Samuel
Downe
was
born in Shrewsbury in 1804. Samuel was interviewed by Michael
Sadler and his House
of Commons Committee on 4th June, 1832.
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Labour Debate Activity (International School of Toulouse)
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(1)
Samuel Downe was interviewed by Michael
Sadler and his House of Commons Committee
on 4th June, 1832.
Question:
At what time did you begin work in a factory?
Answer: About ten years
of age.
Question: In whose mill
did you work?
Answer: In Mr. Marshall's
at Shrewsbury.
Question: What were the
hours of work?
Answer: We used to generally
to begin at five o'clock in the morning till eight at night.
Question: Have you been
subjected to punishment?
Answer: Yes, I was strapped
most severely till I could not bear to sit upon a chair without pillows,
and I was forced to lie upon my face at night. I was put upon a man's
back, and then strapped by the overlooker.
Question: What age were
you at the time?
Answer: Between ten and
eleven.
Question: What had you done?
Answer: I had never been
in a mill where there was machinery, and it was winter time, and we
worked by gas-light, and I could not catch the revolutions of the
machinery to take the tow out of the hackles; it requires some practice,
and I was timid at it.
Question: Was this beating
common in the mill?
Answer: He was a very severe
man. He was well known for it. I went to a justice of the peace and
he said he had frequent complaints of him, and he would make an example
of him.
Question: Was he made an
example of?
Answer: No; my father desired
that we should not go on with it; My father worked at Mr. Marshall's
mill, and he was afraid, I suppose.
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