Derry’s Shirt Tale
Derry's Shirt Tale
| Author | Geraldine McCarter |
| ISBN10 | 094645115X |
| Published | 1991 |
| Published Price | Stg£1.50 |
| Publisher | Guildhall Press, 41 Great james Street, DERRY CITY, BT48 7DF |
| Type | Book |
Shirtmaking was to Derry what shipbuilding was to Belfast. At its peak some 40 factories were at work in this trade and this publication is a concise look at an industry with a significant past in the city.
The book looks at the treatment of workers in the industry, both home workers (outwork) and - in later times - in the factories and it is safe to say that exploitation was the order of the day. Despite the passing of the Truck Act in 1831, the use of the truck system by some shirt manufacturers agents did exist especially if the agent was a shopkeeper.
Interesting points noted were that the coming of the railways helped the outwork system by extending the reach far into neighbouring Donegal and that the employment in shirt making was exclusively female. It was said of Derry that the shirt industry saw men unemployed and women at work and the employment of women prevented their menfolk from relocating to where the jobs were. World War 2 benefited the industry (as it did many other industries) but the inevitable decline commenced once this impetus ceased.
An appendix lists current and former factories and their current status, which is a useful starting point for modern day research. A street map of the city with the factories numbered thereon completes this worthwhile publication.
