Working Boys' Clothing: Mills


Figure 1.--Lewis Hine is noted for the photographs he took of child laborers in America during the early 20th century. This photograph shows some of the "doffers" and the superintendent. There were 10 small boys and girls about this size out of a force of 40 employees in the Catawba Cotton Mill, Newton, North Carolina. The photograph was taken on December 21, 1908. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Records of the Children's Bureau. Note that the boys wear mostly kneepants and long stockings.

A mill is a factory for certain kinds of manufacture, including fabrric, flour, steel, and other products. One of the most important products was fabric. Cloth and fabric mills were an important part of the initial phase of the industrial revolution. This was true in both Europe and America. Mills before the Civil are were primarily in the north. After the Civil War, especially by the turn of the 20th centurty, mills had shifted to the southern states. This has continued to be the case in the 20th cenury with fabric mills being concentrated in the south. Women and children were especially important to the labor force in fabric mills. Strength was not nearly as important as in steel mills. Women and children could be hired at lower wages and their small hands were helpful in operating the machinery. Until after the turn of the century, few laws or labor unions existed to protect workers and ensure safe working conditions.

Mills

A mill is a factory for certain kinds of manufacture, including fabrric, flour, steel, and other products. One of the most important products was fabric. Cloth and fabric mills were an important part of the initial phase of the industrial revolution. This was true in both Europe and America. Mills especially in the 18th century, but even in the 19th century were an important part of a country's industrial base. They consitututed a much large percentage of the economic output of industrial countries than is the case today.

Countries

We have information on mills in only only a few countries at this time.

America

American mills before the Civil are were primarily in the north. After the Civil War, especially by the turn of the 20th centurty, mills had shifted to the southern states. This has continued to be the case in the 20th cenury with fabric mills being concentrated in the south. Women and children were especially important to the labor force in fabric mills. Strength was not nearly as important as in steel mills. Women and children could be hired at lower wages and their small hands were helpful in operating the machinery. Until after the turn of the century, few laws or labor unions existed to protect workers and ensure safe working conditions. Th image here shows a South Carolina mill during1908.

England

Mills especially the cotton mills in the English Midlands played an important roll in launching the industrial revolution and in the 19th century were the largest fabric garment manufctring center in the world. Children were employed in large numbers in the English cooton mills. As many parents resisted sending their children to work in the mills if it could be avoided, mill owbners would resort to othervmeasures to obtain child workers. Theywould buy children from the orphange and workhouses. Some of these children who were called pauper apprentices were required o work until 21 yers of age in the mills for minimal pay. Some of these absuses were ended in the late 19th century, but we hav few details at this time.






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Created: April 2, 2002
Last updated: 1:06 AM 10/1/2010