NAT ! ON A l UN i ON OF WO- 
 MEN WORKERS OF GREAT 
 BRITAIN AND IRELAND 
 
 REPORT OF THE REST 
 ROOMS AND COFFEE STALLS 
 
 • • 9 • 
 
THE 
 
 Rational llmon af l^nmcn l|laH|^$ 
 
 ©f ©reat Britain anti Ireland. 
 
 SPECIAL COMMITTEE for PROMOTING the PROVISION of 
 REST ROOMS for WOMEN and GIRL EMPLOYEES 
 in EXHIBITIONS. 
 
 REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 est fiooms anb Coffee 
 
 OPENED BY THE COMMITTEE 
 
 IN 
 
 THE WHITE CITY EXHIBITION, 
 
 1909. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 
 
 https://archive.org/details/reportofrestroomOOnati 
 
| 3>5\.Ar 
 
 "UTIie Rational Union of (Uornen ®orkers. 
 
 SPECIAL COMMITTEE fob PROMOTING the PROVISION of 
 REST ROOMS for EMPLOYEES in EXHIBITIONS. 
 
 i 
 
 vfl 
 
 1/1 
 
 0 
 
 \l 
 
 * 
 
 V] 
 
 o 
 
 I 
 
 <0 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 <k 
 
 4 
 
 President — MRS . CREIGHTON. 
 
 Convenor — THE HON. MRS. T. H. W. PELHAM. 
 
 V ice- Chairman— MISS BOWLBY. 
 
 MRS. BENHAM. 
 
 MRS. CAPPER. 
 
 THE DOWAGER COUNTESS OF DESART. 
 BARONESS H. VON HUGEL. 
 
 MRS. RAMSAY MACDONALD. 
 
 MRS. DONALD MACLEAN. 
 
 MISS E. PARTINGTON. 
 
 MRS. IVOR PHILIPPS. 
 
 MISS M. PHILLIPS. 
 
 MRS. B. SHERA. 
 
 MISS E. TAYLOR. 
 
 Hon. Secretary and Treasurer — MRS. ARNOLD GLOVER. 
 10, Leonard Place, Kensington, W. 
 
 The following Societies are represented on the Committee: 
 
 The Young Women’s Christian Association. 
 
 The Girls’ Friendly Society. 
 
 The Womens’ Industrial Council. 
 
 The International Catholic Society. 
 
 The Union of Jewish Women. 
 
 The Jewish Association for the Protection of Girls and Women. 
 The London Diocesan Association. 
 
 The National Council of Evangelical Free Churches. 
 
 The Girls’ Clubs Sectional Committee of the National Union 
 01 Women Workers. 
 

IRest IRooms. 
 
 F ROM the closing of last year’s Franco-British Exhibition 
 until the opening of the two Rest Room buildings early 
 in June, the important reforms which experience had 
 proved to the Hon. Mrs. Pelham’s Committee to be pressing, 
 were never lost sight of by the National Union of Women 
 Workers. 
 
 Their special committee was formed after the deputation to 
 the Home Office and Local Government Board. Free sanitary 
 accommodation for the employees was made a condition to 
 granting the Exhibition authorities their music and theatre 
 licence by the LC C. Drinking water fountains were enforced, 
 when the licence for selling alcoholic drinks was allowed. Our 
 own important advantage was the erection of two buildings, 
 well suited to our purpose, at the expense of the Exhibition 
 authorities. The Commissioner, at first, offered us free space 
 only, and we were to build ; but a very strong and influential 
 appeal gained us the two buildings. 
 
 Messrs. Lyons readily gave their kind consent to the 
 Committee’s request for the privileges enjoyed last year in 
 connection with the selling of refreshments. 
 
