This is the eighth letter that Ada Nield Chew sent to the Crewe Chronicle on the 14th July 1894.
Sir, — May I comment briefly on the letter from ‘A Lancashire Woman’ on the above subject in the current issue of the Chronicle. I believe she is actuated by a real desire to help factory girls out of their troubles, and I accordingly thank her for her suggestion. I have no personal knowledge whatever of domestic service, but I quite agree with ‘ A Lancashire Woman ‘ that it may easily prove a more desirable, and less morally dangerous means of earning a livelihood than factory work. In my own case there are peculiar and quite insurmountable obstacles in the way of my adopting that means of bettering my position but to any of my class who have nothing against such course, would concur with ‘A Lancashire Woman ‘ in advising them to adopt her suggestion. Let the experiment be tried, by all means. I do not see, however, how the reduction of our number would materially benefit the remaining factory girls. Our greatest grievance — inadequate return for work done — would be unaffected by it, and therefore would still await redress.
Please let me reply also to ‘Another Factory Girl’ who criticises my articles in the same issue. May I first, sir, inform my fellow-worker that though I claim to be a lady, yet I am also a factory girl, and am not ashamed of that fact, the latter being (as must be well known to ‘Another Factory Girl’) the name by which I am invariably known in the Chronicle, I should be glad, if she should ever have occasion to refer to me again, if she would do so by that name. I look with very dubious eyes on her own signature, sir. If she is what she professes to be, and stands side by side with me in daily ‘competition’ at that table on which the public kindly spent some time with me a fortnight ago, she knows, as I then showed the public, that the work is not by any means served out in strictly ‘numerical’ order. She knows, too, that she is not adhering strictly to facts when she says that what appears favouritism consists in the employer handing work (the ’employer’ does not hand’ work at all) to those most efficient in its execution.
I wonder if she is a ‘favourite’? I myself have on occasion been regarded by my fellow-workers as somewhat of a favourite, and if I chose I could easily ingratiate myself into the ranks of the regulars — I know the way. But the idea is revolting to me. I want to stand side by side with my fellow-workers in real sisterhood and comradeship, and this I can never do if I step beyond them into the select band of ‘favourites’.
With regard to the second part of the letter, I am at a loss to understand by what process of reasoning she arrives at the conclusion that the tea-money is my ‘strongest point’. Those who comprehend me or who do not wilfully misunderstand me, know that my strongest point is, and has ever been inadequate return for work, and this is a matter quite separate from the tea-money. What a charming picture this is — the tea-money and the great benefits accruing to us therefrom, looked at through the spectacles of ‘Another Factory Girl’! I however, as will be seen elsewhere, am in the habit of looking at it through spectacles of quite another colour, and it is therefore no wonder that for me it wears a different aspect. May I ask Another Factory Girl’, sir, whether she has observed that the ‘cook’ of whom she speaks has other duties than those pertaining to the factory hands, such as the daily cleaning of the office, and the daily preparation of and attendance on the office tea. And could she inform me if the ladies and gentlemen in the office contribute their share to the expenses of this ‘cook’? I am naturally interested in that point, and moreover, consider that I have a right to information from somebody. As I deal with the whole of her letter elsewhere, I need not occupy your valuable space, sir, in replying to detail here. I am confident that you and Chronicle readers will take a deeper view of things than that taken by ‘Another Factory Girl’ without my aid. Thanking you for space, I remain, sir, yours sincerely,
A Crewe Factory Girl