Question

Read the source given below and answer the question that follows:

Will Thorne is one of those who went in search of seasonal work, loading bricks and doing odd jobs. He describes how job-seekers walked to London in search of work: 'I had always wanted to go to London, and my desire… was stimulated by letters from an old workmate… who was now working at the Old Kent Road Gas Works… I finally decided to go… in November 1881. With two friends I started out to walk the journey, filled with the hope that we would be able to obtain employment, when we get there, with the kind assistance of my friend… we had little money when we started, not enough to pay for our food and lodgings each night until we arrived in London. Some days we walked as much as twenty miles, and other days less. Our money was gone at the end of the third day… For two nights we slept out - once under a haystack, and once in an old farm shed… On arrival in London we tried to find… my friend… but… were unsuccessful. Our money was gone, so there was nothing for us to do but walk around until late at night, and then try to find someplace to sleep. We found an old building and slept in it that night. The next day, Sunday, late in the afternoon, we got to the Old Kent Gas Works and applied for work. To my great surprise, the man we had been looking for was working at the time. He spoke to the foreman and I was given a job.’

1. Analyse the major factor which led London to become an attractive place for job seekers.
2. Analyse the reason for the appointment of Will Thorne by the Old Kent Gas works.
3. Examine the preference of hand labour over machines by the industrialists of Victorian Britain.

Answer 1

1. Owing to the industrial revolution and the existence of employment opportunities in London's factories.
2. Low-paying workers were needed for the seasonal industry of gas work.
3. i. Machines required significant capital expenditures.
   ii. Machines were expensive, inefficient, and challenging to fix.
   iii. Low-paying labour was readily available.
   iv. Only seasonal labour was needed in these industries.