 A gr eat many of the Exhibition sections were never opened, 
 and week by week stall owners either gave up or reduced their 
 staff, owing to the small public attendance and the wet season. 
 On this account the Committee closed the Green Rest Room 
 (Building 115) at the end of six weeks, as, from 140 members, 
 the attendance was reduced to 90 in the week, which did not 
 authorize the weekly expenditure, either for the Rest Room or 
 the Coffee Stall. The Blue Rest Room (Building 148) remained 
 open until the Exhibition closed ; the number of names on the 
 books being 431, and the average daily attendance about 200. 
 The other room had 258 names on the books, which makes a 
 total of 689. The rooms were furnished to seat 50 at a time. 
 Two dozen chairs, four* tables, a bureau and a hanging cupboard 
 were on hire from Messrs. Derry & Toms for five guineas each 
 room. The seating all round the rooms, the screens, shelves, 
 sideboards, floorcloth, pictures, sinks, etc., were purchased. 
 Curtains and covers were selected and made, to give a cottage- 
 like and homely effect, which remained fresh and restful to the 
 
6 
 
 very end, thanks to the extreme care given to cleanliness and 
 order by the lady superintendent and her waiting woman. The 
 members paid Id. weekly, and could write, read and rest for any 
 time between 11 and 9 o’clock; could get their meals, wash, and 
 have needles, cotton, stationery, simple restoratives and personal 
 sympathy for the asking. The Committee feel that the sub- 
 scribers should realize the immense service their assistance 
 proved this year when, day after day many employees were Without 
 commission money, without any certainty of retaining their 
 posts, and were in a far more lonely and dangerous position than 
 in the previous year, when their time was fully occupied and 
 commission counted for much. 
 
 A savings bank was opened as an experiment, and proved 
 successful. There were 76 depositors, who paid in <£36 19s. 7d. 
 Three pounds nine and ninepence was paid out in bonuses to 
 those depositors who remained on the books to the end. The 
 amount was reckoned on the number of entries, and not on the 
 amount paid in. 
 
 The work of management was heavy and often anxious. 
 The rooms were promised by May 8th, and not finished till 
 June 6th. The superintendents were engaged for the former 
 date, a.nd were, of course, paid during the delay. All enquiries 
 and difficulties outside the rooms had to be undertaken by the 
 Hon. Sec., owing to there being only one superintendent, and her 
 supervision in the room constant The arrangements with 
 visitors to take off-duty hours, the weekly renewal of free passes 
 and posting the same, the accounts in connection with the 
 savings bank, members’ subscriptions and outside donations, 
 meant frequent attendance and unending correspondence, 
 added to extreme anxiety as to finance. When the Green Rest 
 Room closed, in July, there was a deficit of <£17, which never 
 got made up until after the Exhibition had closed in October. 
 Therefore the weekly up-keep of the Blue Rest Room, which 
 amounted to about £3 5s. Od., had to be made out of the 
 Coffee Stall profits, after paying the wages of the two attendants 
 employed there. It was accomplished until within two weeks 
 of closing, when numbers had decreased; but it is a satisfaction 
 to find that for eight weeks the customers at the Coffee Stall 
 supported the entire up-keep of the building. 
 
 The Amendment to the Shops Act, promised for next 
 Session, includes the provision of rest rooms, refreshment and 
 sanitary accommodation for employees in exhibitions. The 
 authorities to come under the Act, or submit a scheme for the 
 provision of the same to the Secretary of State. Mr. Donald 
 Maclean, M.P., has the matter in hand for the Committee. 
 
 The Committee are in correspondence with the Japanese 
 Commissioners in Tokyo with regard to the reception of those 
 women and girls who visit England as employees at the Japan - 
 British Exhibition in 1910. 
 
7 
 
 £be Coffee Stalls. 
 
 T he management of the refreshments was undertaken by 
 the Hon. Sec., who proved both the need and the appre- 
 ciation of serving simple and cheap meals to the employees 
 during the Fran co-British Exhibition, 1908. The kitchens in the 
 little Rest Room building served as the stalls this year, and the 
 convenience of having water laid on and a sink for washing up, 
 not to speak of the increased space and shelter, made the work 
 less difficult if less picturesque. We often wondered how we had 
 managed the “business,” when only a bicycle shed and an awning 
 was the address ! 
 
