half an inch on. It were half an inch longer were the cop than what it were before.
Which instance is this Fred, when you say this instance.
R- When they went from four loom to six loom.
Yes.
R- And then later on, as we say, these theory men came in and if you get a longer package they'll still have less work. And when I worked at what they call the silk place, they had some extended box ends on there.
(100)
Aye, which were the silk place?
R- It were in a mill, another mill what used to be what they called the Seal Manufacturing Company at one time. It were just a little place, two hundred loom or sommat like that.
Did they once weave at Coates at Barlick?
R- No.
When they started up, when Seal Manufacturing started up have you any idea who started it?
R- A bit, what they called Jackson and Thornton.
I have an idea Fred that they used to be up at Coates, whether they were manufacturing there or whether they were working there I'm not sure, but I have an idea that they used to be up at Coates Mill. It's a bit of a mystery is this Seal Manufacturing Company. There's a lot of people don't know anything about it. Course if it was only a small unit. How long did they last Fred?
R - Oh they'd be one of first to go out when slump came.
Yes. Anyway to get back to more looms. So what they did, they put sweepers on for 'em, they lengthened the yarn package a bit which would lessen the shuttling on that loom wouldn't it.
R- Yes.
The shuttle ud last longer. They slowed the looms down. Now when they'd done all this… Oh those ud still be kissing shuttles?
R- Yes, aye they were still kissers.
Yes. How about carrying cloth?
R- Oh they had to do that there selves. They’d to pull their own pieces off and carry 'em in warehouse.
When they went on to six loom were they still plaiting cloth on the loom or were they taking it off on rollers.
R- Oh no, on the loom.
Yes. When was the first time you ever saw cloth taken off the loom on the roller, can you remember?
R- Wel1 I knew they did it at Johnsons but I'd never woven there. But when I went to this silk place they took 'em off on rollers. But where I'd worked at up to then like, it were all to pull 'em off had weavers.
Yes, Is there any advantage in taking it off on the roller?
R- Well it’s a lot quicker isn’t it.
Yes, well I can’t understand really why they didn't do that all the time you know, it seems to me that, I mean it was the old manufacturers idea, to keep the looms running and surely it would have paid them to invest in the rollers.
R- Spare rollers.
So that they could have got the advantage. It's always puzzled me a little bit that Fred really.
R- Aye they could have done, couldn't they.
Aye. But you know, knowing these old manufacturers you know, they’d have a reason for it, they weren’t daft.
R- Aye they would wouldn't they.
(150) (10 Mins)
I don't really know what the reason was, I can’t think what the reason was. Anyway, so when was that, the Seal Manufacturing Company, when were you working for them?
R- Well, I worked for a firm what went into the mill where they worked. I didn't work for them. No, because they went out in about 1927 or 28..
Oh, so you saw cloth being taken off the loom on rollers say about 1925.
R- No, I went to work in that mill and then another firm took it on. And it were this other firm then what took it out on rollers. I didn’t go into this silk firm until, well, 1948. It were 1948 when I saw it first. Although I know they were doing it at Johnsons 'cause that big gauze stuff, they couldn’t pull it off on the looms.
Aye that's it, with it being so thin.
R- It ud have taken 'em half an hour to pull a thousand yards off, they couldn't do it.
Aye, that's it. And did they do anything else for the weavers? How about things like weft carriers and trap hands and spare weavers, you know owt like that.
R- Not when they were on six looms. But when they started giving 'em more looms then they started with extra help.
Yes, so then they were carrying their own weft.
R- Yes.
Let’s talk now about when you first went to work and you were working up at Albion Mill, not Albion.
R - New Road, at Bracewell Hartley’s.
New Road, Brook Shed aye. You'd be carrying your own weft there when you were on two looms?
R - Yes.
Where did you have to bring it from?
R- Out of the warehouse. They were all in skips and boxes. They were all paste bottom cops, there were no tubes or anything like that, reight old time.
How did you go on wi’ broaching cops, were you all right?
R - Yes, 'cause this fella what taught me, he taught you that that were one of first things to do, put a cop on properly. And you could put it on and you just pulled a tail off at the top, one tail. And some on them you know, they used to, they couldn't do it and they used to pull lumps off the top. Where they'd have their waste tins fat, pushed down, this fella I learnt wi’, you could have got it in your hand nearly and he didn't throw any away. It were all genuine were his.
(200)
Tell me what you used to have to do with your waste.
