West of England and South Wales Women's History Network Blog

In the first of two posts, Sarah Villiers describes the fascinating history of corsets and what working conditions were like for women in Charles Bayer's corset factories in the west of England.   Few ‘ladies’ would leave the confines of their boudoir without wearing a corset! The huge demand for these undergarments led to the development of many corset manufactories across the country. Contemporary newspaper items provide vivid details of these factories and working conditions. We shall focus on Mr Charles Bayer and his West Country connections.   The Celebrated Charles Bayer Corset   The opening of the Albion Stay Factory, Bath, in 1892 caused a considerable stir. As described in the Bath Chronicle (25 July 1895) it claimed to be the first purpose-built factory supplied with electricity used for lighting and to power the “thrumming Griffin steam engines (made in Bath) powering rows of sewing machines”. It was built over several storeys, each dedicated to a spec...

  Children opening Christmas crackers: illustration on a Victorian Christmas Card It is well-known that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularized the German Christmas Tree in Britain, but what exactly did excited children find under it? [1] A variety of specially made and marketed Christmas gifts were available in the nineteenth century, but they also found practical items – much like the common gift of socks under today’s tree. The novelist and journalist Geraldine Endsor Jewsbury wrote to her friend Jane Welsh Carlyle of one Christmas:   …one was a gathering at Mrs. Schwabe’s for her ‘Christmas Tree’, or rather, ‘New Year’s Eve Tree’, [the party was held on New Year’s Eve] which was a superb affair, and, as your poor — used to say, ‘so expensive’. The guests were chiefly children and family connections; I was nearly the only alien. The presents were a show, and the whole room looked just like the dwelling of a ‘good fairy’, while to see the delight of the children a...