Title:
Women of the cloth - weavers in Westmorland and Charlotte counties, New Brunswick 1871-1891.
Creator:
Rygiel, Judith Anne
Date Created:
1998
Degree Awarded:
Master of Arts
Subjects:
Women Employment New Brunswick Weavers New Brunswick Women Textile Workers New Brunswick Textile Industry New Brunswick History
Geographical Focus:
Canada New Brunswick
Supporting Materials:
n/a
Description:
Women weavers in late nineteenth century New Brunswick worked both as rural producers of cloth and industrial workers in the new cotton mills. They could earn incomes through their skills and diligent labour to supplement the family wage and, in the case of mill weavers, to seek some independance. This study attempts to trace the transition of weavers between 1871 to 1891, from the rural setting to the industrial venue in Charlotte and Westmorland counties. The demographic profile of weavers changed from married women engaged in handweaving as a seasonal occupation to young single women working in the small touns of Moncton and Milltown. As professional weavers, rural women could earn similar incomes as seasonal male wage earners. Young single women, by becoming skilled industrial weavers, could achieve income parity with male weavers and better incomes than other female operatives and waged women workers in the community.
Source
Preferred Citation:
Rygiel, Judith Anne. 1998. "Women of the cloth - weavers in Westmorland and Charlotte counties, New Brunswick 1871-1891.", Department of History, Carleton University
Link to this page:
https://cuhistory.github.io/grads/items/hist_201.html
Rights
Rights:
Copyright the author, all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.