R- Oh you'd to take it into the warehouse and put it on a table and there were a fella there looking in it to see if there were any big cop bottoms or any waste what there shouldn't be. And I mean it were a case, you could get sacked if you were making too much waste. But there were definitely an art in putting a cop on and you used to see some weavers and all their waistcoats down here were all worn away.
Just down the right hand side aye, that's it.
R- Well this fella [that taught me] you had to put 'em up here. You had to have 'em up above your head to put 'em on. And then you couldn't push it down. You skewered up.
Aye. I see what you mean.
R- Do you understand. Aye, well down here you know, they were waggling all ower and they .......
Aye that's it. So the idea was to push the skewer up through the cop and not push the cop down on to the skewer.
R- That's it aye, slowly. You know, you put it up like that and it were correct you could get a nice movement there.
Yes. Let it work it's way up the middle.
R- Well down here, well they kept banging their waistcoats and they were all cut in bits. And it were a habit they couldn’t get out on.
(15 mins)
Aye. And when you first started, we're still talking about when you first went into the mill, that's about 1921. Tell me about tramp weavers, you know and weavers in the warehouse in a morning.
R- Oh there were allus some weavers stood [In the warehouse], and anybody late you know, happen came late a time or two, well they’d put one of these weavers on and when the other weaver came, he [the tackler] just sent him home. And that were it.
Tell me what the actual thing was in a morning. You go in to work in a morning and you'd be stood at your looms when engine started.
R - Yes.
Where would the overlooker be?
R - Well he’d be sat down somewhere and then as soon as the engine started he’d get up and he’d come and walk into mill. He’d have a position where he could look down, he’d know whether all his weavers were there or not. But there were very, very few people late in them days. It were a pity if some on 'em were you know, well they might
(250)
have slept in, been wakened all night wi’ there children and just slept in. But it didn't matter, they'd have a weaver on. Wi’ some of tacklers, they didn't bother, just bang a weaver on and that were it. They'd a fifth of their wage gone there. I don't know, well they'd be going back home and taking their blooming sandwiches back and their tea in the tin. They must have felt soft somehow going back.
Aye. I've seen it happen at Bancroft you know. I remember once seeing a weaver come back, I can’t just remember who it were and what it was, they'd been off sick for a week or two and they came back on the Monday morning, and they never told Jim they were coming back. And I happened to be in the shed that morning and I can’t remember exactly who it were but it were a fairly old weaver you know, it ud be one that could remember the old days. And I saw her face when she walked up the broad alley and saw somebody on her looms, and do you know her face just went white.
R - Aye.
And she turned round and walked out, you know. She went straight up to Jim and of course Jim come down and took this weaver off and put her straight on. But you know it hurt that woman. It really hurt her when she saw somebody on her looms.
R- But there were a little bit of sommat about that, if you'd been off you'd got to tell them that you were coming back. Because there’d been a sick weaver on for happen a fortnight and that sick weaver naturally thought well they've never said owt and they're on them looms again at Monday morning. And then other weaver comes in and it gets to be a bit of an argument sometimes. Well you never said you were coming back. I could have getten on so and so if you'd have telled me. You know. probably there were another weaver going to be off and they might have moved ‘em up.
If somebody was off sick. Say you were weaving, just for argument’s sake you were weaving on four loom and you're poorly. What did you used to do? Did you let 'em know at the mill or did you set a sick weaver on yourself?
R- No. You let 'em know at the mill. And they put on who they thought.
That's it aye. So the sick weaver were actually nothing to do with the person that were off.
R- No.
Not like nowadays. Many a time you talk about a sick weaver and some of 'em, as I understand it, some of ‘em they pay the weaver themselves don’t they.
R - Yes. Well you used to have to do in them days if you were off for two days. That sick weaver what came on, they'd reckon up when the mark came up, how many hours they'd woven before the mark came up. It were a complicated do.
(300)
And you'd draw your wage ‘cause you'd worked more days in the week than them and then they'd say well I want so many hours for this and so many hours for that and it weren’t just a case of a shilling an hour you know. That might, the other piece might be a bit more money than that. Well they wanted more for that and that sort of thing. It were complicated and they had to fight it out between themselves had the weavers. They never did owt in the warehouse about it.
Aye that's it, unless you were off for over a week.
R- That’s it . Then you'd to, well this sick weaver ud say well that mark came up so and so and...
Aye, that's it, because they were paid on marks weren’t they.
R- Aye, it were all, they were paid on marks aye, it were all to reckon up. And as I say they didn't do owt in the warehouse, it were between the weavers every time.
