The
Corruganza
Boxmakers
Strike
Bronwen Griffiths
In August 1908, 44 young women box makers went on strike. They were part of
a 1,500-strong workforce from the Corruganza Box Making works in Summerstown,
Garratt Lane, Wandsworth, South London, and they had never struck in their
lives before.
The company made cardboard boxes of all types for shops and industry and the
women concerned worked in a department dealing with tube rolling, cutting
and glueing. The cause of the strike was simple. Mr Stevenson, the manager,
had ordered a reduction in the wages paid for piece work. In some cases he
wanted to cut the pay back to half the previous rate.
Miss Mary Williams, the forewoman, refused to accept the new wages even though
she herself had not been affected by the reductions. "I asked him
for a revised price list to put before the hands" she said, "and
he gave me the prices on a piece of paper and said "If they don't like
it they can clear out". I told the girls and they struck there and then.
I and two of the others were supposed to be the ring-leaders and we got the
sack." (Wandsworth Borough News Aug. 1908).
The strike got considerable public support as well as the backing of the National
Federation of Women Workers, which had been formed only two years earlier.
Mary MacArthur, Secretary of the Federation, came to address the workers on
the picket lines and provided them with strike pay. Within two weeks this
had been increased to 5 shillings a week because people like the writer John
Galsworthy had sent in sums of £5 and more.
Much of the argument between managers and workers centred around the issue
of what was a reasonable piece work rate. The young women were prepared to
accept a reduction on one type of the work but, according to Miss Williams,
"He (Mr Stevenson) reduced plain work and they could not agree to
that, especially as the girls had already lost on the first reduction. Taking
all the year round and taking busy times with slack times, our wages do not
average 12s. per week. We are supposed to work nine and a half hours a day.
When we are busy, we work those hours and earn perhaps 17s. a week but for
the rest of the year we don't do nearly so much, and are lucky to get 10s.
a week. Under the new conditions, I don't suppose we could earn more than
10s. a week at the best of times, and our average would certainly be a lot
lower than that".
Another of the strikers was more emphatic. "He won't give us a blooming
chance to live. We used to earn from 15s. to 17s. per week and now we shall
get from 6s. to 9s. per week. That is not enough to keep one, let alone a
family on". (Wandsworth Borough News Aug. 1908).
This was at a time when average wages for box making were from 10-15s. a week,
with a pound a week being the highest wage. However, according to the 'Women's
Industrial News' (1912) “workers hardly ever get a full week's
work”.
Nor was the work easy. Polly, who was quoted in 'The Woman Worker'
of August 21st described how she was exhausted by working on one of the large,
heavy rolling machines: "Don't yer all know that I often gits knocked
up with pain in the stommick and 'ave ter lie in bed all day through 'andling
it? They don't remember that when they're reducing their rites and slinging
nimes abart".
Mr Stevenson was adamant however that the women were idle and had 'tyrannised'
his factory.
"For the past 15 years" he told the 'Borough News' reporter
covering the strike "there has been no reduction in wages in the
works. More than one attempt has been made to reduce the wages to a proper
basis and in proportion to the small amount which the firm receives for the
goods. The girls have always objected to any reduction and the managers have
always given way to them. That is not my habit and I do not intend to start
now".
He continued: "I wanted to put little girls on the machines some
time since, but they refused". ('They' referring to the older women).
"In fact, they have ruled the place and tyrannised for over 10 years
and I don't intend to stand it. Under the new arrangement the girls will be
able to earn from 15s. to 25s. per week and that I consider a fair wage for
girls".
The 'Boro' News' reporter toured the factory, claiming that the women
could earn between 17s. and 26s. a week at the new prices. These young women
were novices. The strikers were very indignant with what they alleged to be
'mis-statements' in the paper. "What do ‘e say in yer piper!
That we could earn free paand a week at the gime. Lummy, we should just 'alf
like to have a go at it. Fifteen bob is not so bad, and a quid is a lot, but
free paand!! So 'elp me, it's a bit fick, I don't fink! "
Although the 'Boro' News' reported Mr Stevenson as saying that no additional
women would go out on strike 'The Times' of August 14th wrote: "Peaceful
picketing was carried on during yesterday, and one result of this is that
seven girls, who were taken on yesterday morning, have signified their intention
of not going in this morning".
The strikers, together with the Federation of Women Workers, arranged a demonstration
at Trafalgar Square on Saturday August 22nd. The women came from Earlsfield
Station carrying banners with the words 'Box Makers At Bay'. They
marched in a downpour from Waterloo Station via the Embankment to Trafalgar
Square where they were met by a crowd of between five and seven hundred supporters.
Mary MacArthur opened the proceedings and the crowd heard speeches from the
women themselves, from Frank Smith of the London County Council and from Victor
Grayson MP.
The 'Woman Worker' of August 28th gives the following account of
the demonstration:
"When we got to Waterloo it was raining. My word, it did rain. We
marched three a line over Waterloo Bridge and along the Embankment. The rain
soaked through and through us. It got into your bones, so to speak - as Polly
said.
"And the mud. It was slush up to our ankles, but we felt real gay all
the same.
'We waited for a bit under the archway, till all at one it cleared. Polly
started to sing, 'If you can't do no good, don't do no harm'.
(This was the women's strike song).