 Every member of the Rest Room patronised the coffee stall, 
 some only for tea or coffee to take with the meal they had 
 brought from home. We gave a tray to every customer, and 
 plates with condiments if asked for. At lunch time the serving 
 could be managed without a chance of “ corpses,” as one of the 
 girls used to say, but at tea we were often kept at it till we 
 really dropped. Space forbid many helpers or more apparatus, 
 and from the moment the alarum clock struck 4.15, and we 
 commenced serving a waiting, merry crowd, until six o’clock, 
 when very little was left for the last comers, everyone in the 
 tiny kitchen was dumb but strenuous. The food was fresh daily. 
 We always frankly told the girls if a bun or a tart was 
 “ yesterdays,” and she invariably replied, “That’s all right; it’s 
 fresher than none.” We occasionally allowed payment to stand 
 over till pay-day, but never once had a bad debt. The two 
 attendants we employed for the urn and tea-making and for 
 washing-up did the bulk of the preparations, and throughout the 
 season proved admirable co-workers. Bill of fare : — 
 
 Tea, coffee, cocoa or milk 
 
 Id. 
 
 Bread and butter (4 slices) 
 
 Id. 
 
 Oxo 
 
 
 lid. 
 
 Scones (buttered)... 
 
 id. 
 
 Lemonade, sherbet 
 
 or 
 
 
 Pickles or chutnee 
 
 |d. 
 
 soda water 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Radishes or Watercress . . . 
 
 id. 
 
 Sandwiches ... 2 for 
 
 Id. 
 
 Potted meat (on 4 slices)... 
 
 |d. 
 
 Eggs 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Biscuits ... 4 to 14 for 
 
 Id. 
 
 Veal and ham yates 
 
 
 lid. 
 
 Cream (small portion) 
 
 id. 
 
 Sausage rolls 
 
 
 lid. 
 
 ,, (large portion) 
 
 Id. 
 
 Sardines... 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Plain or Bath buns 
 
 id. 
 
 Roll (buttered) .. 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Shortbread or gingerbread 
 
 id. 
 
 Oat cakes 
 
 3 a 
 
 Id. 
 
 Sponge cakes or queen cakes 
 
 id. 
 
 Pineapple chunks 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Lemon buns or rock cakes 
 
 id. 
 
 Stewed fruit 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Dough nuts 
 
 |d. 
 
 Bananas 
 
 2 a 
 
 Id. 
 
 Cut cake or jam sandwich 
 
 Id. 
 
 Beetroot or cucumber 
 
 
 id. 
 
 Egg and milk 
 
 2d. 
 
 Mixed salads 
 
 
 Id. 
 
 Grape nuts and cream 
 
 Id. 
 
 Cheese ... 
 
 
 o (1. 
 
 Tomatoes ... ... 2 for 
 
 Id. 
 
 Items in italics were not daily, and the |d. cakes were ordered 
 in selections, but dough nuts were in. demand always. 
 
8 
 
 We bad to refuse to send tea-trays to those who could not 
 leave their counters, owing to the number of things never 
 returned. Friends who were good enough to fetch for the 
 prisoners did not remember to carry back for them. We felt the 
 matter difficult to deal with, as there were a good many solitary 
 stall-holders, trade being bad. However, the lonely ones solved 
 the difficulty themselves, and a multitudinous medley of cans, 
 vases, jugs and flower stands were brought, filled, and carried 
 away. I used to recognise the same novelties for sale as I passed 
 out, and wonder if they were of any more value for their 
 experience ! 
 
 Our takings and spendings are printed in this Report. The 
 total profit is not as large as that of last year, though we took 
 more money. This is explained by our short six weeks’ business 
 at the Green Rest Room, which closed on July 17th, being run 
 at a loss ; by our wages being higher ; by serving Oxo, on which 
 we lose, all through the season, instead of for eight weeks last 
 year ; and by serving free lunches to the cloak-room and coffee- 
 room attendants, free teas to all visitors, and providing all the 
 soap and cleaning materials for the Rest Rooms. 
 
 Our catering had to be done daily, as we had no larder or 
 cupboards, and rats were numerous. Twenty to 12 quarts of 
 milk, 61bs. of butter, 6 to 3 doz. eggs, 120 to 90 rolls, 4 quarterns 
 of bread, and the rest in proportion, with novelties and surprises 
 on wet days. 
 