Aye. Narthen sick weavers, we're on about sick weaving. Tramp weaving. Who were the tramp weavers?
R- Well they were more or less them what lived in models and travelled about. They were never happy with stopping in one place so long. I never saw so many but I’ve heard 'em say nearly all these tramp weavers were good weavers.
(20 mins)
But they never really wanted regular work. If they could get a day or two days they were quite satisfied and if you were, same as we were talking about reckoning marks up and that, well a tramp weaver ud happen work one day and that weaver then would pay him the equivalent to one days pay and they couldn't reckon marks up. These tramp weavers didn't want owt to do with reckoning marks up. They just wanted a day here and a day there. Easy reckoning for them. And they tell me they were all, biggest part were real tip top weavers. They could go into a plain shop, satins, dobbies, any sort of weaving.
Yes, when you come to think about it, that's quite possibly true. Well I say that, I’ve no doubt it is true because you’d have to be a good weaver to be a tramp weaver to make it do wouldn't you.
R- Yes, yes you had to, definitely.
Because you'd be in a different shop on different looms every day.
R- I've heard 'em talking, I think they used to get 'em up at Sough, well a coloured place up there. And they'd come round and they might say eh hell it's getten to the back end of November, so and so will be coming afore long. And it used to take 'em happen six month or twelve month to do their circle of working at different mills. And they really enjoyed it I think, get a days work and go in the model and get another day somewhere else. They were alright for beer and sleep then. And many a time somebody ud give 'em a sad cake, they'd have nowt for their breakfast, somebody ud give 'em a sad cake and let ‘em join wi’ their tea or sommat like that.
How were they regarded tramp weavers, I mean when all's said and done everybody knew if they were late one of these fellas would get on their looms. Did that lead to any ill feeling between the regular weavers and the tramp weavers?
R- No I don't think so.
No. If there was a queue in the warehouse, say there were seven weavers stood and there were three sets of looms. Did the first three weavers in the queue necessarily get those looms?
R - No. It depended on the tackler. He’d have an idea which were the best weavers. Then that’s a thing you’ve just brought up, there's seven weavers and there's three tacklers at this firm, and this weaver’s a really good weaver, he might not be first, he might be third. Well these tacklers used to go round and it were who could get out to warehouse first to get hold of the good weaver. And you know, they were allus cutting one another’s throats. [The tacklers]
Because a good weaver meant more wage for the tackler.
R- More wage for the tackler, that's it aye. And there’d be weavers going and standing every day and they hadn't a chance of getting on, not the slightest chance of getting on.
Would the reason for them not getting set on always be the fact that they were bad weavers?
R – Yes, they weren’t good enough. But when they were signing on they'd got to go looking for work and it didn't matter how bad they were you know. They might go to a tackler and say will you sign this card that I've been looking for work and some on 'em didn’t want work.
As long as they had their card signed that they'd been looking for work, so long as they could go back to the dole office and say that they'd been standing that morning.
R- That's it aye and they could get their dole then.
Yes. How did they draw their dole, did they draw it each day?
R- Once a week.
Aye.
Queue up for it.
Did you ever draw the dole?
R- Aye when I were played off, you know, for a week or half week, or sommat like that.
(25 mins)
What were it like drawing the dole?
R- Well they'd put a notice up in this mill, we'll be closed next week owing to trade. Well you'd to go and sign on then at Barlick at Monday, we’d to go to Barlick from Earby and then at Wednesday I think it were, you’d to go to a place at Earby, the Weavers Institute. They had a top room up there. You’d sign on again and then I think you went at Friday but you'd only draw three days dole. You'd three waiting days to put in. You’d sign on three times and you'd only get three days dole. But if the mill closed, you know, shut for a week within the space of about six weeks, well you had your waiting days in then. You'd draw for a week then. Well sometimes when trade were bad they worked it that way did some of the good bosses so you were in benefit, instead of letting it run over you know.
That's it yes.
R- And then you were in benefit.
Yes, but you had to sign on each day.
R- No, about three times a week.
Three times a week aye.
R- First time when you signed on you'd to go to Barlick. And sometimes you'd to go to Barlick again to draw your dole. They didn't allus pay you at Earby.
What was the attitude in the dole, you know.
R- Oh, just as though they were giving you their money, it were a rough do.
Yes. I've asked you that, now I don't think for one minute you would be biased but it’s a very touchy subject with a lot of people and I've do doubt that some people will play hell with the people at the dole when actually there was very little to play hell about. Honestly speaking Fred, would you say that there was that attitude in the dole, you know, that they were superior?