'’We were all still singing when we marched into the Square, and
all at once the sun started shining, and the big crowd started cheering.’
"Miss MacArthur told the people all about the goings-on at the Corruganza
works. Then she asked Alice to speak up and tell the people all about everything.
Alice is what they call a fine girl. She's the big dark one what does the
heavy work. Her as Mr Stevenson calls the 'Battersea Bruiser'. She told 'em
how we had been cut down so as we couldn't earn nothing, and how she stood
up to Mr Stevenson and the Galloping Major (what Miss MacArthur says is a
commissionaire) and how she got the sack. Then Polly up and spoke. She told
the folk how heavy the work was, and what hard times we had been having before
the prices were cut down. Then it was Annie's turn. She has always kept respectable,
has Annie, though she has had an awful struggle.
"Annie told them as how she had lost her mother before she was a year
old, and her father when she was seven. 'I have always kept strite up to now"
Annie said. 'Gawd 'elping me, 1 will still'.
"All the speeches were fine. Miss Margaret Bondfield and Mr Frank Smith
spoke up for us grand, and Mr Victor Grayson, who looked a very young boy
to be a member of Parlyment, was spiffin'.
"When the speaking came to an end the crowd flung no end of money up
to us. Not only pennies, but crowns and half-sovereigns too."
Support continued to pour in after the demonstration in the form of money
and letters. A group of box-makers from Manchester wrote to the 'Woman
Worker’ saying: “We know how hard it is to make a living
wage, and we realise that it is our battle the girls are fighting as well
as theirs. So we made a collection amongst us, because we think it is our
duty to help one another as much as lies in our power”.
On September 3rd the dispute was settled by the Board of Trade. The firm agreed
to reinstate all the strikers and the piece work rates were to remain as before,
except in the case of tube rolling for incandescent mantle boxes where the
rate was to be reduced. Mary Williams, the fore-woman, decided not to return
but was sent £10 by a well-wisher to help her until she found another
position. The Women's Suffrage League Paper saw the victory as an important
step for women. 'The amount of sympathy and help given to the strikers
by the public shows that, thanks to the Suffrage agitation, fair play towards
women has now made decided progress'.
Later in September, however, 'The Times' reported Mr Stevenson as
saying that the strikers had agreed to accept the reductions as originally
proposed and that 'the strike was entirely without justification. The charge
of 'sweating' which was really too absurd to need refutation, disposes of
itself'.
Miss Sophy Safliger, who represented the strikers at the conciliation proceedings
replied immediately to Mr Stevenson's letter of the 17th September: “The
reductions agreed to at the conciliation proceedings were only in respect
of one class of work, and had already been agreed to by the girls before the
strike took place. In the interests of the girls and their helpers, a statement
that the strike was entirely without justification cannot be allowed to pass.
It is not to be supposed that work-girls, most of whom had worked many years
with the firm and were entirely dependent upon their own earnings, with no
organisation or funds behind them, would be likely to throw up their work
and risk hunger for an imaginary grievance”.
In fact, the 'Woman Worker' had already reported on the 11th September
Mr Stevenson's attempts to hide the facts behind the strike. “It
seemed that at the first meeting the negotiations had not progressed at all,
and a fierce resumption of the war had appeared probable. But on the second
day a great discovery was made. The strike was an accident - a carelessness.
Mr.Stevenson had been misunderstood by the girls, by Miss Williams, by Miss
MacArthur, by the Press-men, the Board of Trade - everybody. Reductions? Bless
you, he had intended one only: a little one. applying merely small percentage
of work, and not seriously affecting wages ... It was agreed at last that
a settlement should be accepted in good faith and Miss MacArthur reminded
the girls that they were organised now and therefore no longer helpless, no
longer likely to be agressed upon”.
At the same time as the strike, the Women's Industrial Council, as reported
by 'The Women's Industrial News' of September 1908, was investigating
the box-making industry reporting that “fifteen or sixteen years
ago the wages of. the women employed were, comparitively speaking, good, and
the average wage throughout the trade, including that of learners, was, at
a guess 15s. If it had been possible to form a strong trade union the same
rates might perhaps prevail today. But some employers lowered prices by introducing
a great many young learners, who often received for the first few weeks, or
even months, nothing at all and only a very small wage afterwards”.
By 1910, 'The Women's Industrial News' was able to report that it
is “particularly pleasing to those who saw at the time of the Council's
enquiry the growing underpayment in this trade, to find it included among
the first four in which Trade boards are being instituted; and to learn that
the women, stimulated by the hope which these Boards offer them, are joining
a trade union by hundreds”. These Boards were set up to regulate
wages.
The Corruganza box-makers strike, starting from personal hardship, had now
become history and part of a larger struggle. It is an important landmark
in working class women's history.
SOURCES
Clapham Observer Aug 1908
The Times Aug-Sep 1908
Tooting & Balharn Gazette Aug-Sep 1908
Wandsworth Borough News Aug-Oct 1908 .
Women's Freedom League Papers 1908
Women's Industrial News 1908-1912
Woman Worker Aug-Sep 1908
Women in British Trade Unions 1974-1976. Norbert Soldon. Publ. Gill
& Mactnillan, 1978.
This text was originally published as an article in South London Record, journal of Southwark & Lambeth History Workshop in the 1980s.
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