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at Rowntrees in York |
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Rowntrees employee piping chocolates, 1956
© Borthwick Institute |
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"Very
strict but very good"
: WomenÂ’s memories of rules and regulations at the Rowntree
factory in York.
This
article originally appeared on Â鶹Éç Legacies,
written by Emma Robertson.
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Founded in 1864, the Rowntree confectionery factory in York became
famous for products such as Kit Kat, Smarties and Black Magic, as
well as for its advanced policies of industrial welfare.
As Quakers, the Rowntree family (especially Joseph and his son
Benjamin Seebohm) were committed to schemes such as the provision
of a company doctor. They were particularly concerned for the welfare
and moral well-being of the women and girls employed to sort, decorate
and pack the confectionery.
In 1891, therefore, a Lady Welfare Supervisor was appointed to
oversee the behaviour of female employees, who at this time could
be as young as 13. Factory rules aimed to enforce what was seen
as appropriate behaviour for women workers, as well as to encourage
maximum production. >> More
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