(450)
R- Yes 'cause you knew one or two on ‘em what were working in the dole office and you knew what sort of people they were. Just give 'em that bit of authority and that were it. There were one fella in particular he knew all the Earbyers and he were as good as gold, you know. No ifs and buts. He’d talk nicely and say sign here Fred and sign there Fred you know, like that. Or sign here Stanley, sign there Stanley. And he got pulled up, he were too good to the clients what were coming.
Who pulled him up?
R- The manager at the labour exchange. It weren’t his job, he’d to just throw this paper down and they'd to fill it up and if they didn’t fill it up right there were no money for ‘em when it went in. That were the attitude of some of them managers And these clerks, well some on ‘em you know, they were all in wi’ the manager and they just used to throw it down. 'Cause I had an instance of that. I'd gone and he said “Put your name there.” did one on 'em. So I put Fred Inman and it must have been two year after, I signed on again and I got this paper and filled it in and I put, signature F. Inman. And when I went to draw me dole he says “What’s this?” He says Fred Inman there, F. Inman here, “Are they two different fellas?” I said no, only I were told to put me name there, and now I saw signature, so I
put me signature. He says “Well you'll have to wait.” So I waits while they all get the money what were there. Then he says “You'll have to come to Barlick.” I says “When?” He says “Friday.” They were out at Thursday. I'd to go to Barlick, at Friday night, five o'clock at Barlick, just for that simple thing like that. And
he knew damn well that there were nowt wrong about it.
(500)
Aye.
R- The mill didn't close while half past five and I'd to be at Barlick at five o'clock. Luckily like, me mate says I’ll look on for you but I'd to go on the train, it cost me 4d. return to go on the train. And I’d only draw about 12 bob when I'd getten paid.
Aye. It ud come hard that Fred.
R- Yes, I didn't like it.
(30 mins)
No. I think, I’m not digging for things like that but you know, if they’re there I want to know and things like that you know, they'd really upset me.
R- And I weren’t the only one you know. You’d get up to them counter thinking of getting paid and “Oh nothing for you now, stand at back.” And them dole queue's in them days you know, you were stood at back for an hour. And you all went in order, alphabetical order and it were no use if you were a ‘W’ going wi’ ‘A’ or owt of that. Or it were no use you being ‘W’ and not being there and then getting mixed up further on. If you were ‘A’ and you went into ‘I’ you were late and you went to the back of the queue. I’m not saying owt wrong about that 'cause they had all the books there but there were no give and take at all, just “back of queue!” like that, you know.
Aye.
R- Good old days. But luckily like I didn’t sign on that much.
It makes you wonder where that attitude stemmed from. Whether it stemmed from the men from behind the counter or from higher up you know, whether that was the intention, to…
R - I think it were to put the wind up everybody.
Well to make them like inhospitable places, you know.
R- 'Cause I mean, nobody wants, well I’m saying nobody, there’d be very few wanted to sign on would there if they could work in them days.
Yes.
R- 'Cause after all, what were seventeen shilling.
It weren’t enough to live on Fred, that's sure and certain.
(550)
Wel1 I don’t know, we’d got on to more looms hadn’t we. We'll leave the rest
of the more looms job because obviously more looms set on, oh no, wait a
minute, 1932 strike, more looms strike. Now then how frequent were strikes in Barlick and in Earby.
R- Oh that were, I think that were only about second strike in my time. I couldn't remember the first, that were only the second strike as I know about.
Yes and who was out in 1932. Who was out?
R- Well, eventually all the mills were out. [ Not strictly true. Sough Bridge and Dotcliffe were not in the Manufacturer’s Association and kept working with non-union labour.]
Aye.
R- They all stopped but I think that Shuttleworth’s lot run as long as anybody. But like a funny thing were that weren’t it. You went out on strike, you didn't know who were going to finish. You knew so many were going to have to finish, they didn't know who, and probably some of them what come out on strike and happen stood about a bit picketing, well them were marked, they didn't get back at all.
That's it. Would you say there was a fair bit of victimisation in that way?
R- Oh yes.
Black listing 'em.
R- Aye.
Now that brings up one little thing. I know under the old system of paying wages, it was fairly obvious to a tackler when he took wages in who got the leanest wage, this that and the other. Tell me if I'm wrong or not, it was fairly common at one time for tacklers to harass the weavers weren’t it if they weren’t performing.
