The Lowell Mill Girls

The Lowell Mills in Lowell, Massachsuetts employed young girls and women to work in their textile factories starting in the 1830's.

The early mill­girls were of different ages. Some were not over ten years old; a few were in middle life, but the majority were between the ages of sixteen and twenty­five. The very young girls were called "doffers." They "doffed," or took off, the full bobbins from the spinning­frames, and replaced them with empty ones. These mites worked about fifteen minutes every hour and the rest of the time was their own. When the overseer was kind they were allowed to read, knit, or go outside the mill­yard to play. They were paid two dollars a week. The working hours of all the girls extended from five o'clock in the morning until seven in the evening, with one half­hour each, for breakfast and dinner. Even the doffers were forced to be on duty nearly fourteen hours a day. This was the greatest hardship in the lives of these children. Several years later a ten­hour law was passed, but not until long after some of these little doffers were old enough to appear before the legislative committee on the subject, and plead, by their presence, for a reduction of the hours of labor.

Those of the mill­girls who had homes generally worked from eight to ten months in the year; the rest of the time was spent with parents or friends. A few taught school during the summer months. Their life in the factory was made pleasant to them. In those days there was no need of advocating the doctrine of the proper relation between employer and employed. Help was too valuable to be ill­treated....

One of the first strikes of cotton-factory operatives that ever took place in this country was that in Lowell, in October, 1836. When it was announced that the wages were to be cut down, great indignation was felt, and it was decided to strike, en masse. This was done. The mills were shut down, and the girls went in procession from their several corporations to the “grove” on Chapel Hill, and listened to “incendiary” speeches from early labor reformers.
One of the girls stood on a pump, and gave vent to the feelings of her companions in a neat speech, declaring that it was their duty to resist all attempts at cutting down the wages. This was the first time a woman had spoken in public in Lowell, and the event caused surprise and consternation among her audience.
Cutting down the wages was not their only grievance, nor the only cause of this strike. Hitherto the corporations had paid twenty—five cents a week towards the board of each operative, and now it was their purpose to have the girls pay the sum; and this, in addition to the cut in the wages, would make a difference of at least one dollar a week. It was estimated that as many as twelve or fifteen hundred girls turned out, and walked in procession through the streets. They had neither flags nor music, but sang songs, a favorite (but rather inappropriate) one being a parody on “I won’t be a nun. ”
"Oh! isn’t it a pity, such a pretty girl as I-
Should be sent to the factory to pine away and die?
Oh ! I cannot be a slave,
I will not be a slave,
For I’m so fond of liberty
That I cannot be a slave."

Pictures:

http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/americanstudies/lavender/lowell.html

http://weave-away.blogspot.com/2011/05/lowell-mill-girls.html

http://edu.glogster.com/glog.php?glog_id=3948375&scale=100

http://weave-away.blogspot.com/2011/05/lowell-mill-girls.html

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2005/mickeyz030905.html

http://workingwomen.wikispaces.com/Lowell+Mill+Girls

http://b-womeninamericanhistory19.blogspot.com/2010/01/lucy-larcom-poet-and-mill-girl.html

http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/americanstudies/lavender/lowegal3.html

http://weave-away.blogspot.com/2011/05/lowell-mill-girls.html

http://yesteryearsnews.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/the-mill-girls-going-going-gone/

Information:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/robinson-lowell.asp

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5714