Files

Johnstone's court.jpg
Belfast health journal.jpg
workmen's compensation.jpg
Workers in James Ireland & Co factory, 1917.jpg

Work

Dublin Core

Title

Work

Subject

Poverty and public health in Belfast, 1888-1914

Description

Occupation and ill health were closely connected in industrial cities such as Belfast. By 1910 there were 75,000 linen operatives in Belfast of which five sixths were women. The dusty, hot, cramped and damp conditions in many mills were conducive to high incidences of disease, especially tuberculosis, amongst linen workers.

By the late 1880s Belfast has emerged as a successful latecomer in the technologically sophisticated shipbuilding and engineering industries. Much of this predominantly male workforce was skilled, relatively well paid, and unionised; however, industrial labour could carry serious risks and occupational accidents were common.

Attempts at the improvement of workforce conditions were made with a series of Factory Acts which raised the working age of children to twelve, reduced the working week to 55 ½ hours and regulated the general sanitary conditions of workplaces. This legislation’s impact was often limited however- attempts to tackle tuberculosis, for example, often focused on issues such as the avoidance of spitting on the factory floor, and failed to tackle the fundamental problems of heat, dust, and damp.

Date

1888-01-01
1912-01-01

Rights

Reproduction of these materials in any format for any purpose other than personal research and study may constitute a violation of CDPA 1988 and infringement of rights associated with the materials. Queen’s University Belfast does not own copyright in this material. Please contact us for permissions information at specialcollections@qub.ac.uk

Format

jpeg

Language

English

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Photo, paper

Citation

“Work,” Digital Exhibitions at Special Collections & Archives, Queen's University Belfast, accessed March 28, 2024, https://omeka.qub.ac.uk/items/show/139.

Geolocation

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