1872 – Vulcan Foundry Rules

Steven Dowd

Ken Harding one of the website visitors sent me quite a few local photos that he had scanned, one of the items he scanned was this document, Its a copy of the Rules and Regulations from the Vulcan Foundry, dated Jan 1st, 1872. I added the photos Ken sent into the photo gallery, but the rules document would not have been readable displayed in the gallery, so I have transcribed it for you to read

If you click the read more link below this text, you will be able to read the full text of The Vulcan Foundry Rules from 1872

RULES & REGULATIONS
To be observed by WORKMEN in the employ of
THE VULCAN FOUNDRY CO., LIMITED.
1. Every workman who is employed by this Company, either by day or piece-work, will he required to produce a certificate of good conduct from his last employers, and he engaged subject to his conforming and submitting to the following Regulations and Fines in cases of misconduct.
2.
The Working Hours will be as follows :–
A.M. to A.M. A.M. to P.M. P.M. to P.M.
Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday 6.0 to 8.30 9.0 to 1.0 2.0 to 5.0
Thursday and Friday 6.0 to 8.30 9.0 to 1.0 2.0 to 5.30
Saturday 6.0 to 8.30 9.0 to 12.0 noon
3. No workman shall leave the service without giving one clear working days notice, or he shall forfeit all arrears of pay then due, and the same notice will be given by the Company, except in cases of misconduct, when the party offending will be liable to immediate dismissal, and if working on piece-work, will forfeit any balance that may accrue.
4. Wages will be paid on Saturday, at five minutes past 12 noon.
5. Each workman must give to the clerk, appointed to go round the works for that purpose, the name and description of work he has been employed on the previous day, and if on more than one job, the time upon each.
6. Every workman will he responsible for his tools, and he will be required to see that the initials of the Company are on them.
7. Any person using Taps, Dies, Rimers, or other General Tools, must see that they are given back in good order, to the care of the person appointed to take charge of them.
8. For Drilling, Planing, and Nut-cutting, soft soap and water must be used. Oil under no circumstances to be used, unless specially ordered by the Foreman.
9. Any workman leaving the service of the Company, will not be paid his wages until he delivers up the key of his drawer or tool chest, and the quantity of tools charged to him, to the satisfaction of the person authorized to receive them.
10. Smiths and Strikers will not be allowed to fetch slack or coals to their fires, such being the duty of other men employed for that purpose.
11. Smiths are required to see that their fires are put out every night before leaving, and the blast shut off.
12. Every man must lower his gas, or blow out his lamp or candle at M FA I, TIMES, also shut off his gas when leaving off work, and dose any water tap he may use as soon as he has obtained the requisite supply of water.
13. All stores required must be obtained from the Store-keeper by an order, signed by the Foreman of each shop ; and if any brass or other material is lost, the workman in charge of the same will be held responsible, and if no satisfactory account can he given by him of it, the value thereof will be deducted from his wages.
14. All House and Gas Rents, &c., due to the Company, will be stopped out of wages.
15.
The following Fines, &e., will be strictly enforced :
Fine : s. p.
1. For infringing Rule 5 0 – 6
2. Play ing or idling during working hours and if any accident is occasioned by such conduct, to pay
the sufferer such wages as he may lose in consequence.		 2 – 0
3. For leaving off work or washing before the bell rings, or washing his hands in oil 1 – 0
4. For leaving the works without permission of his Foreman in addition to loss of wages from the commencement of that quarter of the day. 1 – 0
5. For entering or leaving the premises by any other way than the appointed door Dismissal.
6. For infringing Rule 6, and value of tools deficient. 1 – 0
7. For borrowing a tool from another workman and neglecting to return it. the value of the same.
8. For infringing Rule 7, and value of tools deficient. 1 – 0
9. For injuring a machine or other article through carelessness or neglect the amount of damage.
10.

For making any article for himself or other persons
except for the Company

And for making any tool without directions from his Foreman

Dismissal.

1 – 0
11. For infringing Rule 8 1 – 0
12. Ditto Rule 11 2 – 6
13. Ditto Rule 12 1 – 0
14. Enlarging or wilfully damaging Gas Burners 2 – 0
15. Going into a workshop in which he is not usually
employed. except by order of his Foreman		 1 – 0
16. Making use of any material which shall be cracked or unfit for the intended purpose, all expenses incurred on it subsequent to the discovery of the defect. all expenses
17, Carelessly making an article of wrong dimensions, or finishing work in an inferior or unworkmanlike manner, any extra expense that may be incurred. any extra expense
18. For bringing intoxicating liquors into the works Dismissal.
19.

For smoking in the works during working hours –

or in the shops During meal hours

2 – 0

1 – 0
20. For breaking open another mans drawer or box, or any box containing tools belonging to a lathe or other piece of machinery Dismissal
21. For locking up in their drawer any drill, brace, or other general tool or tools, belonging to any piece of machinery, unless constantly working at that machine 2 – 0
22. For introducing a stranger into the works without leave from the Manager of the works 2 – 6
23. For putting useful pieces of Iron, &e.. into the scrap heap 5 – 0
16. All Fines will be deducted from the respective persons wages ; and those which are not imposed for the purpose of compensating the Company for actual loss, will be retained as a fund for the relief of workmen who may meet with any accident in the works when in execution of their duly.
17. Apprentices will be subject to the above Rules; and if absenting themselves from the works without permission, will be liable to immediate dismissal.
W. F. GOOCH,
Managing Director.
Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, January 1st, 1872.

My thanks go to Ken Harding for sending me the document, which I am sure many people will find interesting, I am not sure what the average wage was for an employee at the Vulcan in 1872, it seems to me that some of the rules had fines which must have represented a large percentage if not all of the weekly wage

If anyone else has documents which they feel other smight be interested in seeing, please consider getting in touch with me, to arrange delivery of a copy/scan/photo.

Steven.dowd@newton-le-willows.com

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