R- Oh yes aye. Aye if they weren’t up to scratch.
(600)
Aye. Can you remember that happening when you were working at the mill. Have you ever seen it happen, you know, a tackler say something to a weaver.
R- Oh yes. I’ve seen tacklers put a warp in and as we say, a two markers, hundred yards, a certain sort. And he's gone round at Saturday morning to see if that piece has been off and if it hasn't been off he's got on to the weaver, “Why weren’t it off. There were enough time to get that off. When I gaited that warp there were so many hours and that piece should have been off.” They had an idea how long it took ‘em to weave pieces did the tacklers.
Did you ever see a board up in the mill with the wages on?
R- No.
Because that happened at one time, didn't it?
R- Yes aye they had a wage board. But I've never known that, but I've heard 'em talk about 'em. Bottom three finished every week or sommat did they say?
(35 mins)
I’ve heard that, I don't know whether that actually ever happened but I know that in the finish the unions got together and stopped it didn’t they. It all came under harassment of weavers and what was the other one an all, not time robbing, oh, starting the engine early and what not. [Time cribbing]
R- That's it aye. Didn't they, hadn't they a minute and a half or sommat to get the engine going at one time.
I couldn't really tell you what the regulations are.
R- I think there were sommat about it, you know. If they were starting at seven o*clock they started at a minute and half to and then the engine were at full speed at seven o'clock, sommat like that.
Yes. That's it aye.
R- Well they'd have it starting you know two minutes and running half a minute ower. 'Cause I mean there’d always be so many weavers there and they'd have looms on as soon as possible and they never stopped their looms while the engine stopped.
Aye.
R - And so they'd gain all them minutes, which add up over a period. I can well remember this. They’d come round would
(610)
the tacklers and they'd say Inspector’s coming round. No young person or woman had to be in that mill, and soon as the engine stopped they'd to get out and they hadn't even to come in until the engine started. And that minute and half while the engine were getting it speed up, they'd to oil their spindles and then they'd to be ready. They hadn't to oil their spindles while the engine were running according to the inspector. Well that inspector had probably been at Colne, they’d ring that through from Colne to Earby or Barnoldswick and they'd have somebody on Earby station. Station master ud probably know this inspector and if he got on the train to Barlick he’d ring 'em up at Barlick and held also ring ‘em up at Earby. “He’s gone to Barlick!” And he hadn't much chance of catching anybody hadn't the inspector 'cause it were all worked out, everybody know before he landed.
Aye, not unless he were on a bike.
R- [Fred laughs] Oh he allus come on the train. No he’d no chance.
And when you started in the mill, let's get back to working in the mill again. When you started in the mill Fred, what were your hours when you started half time?
R- When you started half time you didn't go while 9.00 o'clock. Till half past twelve.
Aye like school time.
R- Yes, school time. But at afternoon you went at half past one while half past five at afternoon. But at morning you didn't go while nine o'clock.
Yes. So when you started full time on your two looms what hours were you working then?
R- Seven o'clock at morning, half an hour for breakfast, an hour for dinner and half past five at night.
(700)
So that's seven till half past five, that's five, ten and half less, that's nine hours in the day.
R- Nine hours a day. Then there were Saturday mornings.
Did you go home for your dinner?
R- Aye.
Aye so it's, five nine's are forty five and what did you work Saturday morning?
R - Seven to eleven I think if I remember reight.
Aye.
R- And then it got altered to, they did away wi’ break at Saturday morning, and then you finished half an hour sooner, half past ten that were it aye.
Aye.
R- And then I think they did sommat else and they finished at a bit shorter hours and then eventually they did away with Saturday morning.
Aye. That ud be a great day wouldn't it.
R- Oh aye, when they did it at first it were marvellous.
Aye.
R- But that Saturday morning, the engine stopped, we'll say at half past ten and you were dashing out, you’d get a black look, you were supposed to stop behind and clean your boxes a bit and titivate things up. And tacklers round here, they'd be same in Barlick. and Earby, they never had to go home while twelve o'clock, unless there were sommat extraordinary. They’d to stop in and go round fastening spindles and putting buffers on. Doing odd jobs, any warps out, gait warps. There were one instance a fella what comes in the White Lion now, he’d be about seventy four, and he told a tale about there were a
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Medal competition one night when football were on and there were three on ‘em. As soon as the engine started slackening they stopped all their looms and run out. When they got to the door there were one of the bosses there. Now lads he says you’re coming out faster than what you go in. He says get back to your looms and come out at the same speed as what you go in. He said we daren’t do anything but walk back in and then walk out quietly. {Fred laughs]
Can you just imagine that nowadays.
