Where Women Work and Men Mind the House . . . The cynic who predicts a time when women will work and men will stay at home is behindhand. The time has already arrived at Shoreditch. For the last four or five years the furniture trade, which used to find employment for thousands of men in this part of London, has been going from bad to worse. As a consequence, some thousands of the hands have been turned away, and at the present time several of the factories have been working little more than half-time. Worse still, from the point of view of the breadwinners, is the fact that where there is work to be had it is now being given to women. The trade union rate for polishers is 9d an hour, but women are only paid 3d. "And many of them are glad to get that, " said an authority in the trade to a London Evening News representative. "You cannot blame the manufacturers for reducing expenses in these bad times. As it is, they cannot compete with the cheap goods of the foreigners. If there ever was a district which needed an alteration in our fiscal system, this is the one."

Inquiries made in the crowded area in the vicinity of Britannia Street disclosed the fact that at many houses the men were at home, while the women had gone to work.

In one instance a man was cooking the dinner and minding the baby, a little girl about two years old, who was rolling about on the floor. The room was not ill furnished but it had a terribly neglected appearance. So had several other children of the family who were playing outside in the street. In another instance the domesticated husband had locked the children in, and was lounging at a street corner.

He had done no work, he said, for six weeks, and was tired of asking for it.

Irish Independent
7 July 1927

"He said I stole those four letters. He also threatened me to stop where I was or he would shoot me. I then said 'come this way and I'll shoot you'. The moment I get out of this he will never live."

Wm Cooke (42), postman, James's St branch, made this statement to Sergt O'Neill, PO Investigation Dept. , when charged with stealing letters, according to evidence given by the sergeant to the Dublin district court yesterday. The man referred to was Capt P Moynihan, PO Investigation Dept Capt Moynihan said he went to a licensed house in Thomas St on Tuesday and saw the defendant, who agreed to accompany him to the Castle for an interview.

He said he had no undelivered letters. On the way to the Castle witness saw defendant make a movement towards his inside pocket. "I moved the bag aside and saw he had letters in his hand, " said Capt Moynihan. The defendant refused to hand up the letters, but witness snatched them. "He apparently lost his head and squared out to fight me, " added witness. He struck witness in the chest, and aimed a blow at his companion. The defendant ran to his house in Cooke St, but came out after a short time and challenged witness to fight. . .

After arrest and caution, he said, Capt Moynihan stated: "I will tell you one thing. That fellow (Capt Moynihan) won't live when I come out of this." Witness mentioned that one of the letters he snatched had been posted in South Africa, and should not have been in defendant's possession. The defendant was remanded in custody.