The White Slaves of England
"Sweated" labour, that is to say long hours of work carried out in appalling conditions for starvation wages, existed at the bottom of almost every trade in Great Britain. It was Robert Sherard who first called "sweated" workers "The White Slaves of England" following his investigations into the conditions of the working classes in 1896.
This section tells the story of the campaign to eradicate "sweating", and how, in 1910, a group of women chainmakers in Cradley Heath took on the bosses and won.
The Institute building
This section tells of the life and times of the Workers\' Institute Building, from its initial design, through its links with the great and the good, its many and varied uses, including trade union office, community hall, cinema and dance school, to its ultimate move to the Black Country Living Museum.
Personalities
Here we open the book on some of the important personalities, whose spirits permeate the Workers' Institute building. We tell the stories of what led them into the work for which they are remembered, and how they influenced national and local changes in society.
These were remarkable men and women, and many of the advantages we enjoy today have roots in their commitment to improving the lives of working people.
Gi it sum ommer
This is a Black Country saying that means to put a lot of effort into something, and is closely linked with the metal working industries of the Black Country. In this section you can read about the main chain manufacturers of the area, and find out more than you ever knew you wanted to know about such things as rattle chain and boom defence chain!
Times They Were A-Changing
The period between 1890 and 1939 was one of remarkable change. This section sets the Workers' Institute, and the people connected with it, against a background of developments in women's rights, the growth of trade unionism and the labour movement, economic crises and the influence of World War One on the political climate of the age.