This one is a simple job advertisement. Nothing very exciting about that. But on closer inspection it tells us more.
Here's the plain text:
"Owing to the greatly increased demand for their bottled beers-I can imagine that a good air raid shelter was a big attraction during the war years. My guess is that it was a cellar somewhere in the brewery complex.
FULLER, SMITH & TURNER LTD,
GRIFFIN BREWERY,
CHISWICK, W. 4.
require additional assistance in their bottling department.
1. Good wages and long service grant.
2. Annual holiday with pay.
3. No Saturday afternoon or Sunday work.
4. Excellent Air Raid Shelter and "Music While You Work."
5. Overalls and footwear provided.
Women over 33 and girls under 17 should apply either for whole or part-time employment as above."
West London Observer - Friday 12 February 1943, page 8.
But a couple of the other points speak volumes about how the world of work has changed since the 1940s.
"No Saturday afternoon or Sunday work", for example, refers obliquely to the fact that the standard working week included Saturday morning. Though I remember my mum telling me that at one point in the war she was working up to twelve hours a day, seven days a week.
That "Annual holiday with pay" was included as one of the perks reveals that paid holiday wasn't yet obligatory.
Until fairly recently there were only two areas of brewery work open to women: as clerical staff or in the bottling department. The latter mostly gave employment to either women or boys.
Wondering about the weird age restrictions of over 33 or under 17? I was, too. Then I twigged. It's probably because women between those ages were required to do some form of national service, either in auxiliary roles in the military or working the land.
There's one aspect of the advert which does leave me puzzled: "Owing to the greatly increased demand for their bottled beers". Most breweries had to restrict their production of bottled beers due to shortages of bottles and crates.
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5 comments:
wasn’t the shelter where the museum is now, I seem to recall being told that while researching the book, they lost the maltings next door in 1940, I think.
"Wondering about the weird age restrictions of over 33 or under 17? I was, too. Then I twigged. It's probably because women between those ages were required to do some form of national service, either in auxiliary roles in the military or working the land."
It could be that. Or it could be that 18-32 is considered child-bearing age for women.
i suspect the advert was placed during the blitz, or possibly but less likely, later on in 44 with V1 threat . Although shelters were going up in back gardens before that time. Fuller Smith & Turner see a good roof over your head whilst bombs are trying to land on your bonce, as clear incentive to applicants ,if actually happening at that time it most definitely focuses the mind.As for the ages of female applicants ,I came to the same conclusion on the age groups of the women as Ron did, The government were too busy to worry about procreation, when you have the imminent threat, of being invaded.
Anonymous,
another advert on the same page reveals more about age restrictions:
"Minimum age 21 -
Applicants over 31, or under 31 if they have a child of their own under 14 years of age living with them, may apply to the staff superintendent, employment and training centre, 566 hlgh road, chiswick, W 4.
Applicants under 31, other than as above, must obtain a permit from their ministry of labour employment exchange."
On bottling - is that something to do with supplying the military? The Beer for Troops committee was formed in July 1942, and I guess things were getting easier to supply eg North Africa by then.
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