The aerated waters trade
Three separate Trade Boards for 'Aerated Waters' were created in 1920: the Aerated Waters Trade Board for England and Wales (established on 2 January 1920); Aerated Waters Trade Board for Scotland (established on 8 January 1920); and Aerated Waters Trade Board for Ireland (established on 4 February 1920 and transferred to the control of the Irish government in 1922). A separate Trade Board for Northern Ireland was created in 1926.
The trade boards covered "the manufacture, wherever carried on, of mineral or aerated waters, non-alcoholic cordials, flavoured syrups, unfermented sweet drinks and other similar beverages, and the manufacture in unlicensed premises of brewed liquors".
The series of trade board papers in the Trades Union Congress archive includes two files of documents relating to the Aerated Waters (England and Wales) Trade BoardLink opens in a new window and two files relating to the Aerated Waters (Scotland) Trade BoardLink opens in a new window. As part of the Modern Records Centre's 'Sweated trades' digitisation project, we have made a selection of these documents available online, including the items highlighted below.
Illustration: Workers at Beaufoy & Co., South Lambeth, filling bottles of ginger beer. Image included in C. Ainsworth Mitchell, 'Mineral and Aerated Waters'Link opens in a new window (D. Van Nostrand Co., New York, 1913).
Working conditions and pay:
General wages and working conditions:
What were aerated waters workers paid?
Want to know how much a worker earned? This statistical data, based on information from Trade Board notices, summarises the weekly and yearly wages of someone on the minimum wage in the early years of the Aerated Waters Trade Boards.
England and Wales:
Summary of rates set by the Aerated Waters (England and Wales) Trade Board.
Summary of rates set by the Aerated Waters (England and Wales) Trade Board.
Summary of rates set by the Aerated Waters (England and Wales) Trade Board.
Scotland:
Summary of rates set by the Aerated Waters (Scotland) Trade Board.
Summary of rates proposed for the Aerated Waters (Scotland) Trade Board.
Summary of rates set by the Aerated Waters (Scotland) Trade Board.
General:
Note of proceedings of deputation to the Ministry of Labour, May 1920Link opens in a new window
The deputation protested against "the confusion and unfairness caused both to employers and employed by differing minimum rates in England and Scotland, and [expressed] the opinion that one Trade Board should be set up for the Aerated Waters Trade in the British Isles."
Objections to rates of pay:
Each change to the recommended minimum wage was publicised by the issuing of printed notices by the Trade Board. Individuals and organisations then had a set period of time during which they could submit formal written objections to the proposed changes. Inevitably, when wage rates increased most objections were sent in by employers; when rates were reduced most objections were sent by trade unions or workers.
Objection to proposed "drastic cut in wages", 1922Link opens in a new window
Objection submitted by representives of Glasgow and District National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers, including information about comparative cost of living in 1914 and February 1922, and criticism of Scottish workers being offered a lower rate than those in England.
Summary of objections to proposed increase in wages, 1926Link opens in a new window
Twenty three objections from employers are summarised and include references to the current state of trade.
Nine additional summaries of objections from employers.
Objection to proposed "ridiculous rates of wages", 1926Link opens in a new window
Copy of a letter from E.L.D. Lake of Greene, King & Sons Ltd., Bury St Edmunds, to Walter Guinness, which was forwarded on to the Ministry of Labour. Lake complains that the rates are excessively high, when compared to the wages of local agricultural labourers.
Scope of the Trade Board:
Not all workers in Trade Board regulated industries were eligible for the minimum wage, employees who were regarded as doing peripheral jobs (such as messenger, delivery driver, etc.) could be excluded. In some cases the Trade Board was required to rule on 'questions of scope' - whether the work of certain employees came within the scope of the Board (and the minimum wage). Submissions to the Board on questions of scope can include information about manufacturing processes and types of work done by individual employees.
Question of scope: Joseph Hobson & Sons, Regent Street, Leeds, c.1921Link opens in a new window
Question regarding the eligibility of workers for the minimum wage when employed in the Brewery Department, the Wine and Cordial Department and the Bottling Department.
Questions of scope: various firms, 1922Link opens in a new window
Questions regarding the eligibility of workers for the minimum wage. Information about different jobs in the industry is included. Most companies are unnamed, the exception is the Lion Essence and Chemical Works, Brighton.
This memo from the Aerated Waters Trade Board (England and Wales) argues that "free" bottlers should be included within the scope of the Trade Board, as they were undercutting firms who paid the minimum wage and "creating an atmosphere of serious unrest."
State of trade:
Includes information about the number of firms, number of male and female workers employed, and some information about numbers in particular towns.
Memorandum concerning the present table water duties, 1923Link opens in a new window
A tax on 'table waters' was introduced in the Finance (New Duties) Act, 1916. As well as lobbying for the post-war removal of the tax, the Chairman of the Aerated Waters Trade Board (Scotland) provides some background information about the industry.
Exempted workers:
Trade Boards could issue permits of exemption which allowed employers to pay less than the minimum wage. Permits were given to workers who were regarded as having a physical or psychological disability which affected their work. Applications (usually submitted without employees' names) include information about the age, gender and medical conditions of the individual workers.
Applications for permits of exemption, c.1920Link opens in a new window
Information about two applications for permits to the Aerated Waters Trade Board (Scotland).
Summary of permits of exemption granted, March 1921Link opens in a new window
Brief information about six cases, included as an appendix to minutes of the fifth meeting of the Aerated Waters Trade Board (Scotland).
Summary of permits of exemption granted, May 1921Link opens in a new window
Brief information about 16 permits granted by the Aerated Waters Trade Board (England and Wales).
Summary of permits of exemption granted, June 1921Link opens in a new window
Brief information about more than 70 permits granted by the Aerated Waters Trade Board (England and Wales).
Summary of permits of exemption granted, July 1921Link opens in a new window
Brief information about 29 permits granted by the Aerated Waters Trade Board (England and Wales).
Statement regarding permit of exemption, December 1921Link opens in a new window
Brief information about application for an employee of Mr. D. Stevenson, Paisley.
Statement regarding permit of exemption, February 1923Link opens in a new window
Brief information about application for an employee of Mair & Dougall Ltd., Glasgow.
Applications for permits of exemption, 1923Link opens in a new window
Information about two applications for permits to the Aerated Waters Trade Board (Scotland).
An index to these documentsLink opens in a new window is available.
Inspection and enforcement:
Press cutting regarding prosecution of Redruth Brewery Co., 1922Link opens in a new window
Cutting from 'The Cornish Post & Mining News and Redruth Effective Advertiser'. The brewery was ordered to pay arrears of wages totalling £1,441, after failing to pay the minimum wage to 35 employees, and James Wickett, manager of the company, was prosecuted for "hindering and molesting Miss Jessie Marguerite Bowie, an inspector under the Trades Board, in the execution of her duty".
Includes reference to the prosecution of Joseph Carr of Steel & Co., South Shields, for causing a false record of wages to be made.
Includes reports on the prosecution of Crewe Mineral Water Co. and J. T. Shardlow of Worksop.