418 THE LONDONDERRY SHIRT-MAKING INDUSTRY. 



whilst up to that time shirt-making had been carried on chiefly, if not 

 exclusively, m the homes of the peasantry, after 1850 it was to a great and 

 gradually increasing extent practised m factories and workshops m the 



towns. 



As a result of this change of policy the trade attained great importance, 

 until at present in the Counties of Londonderry, Donegal and Tyrone — 

 where the industry chiefly flourishes — there are not less than 80,000 persons 

 engaged in shirt-making. This number, of course, includes the great 

 number of women who work in their homes. Indeed Derry City, which may 

 be called the capital of the industry, is the great centre from which the 

 trade of the United Kingdom, the Continent, and the Colonies is supplied. 

 Great too, as the industry has become, it is still growing ; for whilst in 1870 

 there were about 10,000 persons employed in the various factories, in 1897 

 the number had reached 13,000, and to-day more than 18,000 persons are 

 engaged in shirt-making in the Derry factories. Moreover, many of the 

 manufacturers complain that they cannot get a sufficient number of workers. 

 This difficulty is to some extent inherent in the trade itself, for this reason — 

 that considerably over 80 per cent, of the persons engaged are females, and it 

 is always difficult to get a large supply of female labour unless there is work 

 in the neighbourhood for their male relatives. In this respect Derry com- 

 pares very unfavourably with Belfast. Belfast is, indeed, singularly fortunate, 

 for whilst the women and girls are employed in the linen trade, the males of 

 the various families find occupation in the shipbuilding and allied trades. 

 Derry, on the other hand, though there are ship yards and railway works, 

 cannot provide work for many men. 



Some details as to the position of the workers may be interesting. Girls 

 when they first enter the factories are called learners, and are placed under 

 the supervision of a trained worker ; whilst learning their trade they receive 

 about four shillings a week. Afterwards when they become proficient they 

 rank as full paid " hands " and their earnings depend upon their skill and 

 energy. After about six months a girl is generally able to earn about 12s. 

 a week ; but the average wage does not much exceed nine shillings a week. 

 Usually good workers, however, frequently earn about a pound a week ; 

 but these are mostly engaged on " finishing." It may be mentioned that to 

 earn nine shillings a week a girl has to sew — with a machine of course — 

 about two dozen to two and a half dozen shirts. 



The first cost of a shirt of average quality is about three shillings and 

 sixpence, of which about two shillings and sixpence is for material and a 

 shilling for labour. The latter sum paying not only for the sewing, but for 

 the cutting out, finishing, and packing for transit as well. 



The industry is divided into three branches — first, the cutting out of the 

 material, which is done exclusively in the factories ; secondly, the sewing, 

 which is done partly in the factories, but largely in the homes of the 

 workers ; and lastly, the laundry and finishing for market ; this last opera- 

 tion is carried out wholly in factories, and is the best paid part of the work. 

 The rural workers within a radius of five miles, carry the unmade work to 

 their homes, and when made up return it to the factory, where they are paid 

 for the work. To the rural stations distant from eight miles to thirty-five, 

 the unmade work is conveyed by rail or horse van (mostly by horse van), 

 and in like manner conveyed back again to the head centre (Londonderry). 

 At the rural stations a competent examiner receives, and pays for the work 

 v.'hen returned duly made up. The work supplied to the rural stations is 



