cigarette maker

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Ketzel
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Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:11 pm

cigarette maker

Post by Ketzel » Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:15 pm

My husband's ancestor was a "cigarette maker" in the 1890s, early Twentieth Century in Glasgow. What might that job have entailed? What might be the hazards in terms of health? What would the wage be, in comparison to other factory jobs? He was Jewish, born in Ireland, and had a large family to support. Thanks for any help you can give.

Ketzel

Hibee
Posts: 216
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Re: cigarette maker

Post by Hibee » Fri Feb 18, 2011 8:47 pm

Hi Ketzel

Possibly with this company.......... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD_%26_HO_Wills who had a large factory in Glasgow.

I suspect cigarette making was no more hazardous than most occupations in those pre-Health&Safety days, unless you were given lots of free samples.

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Russell
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Re: cigarette maker

Post by Russell » Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:16 am

hI Ketzel

Glasgow had several large cigarette factories which were still in full time production in the early 1960's. I don't think it was as dangerous an occupation as heavy engineering, mining, ship building. Lots of women were employed in the 'fag' factories.
As late as 1948/9 our village doctor was telling miners that smoking helped to clear the lungs :shock: and he was a bright, intelligent Doctor bang up to date with his ideas. He was employed by the coal company but was left to care for his miners and their families without interference.

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Currie
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Re: cigarette maker

Post by Currie » Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:39 am

Hello Ketzel,

“Britain at Work” 1902, from page 32, has a section on the Tobacco Industry, including cigarette making, and looks pretty interesting, although the grey print can be a bit indistinct. Probably best viewed as a single page and zoomed using the bottom toolbar. http://www.archive.org/stream/britainat ... 1/mode/1up

In Parliamentary Papers “1907 [Cd. 3586] Factories and workshops. Annual report of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Workshops for the year 1906”, there’s a five page report on the Tobacco Industry. Its main purpose was to enquire into health matters. The industry wasn’t considered an unhealthy one. It’s too lengthy to post here but if you want a copy just send me a PM with an email address.

There’s also 1893-94 [C.6894-XXIII] Royal Commission on Labour. The employment of women.” This has a comparison of wage rates with men. Cigarette making was piece work, i.e. paid for what you made rather than a set wage.

In the cigarette making department of factory 163 the rates for men per 1,000 were 3s 9d for Hand work, 2s 6d for Push work, then various types of work involving hand pressing, mouthpieces and ladies cigarettes at 4s 0d, the highest being push work, ladies, with mouthpieces at 5s 0d. It seems to have been based on different levels of skill and manual handling required. This may make more sense after you’ve read the book.

A quote: “In the cigarette department of factory No. 162, I was informed by the manager that the total number of cigarettes turned out per week by a man and a woman would be, on the average, 13,000 by the former and 9,000 by the latter. I failed to obtain the wages rates here, but the manager informed me the woman might get 2s. 6d. for what the man was paid 3s. for.”

If you’re in Scotland, and have a National Library of Scotland card, I think Parliamentary Papers are included in their online databases.

Hope that helps,
Alan

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