 We hope that the pioneer work for providing a separate 
 place and suitable prices for refreshments for Exhibition em- 
 ployees is almost over. Its far-reaching advantages to the girls 
 are obvious. There is no doubt that a good mid-day meal would 
 be patronised by many if it is possible to provide it cheaply and 
 serve it daintily ; but we hope our bill of fare will also stand, for 
 the sake of those who bring something from home, or whose 
 appetites are small and purses smaller still. We also hope, 
 and we confidently include our customers in this, that the ladies 
 who learnt to “keep shop” will be able to take another course of 
 instruction next year, though, if grateful appreciation of their 
 help constituted certificates, the customers at our Blue Rest 
 Room Coffee Stall have given them all first-class honours. 
 
 
9 
 
 IDtsttors to tbe IRest IRooms. 
 
 From 2 to 4 o’clock during Lady Superintendent’s off duty hours. 
 
 Miss Andrews (15) ; Mrs. Banks (7) ; Miss Evelyn Banks 
 (11) ; Miss Brooke-Herford (4) ; Miss Eaton (4) ; Miss Finlay (3) ; 
 Mrs. Gillespie (9); Mrs. Arnold Glover (10); Mrs. Ivor Philipps 
 (2) ; The Hon. Mrs. Pelham (6) ; Miss Pelham (3) ; Miss Mary 
 Phillips (6) ; Miss Shera (6) ; Miss Taylor (5) ; The Union of 
 Jewish Women (18). 
 
 f -f •f 
 
 IDlsitors to tbe Coffee Stall. 
 
 To serve at the Counter 12.30 to 2.30 and 4.15 to 6.15. 
 
 *Miss Andrews (17); *Mrs. Banks (8); *Miss Evelyn 
 Banks (10) ; Mrs. St. John Banks (7) ; Miss Bolton (2) ; Miss 
 Baynes (10) ; The Hon. Mrs. Forbes (12); Miss Hazel Glover 
 (2); *Mrs. Arnold Glover (104); Mrs. Gillespie (13); Mrs. 
 James or Miss Brown (29) ; Miss Knightley (Mrs. Glover’s 
 maid) (10); Mrs. Donald MacLean (3); Miss Shera (3) ; Miss 
 Daisy Phillips (5) ; Miss Tanner (2) ; Miss Lewellyn Toms (3). 
 
 Mrs. Creighton, Mrs. Capper, Mrs. Bamsay Macdonald and 
 others called during the Season. 
 
 The numbers within brackets denote the number of visits 
 
 paid. 
 
 The * denotes service given twice in the day. 
 
 The Committee acknowledge with thanks the following 
 gifts : — 
 
 A good supply of Library Books — Messrs. Curtis and Davison. 
 24 Standard Novels — Mrs. Capper. 
 
 8 Volumes of the Illustrated London News — Mrs. Leuchars. 
 Weekly Magazines — The Hon. Mrs. Pelham and Mrs. Capper. 
 
 6 Garden Chairs — Mrs. and Miss Howe, per Miss Mary Phillips. 
 
 7 lbs. of Tea and Coffee — Andrew Devitt, Esq., per Mrs. Donald 
 
 McLean. 
 
 Newspapers — The Daily Telegraph Office in the Exhibition, Miss 
 Wiegand and Mrs. Arnold Glover. 
 
 Plants and Flowers — The Hon Mrs. Pelham, Mrs. Arnold 
 Glover, Mrs. Gillespie, Miss Wiegand, Mrs. James, Miss 
 Brown, The London Hospital Nurses, Mrs. Gould, Mrs. 
 Coles and Members of the Rest Room. 
 
 Zoological Garden Tickets, Hospital Letters, Elastic Stocking, 
 Pair of Spectacles — Mrs. Arnold Glover. 
 
 For the Examination of all Accounts — Walter T. Banks, Esq. 
 
10 
 
 Xist of Donations. 
 
 The Ecclesiastical Commissioners per Mrs. Creighton 
 
 £ 
 
 50 
 
 s. 
 
 0 
 
 d. 
 
 0 
 
 Balance from Rest Room a/c 1908, per The Hon. 
 
 Mrs. Pelham ... 
 
 28 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 Part Balance from Coffee Stall a/c 1908, per Mrs. 
 
