Legitimate trade — The "truck" system — Its downfall — State of trade — Newspaper stamps — Steel pens — Literature — List of authors — Painters — Sculptors. But enough of illicit trade. What was legitimate trade doing? The marvellous expansion which afterwards came, thanks to steam as applied to machinery, railways, and shipping, had only just commenced; but, at all events, a beginning had been made, and, thanks to her iron and coal, England was able for many a long year to head the race for commerce, hold her own with foreign competition, and even to defy it. The Trades' Unions, which have not altogether been an unmixed blessing, were still in their infancy, and in many trades the "truck" system of paying the workers in kind rather than coin was the rule. It was the payment of labour in goods or provisions instead of money; and the mode in which it was carried on by the manufacturers was to set up a large shop or store (commonly called a "Tommy shop"), containing all sorts of necessaries for their workmen, so that, instead of paying them money for their wages, tickets were given to these shops; or, in other instances, periodical visits to them were These "Tommy shops" were generally kept by some relation or servant of the master, put in for that purpose; or, when the tradesman did not resort to such measures on his own account, he made an arrangement with the retailer, who allowed him a discount. And the more needy the manufacturer, the greater his advantage under this system; for he was enabled to stock his shop for three months, and then pay for that stock with a bill at another three months; so that, instead of paying his workmen ready money, he was obtaining six months' credit. Again, without saying that there was a regular contract amongst the masters, it was always an understood thing that a man discharged for objecting to this system should not be taken on by any other employer. And, indeed, this naturally followed; for, when once it was known that a man had lost his employment by objecting to this mode of payment, it was not likely that another master, who paid in exactly the same way, would give him employment. And the poor fellows had to pay through the nose for all they had. The milder "truck-masters" were content to charge their men from 15 to 20 per cent. more than the market price, while those On May 26, 1826, the Royal sanction was given to an Act which virtually destroyed the monopoly of When William IV. died, the trade of the country was in a very depressed state, as we learn by the Annual Register, June 13, 1837, which quotes from the following papers:— "We are sorry to say that trade in this district continues in a very depressed state; and the consequence is, a scarcity of employment and low wages for the operatives, amongst whom, we regret to observe, distress prevails to a most deplorable extent."—Manchester Courier. "At Manchester it is stated there are fifty thousand hands out of employ, and most of the large establishments are working only half-time. At Wigan, which is not a large place, there are four thousand weavers totally unable to get work. Unless a stimulus is shortly given to commerce, persons who have the means of forming the most correct opinion say that half a million of hands "The pressure upon manufacturers and commerce has at last reached our county. Within a short time several extensive failures in the 'How of Fife,' along the Leven, as well as in the towns upon the coast, have taken place."—Fifeshire Journal. "A meeting convened by the circular of several gentlemen was held on Friday, at the Public Office, for the purpose of considering what measures could be adopted sufficient to relieve the present appalling state of commercial distress. At this meeting it was universally admitted that the number of unemployed workmen, and the consequent distress which prevails, call for the adoption of prompt and efficient measures; and resolutions were passed expressive of the deep sympathy felt by the meeting for their suffering fellow-townsmen and their families."—Birmingham Journal. "We regret that we cannot announce any improvement in the trade of this town. There has been one failure of a respectable lace concern since our last. The number of operatives employed by public subscription on the roads is nearly a thousand. The Relief Committee, after anxious deliberation, came to the decision on Monday evening that, in future, the wages allowed could be only 8s. a week on day work."