In the seventeenth century the main occupation of most of the workers in Mushroom Green was nail making, an occupation carried out at an hearth sited in the brew-house at the back of the house.
Nail making in those days was done by hand, and was a trade which required similar skills to those of a blacksmith. However, the work was lighter and so was often done by women, who could combine work with their other domestic chores. It was, however, arduous, degrading and monotonous work that was badly paid and wide open to exploitation by nail-masters, foggers and the truck system.
Around 1830 machine made nails were introduced in Birmingham, and those who made nails by hand could not compete with the speed, and therefore lower costs, of the machine made product.
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| Reference: | 691 |
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| Updated: | Wed 6 Jun 2007 - 13 |
| Interpretation written by | Louis Howe |
| Author's organisation | Curatorial |
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