R- Eh aye, what would they do now. And then another time he says “I'd been to the toilet and I were just fastening me pants up and he came did this boss. He says “Hasta been smoking?” He says “No, I don’t smoke.” (Sniffing sound) So he says, “It's twist smoke is that, somebody's been smoking twist.” He says “I thought it's a damn good job I hadn't been smoking or he might have sent me home for the day or sommat like that.”
R- He were a comedian were that fella, this boss. This lad’s brother says to him, when you go to work just ask if you can have another two looms. He’d only had two loom for a long while and he were a young fella. He says “Please, me mam wants to know if I can have two loom.” He says “Aye tha can.” Well he says I were all reight he says “ Tek two of your Dan's. He has two too many.” . That were his other brother. [Fred laughs]
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{Stanley laughs] The attitude was completely different wasn't it at work.
R- It were aye.
That’s something that I find intriguing and I can’t really put me finger on it yet. I don't know, I think I should be getting somewhere near it now, but would you say that people were, Ernie reckons that people were brainwashed.
R - I dare say.
Into the fact that they, that at thirteen year old they started work and they worked fifty hours a week and then, you know.. And there were never anything else for ‘em.
R- No. Well I daresay a lot of folk hated going to the mill and they'd no chance of getting any other jobs had they, in little villages and that. There were nowt else for 'em were there.
What was the general atmosphere in, let’s talk about your own experience when you were thirteen year old and you went working at New Road. What were the general atmosphere in the shed. Were it one of gloom and despondency or would you say It were a happy place to work or..
R- They were happy places. I thought so. Aye I really enjoyed it. You'd happen look up and everybody wi’ different actions and that sort of thing. One fella in particular, he used to walk down the alley wi’ his weft tin on his shoulder and he just left (pause) right (pause) left (pause) right (pause); and if you got at back of him wi’ a three marker on
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your shoulder you were just wobbling down by the time you got into the warehouse. And they used to look down the alley did the weavers before they set off, to see whether he were coming out or not. 'Cause he’d go out for his weft and also he had his pieces to take in an all, but he'd be one of them he’d be a good weaver, a reight steady going on.
Never gets flustered.
R- Then there'd be one or two more, they used to nearly run down. Then one time, one fella were going out and he did a bit of a slip and piece catched in a belt and a hundred yards of cloth round the shafting. Couldn't stop it or owt of that, wrapped all round. Well, he must have thought he’d get sacked and I think like you know he’d gone in the warehouse and telled 'em what had happened. Anyway he got away wi’ it, but it could have been a sacking job.
Could have been a bloody disaster an all.
R- Aye.
If the end of the piece had wrapped round his neck. But you said something then that just rang a bell with me. You said that if you got behind that fella you'd had it.
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Aye.
Were the alleys that narrow that you couldn't get past somebody?
R- No you couldn't pass. No. It were just wide enough to walk down. There were two broad alley's, they were just wide enough to walk, you know, straight. You hadn't to waggle or else you'd have been into the box ends.
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Yes.
R- And they'd be two foot six.
And that's what you'd call broad alley?
R- What were the broad alley.
Aye, when did that change Fred. When did they have re-spacing. They had re-spacing at one time, didn't they.
R- When would it be when they started re-spacing? It were just after the war when they started re-spacing,
Aye.
R- Forty seven happen. Forty six, forty seven. Although Johnsons didn't re-space while 1960.
Aye,
That's surprising,
R- Aye, and they all said, you know, they'd be getting summonsed. And when they re-spaced they got paid for looms what they took out if you can remember.
Yes.
R- Well they kept saying Johnsons will be getting summonsed and Johnsons ud do this but Johnsons got paid for looms when they took them out and re-spaced. They knew what they were doing. They had about ten year to do it in or sommat like that.
Aye, that's it. I've heard Ernie say that in old sheds where they were cramming looms in as hard as ever they could, I've heard him talk about looms wearing holes in the wall wi’ the box ends.
R - Yes aye.
Is that reight?
R – Aye. They'd have a bit knocked out. And that were why they had all these spring tops on, so's they could get more looms in. They didn't take as much rooms up as a cross rod didn't a spring top. That’s why they had spring tops, they could get more looms in and still weave their, you know, twills and satins and that.
Yes, still weave up to like a six stave, aye.
R- That were the reason why.
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SCG/17 April 2003
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