Highest and lowest earners in 1888

According to 1,000 Ways to 1,000 ways to earn a living cover 001Earn a Living (1888) these were the highest and lowest earners in that year.

 

Highest. (sorted highest to lower; highest rate of remuneration quoted)

A ‘star’ equestrian rider in a circus,  £100 pw.

National newspaper editor, £2,000 per annum

Leader writer, London newspaper, £1,500 per annum

Drapery buyer, £1,000 per annum

Inspector of Mines, £1,000 per annum

Novelists, possibly £1,000 per book

 

Lowest ( sorted lowest to higher; lowest rate of remuneration quoted)

General servant in home (female), £8 per annum

Junior hospital nurse, £8 per annum

Feather-maker, 3.6d per week

Waitress, 5s per week

Barmaid, 7s per week

Lifter-up (boy)at printers, 7s 6d per week

Female library assistants, 7s 6d per week

Footman, 8s per week

Groom, 8s per week

Collar-maker, 8s 6d. per week

False teeth maker, 15s per week.

[RR]

World’s Champion Slacker

slacker of eastbourne 001A clipping taken from the August 16th issue of the Daily Express for 1927, reported that David Weinberg, a restaurant owner, had been summoned to Eastbourne Police Court for the recovery of wages allegedly due to Thomas Charity, a hotel porter. Weinberg stated that he had employed Charity seven times before dismissing him summarily for being absent without leave. Weinberg called him ‘the world’s champion slacker’. When asked for his employment record Charity admitted that he had been in ‘288 situations since 1913 and that his average time in a situation was three days ‘. The case was dismissed.

If there had been a Guinness Book of Records in the 1920s we at Jot 101 feel that Mr Charity would have made the grade. Readers, however, may know of an even slacker employee. Let us know if you do. [RR]

Domestic Servants and the Law (UK 1930s)

Found -- an old diary that was sold at D. H. Evans department stores--  Ladies' Year Book and Diary for 1932. It had no diary entries and the blotter was unused. There were just a few pencilled notes of domestic use ('tinned meat and fish will keep for 5 years') to add to the many printed practical notes at the front - including this piece mostly on the law relating to servants. At this time this would have been of some use to middle class households as servants were still common. How the servant would go about enforcing the law is not dealt with…did they have a copy at Downton?

Domestic Servants

The terms of employment of domestic and other servants are dependent on their contract of service. 

Unless an agreement has been made to the contrary, domestic servants are engaged on a monthly contract, requiring one month's notice on either side, or a month's wages in lieu of notice. An agreement made at an interview is as binding and enforceable as one made in writing. The only time written evidence is required is where the employment is to continue for more than a year and both employer and employee intend that neither shall give notice to terminate the arrangement within a time.

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