—Nottingham Review. When William IV. came to the throne the stamp duty on newspapers was 4d., less 20 per cent. discount, and the price of the Times was 7d. Each advertisement had to pay a duty of 3s. 6d. The consequence of the newspaper stamp being so high was that leaflets were perpetually being started which bore no stamp, as it was contended that they contained no news. Still the vendors were always being haled before the magistrates; but the publication of these vexatious leaflets was settled in May, 1831, in the case of Rex v. William Carpenter, which came off in the Court Many lived by the pen, whether quill or steel. In 1830, although not a novelty, steel pens were dear, as we see by an advertisement in the Times of October 18th— "Pen-mending totally superseded.—Patent Perryian Pens, warranted not to require mending, and to write better than any other pen whatever, as cheap as the common pen. Price per packet (containing nine pens of the best quality), 3s. 6d." In 1837 they had got somewhat cheaper, vide Times, March 23rd— "Perryian Pens, protected by five patents.—Double patent pen, with holder, 2s. per card; Indiarubber spring pen, 2s. 6d. ditto; office pen, 1s. ditto. Any of the above, with patent elastic holder, at 3d. extra per card. Under-spring pen, with holder, 2s. per card; side-spring pen, 2s. ditto; flat-spring pen, 2s. ditto; three-pointed pen, 2s. 3d. ditto. Each card contains nine pens." This reign saw the commencement of cheap, good literature, which was to overrun the country and utterly abolish the chap book, which till then had been the literary mainstay of the country folk. Of authors, what a lot there was! The following does not pretend to be exhaustive, but it will serve to give an idea of those who lived or wrote during the time when William IV. was King. Let us take them alphabetically. John Adolphus, who wrote the History of the Reign of George III., etc. W. H. Ainsworth, the novelist, who brought out Rookwood in 1834. Sir Archibald Alison, to whom we are indebted for his History of England. T. K. Arnold, headmaster of Rugby. John Banim, whom we remember by the Tales by the O'Hara Family. Rev. R. H. Barham, whose Ingoldsby Legends came out with the starting of Bentley's Miscellany in 1837. The lyric poet, Thomas H. Bayly, whose I'd be a Butterfly, She wore a wreath of Roses, and Oh no, we never mention her, are classics in ballad song. Laman Blanchard, who was a contributor to the lighter periodicals of his day. George Borrow, who during the reign was an agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society—to which we owe his Bible in Spain. Nor must we omit mention of the fair sex in their literary work. Mrs. Sarah Austin, who produced two of her famous translations in this reign—viz. A Tour in England, Ireland, and France by a German Prince (1832), and Raumer's England in 1835, in 1836; in which year Joanna Baillie published three volumes of dramas. In 1836, also, Mrs. Bray brought out her Borders of the Tamar and the Tavy. The BrontËs were too young to write, but were young women. E. M. Barrett Browning produced her first acknowledged work, a translation of Prometheus Bound, and some of her early poems in 1835. Maria Edgeworth was getting too old to write; and Mrs. Gaskell had not commenced. Mrs. Jameson published her first book in 1831—Memoirs of Female Sovereigns, and, in 1837, Sketches of Germany. Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) wrote her best prose work, Ethel Churchill, in 1836. Miss Mitford published a fifth series of Our Village in 1832. Hannah More died in 1833. Lady Morgan, The Wild Irish Girl, was writing, and making money by it. The Hon. Mrs. Norton, who I had almost forgotten; which would have been inexcusable, that Sir Walter Scott died in September, 1832. The New British School of Art was just commencing. The National Collection of pictures was commenced in 1824, and in 1832 Parliament voted £15,000 to build a gallery for their reception. The Royal Academy of Arts, instituted in 1768, held their annual exhibition of pictures, up to 1836, at Somerset House, but in 1837 they removed to the new National Gallery. There were, besides, exhibitions of paintings held by the Society of British Artists, the Society of Painters in Water Colours, and the New Society of ditto. In May, 1834, there was an Exhibition of the works of the Old Masters; and in 1832 Haydon held an exhibition of his own pictures. The following is an attempt at a list of the principal British artists of the reign. Sir Wm. Allan, P.R.S.A. and R.A.; Sir Wm. Beechey, R.A.; Wm. Boxall; Sir A. W. Callcott, R.A.; G. Cattermole; A. E. Chalon, R.A., and Among illustrators of books were H. K. Browne (Phiz), George Cruikshank, John Doyle (H.B.), John Leech, Kenny Meadows, and John Tenniel. Engravers numbered amongst them E. F. and W. Finden, R. Graves, A.R.A., William Holl, and Thomas Landseer. There was a glorious list of sculptors: W. Behnes, Sir F. Chantrey, R.A., J. H. Foley, R.A., John Gibson, R.A., John Hogan, T. Thornicroft, Henry Weekes, R.A., Sir R. Westmacott, and his son Richard, and M. C. Wyatt, while akin to sculpture comes William Wyon, R.A., medallist. |