Note the absence of shoes on two of the young girls and the injury the one girl has sustained to her toe. In spite of the situation the girls seem to be almost giggling.
This group of young men looks less than enthusiastic to be in the spotlight. Since the photographer was working in an investigative capacity documenting possible child labor law violations, it's possible there had been hushed warnings about speaking with him.
This rare photo was taken in a Newberry, South Carolina mill. The name of the mill is omitted from the record. The photo was taken in December, 1908.
Even though this photo was taken in December of 1908, note the young boy second from right has no shoes on.
Many of the young children who worked at the mill are photographed without shoes. It's possible this child is working with bare feet.
The young boy worked at Lancaster Cotton Mill in Lancaster, South Carolina. The photo appears to have been taken in the mill "village."
The photographer notes he doubts this young man is twelve. At the time of the photo he worked in the mill in Belton, South Carolina.
The photographer noted young Will had been working in this mill for five years. It was common for children to work at the mill to help the family make ends meet.
The boy's name is Eddie Norton. The photo was taken at Saxon Mill near Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The young girl's first name was Mamie and the photo was taken in December 1908.
The giant spools seen atop the rows of machinery combined the threads from the smaller spools below.
A shift of workers is heading home after a hard day's work. Workers often went to work very early and worked ten or twelve hour shifts. The photo was taken in May 1912.
You have to love the matching outfits including the bonnets! One source claims that between 1880 and 1910 about one-fourth of all mill workers in South Carolina was under the age of 16.
Spinning machines took a cotton thread, or yarn, and compacted it even more, making it stronger. It was dangerous work. Many mill workers would end up with life changing injuries sustained when clothing or fingers became ensnarled in the heavy equipment.
During this era, it was common for the mill to control most aspects of life for the mill workers. They'd live in mill housing, go to a mill school, and shop at a mill store. It was common for children to come and go as they pleased in the factory, eventually lending a hand to an older family member and then getting hired when they were of legal age.
Lewis worked at Springstein Mill in Chester, South Carolina. He was twelve at the time of this photo and had worked in the mill for a year. His starting wage was 40-cents/hour. A year later he'd advanced to the position of "weaver" where he oversaw four looms and was raised to 60-cents/hour. This was a major contribution to the family finances. It's no wonder he seems so proud.
This rare glimpse into the life of cotton mill workers in the first two decades of the 1900s provides some insight into the Lifestyle and Hardships endured in this era. South Carolina was built on the backs of these laborers, who literally put the clothing on the backs of their fellow South Carolinians and others around the country !
For another look into South Carolina’s past, take a look at these 21 Rare Photos Taken In South Carolina During The Great Depression.
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