 Arnold Glover 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 11 
 
 Towards initial Expenditure 
 
 100 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Creighton, Mrs. 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Cohen, Mrs. Julia 
 
 2 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Desart, Dowager Countess of 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 ,, ,, „ ,, 2nd donation ... 
 
 20 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Forbes, the Hon. Mrs. per 
 
 30 
 
 15 
 
 0 
 
 Gillespie, Mrs. Colin ... 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 Glover, Mrs. Arnold, for Savings Bank Bonus 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Hertz, Miss Olga 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Jardine, Mrs. 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 MacLennan, Mrs. 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Mirlees, Mrs. ... 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Pelham the Hon. Mrs. 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 Philipps, Mrs. Ivor 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 Rowe, Miss 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 Servant, Mrs. ... 
 
 0 
 
 2 
 
 0 
 
 Shera, Miss Blanche ... 
 
 1 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 „ „ „ per 
 
 0 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 Tanner, Mrs. and Miss 
 
 0 
 
 10 
 
 0 
 
 Tritton, Mrs. Robert ... 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 Result of letter in Spectator (Mrs. Arnold Glover) 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 <£194 
 
 10 
 
 0 
 
 t 't $ 
 
11 
 
 Balance Sbeet. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 Donations as per list 194 10 6 
 
 Members Weekly Subs. — 
 
 Room 115 (6wks.) £3 4 2 
 Room 148 (20 wks.) 16 6 10—19 12 0 
 Sale of Benches, Linoleum, 
 
 Garden Chairs, etc. ... 7 5 2 
 
 In Collecting Boxes 0 9 9 
 
 Total Profit on Coffee Stall — 
 
 per Mrs. Arnold Glover 30 0 0 
 
 £251 17 5 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 Two Rest Rooms (115 & 148) — 
 
 Furniture, Fittings, Fixtures, 
 
 Linen, and Repairs ... 115 8 11J 
 Structural Alterations ... 5 3 8 
 
 Removals Expenditure ... 5 2 6 
 
 Entrances paid for Work- 
 people Oil 0 
 
 Gifts to Workmen 0 15 0 
 
 GasFittings, including Stoves 2 16 0 
 
 Printing Booklets & Tickets 3 18 4 
 
 Laundry and Stationery ... 3 2 10| 
 
 Salaries (3) 80 11 6 
 
 Wages (2) 20 5 0 
 
 Petty Cash Account for Pos- 
 tage, etc., from January 2 15 0 
 
 Bonuses on Savings Bank 
 
 Deposits 3 9 9 
 
 Bonuses, Lady Supts. .. 7 17 10 
 
 £251 17 5 
 
 Examined and found correct— 
 
 WALTER T. BANKS, 
 
 90, Piccadilly. 
 
 
 $ 
 
 Coffee Stall.— Balance Sbeet, 1909. 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 
 £ s. 
 
 d. 
 
 £ 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 Takings — 
 
 
 
 Grocer 
 
 86 12 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 Room 151 (6 wks.) £48 19 7 
 
 
 
 Dairyman 
 
 106 0 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 Room 148 (20 „ ) 314 13 10-363 
 Sale of Crockery, etc 2 
 
 13 
 
 5 
 
 Baker 
 
 78 4 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 0 
 
 Confectioner 
 
 12 16 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fruiterer 
 
 14 17 
 
 2- 
 
 -298 
 
 11 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 Wages 
 
 35 6 
 
 0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Washing 
 
 1 8 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Carter Paterson 
 
 0 13 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fly Papers 
 
 0 2 
 
 6- 
 
 —37 
 
 10 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 Balance handed 
 
 over 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Rest Room Account ... 
 
 
 . 30 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 £366 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 
 £366 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 Examined and found correct — 
 
 WALTER T. BANKS, 
 
 90, Piccadilly. 
 
12 
 
 
 “ ‘ Come back again !’ she cried ; and all the others echoed her ; and 
 all the hills about Origny repeated the words, ‘ Come back !’ ” 
 
 “ An Inland Voyage ” — R. L. Stevenson. 
 
 The members of the Rest Room wished their thanks 
 recorded for “ the one bright spot in the Exhibition.” The 
 Visitors were also grateful to have found so much good nature, 
 good spirits and good fellowship existing under circumstances 
 that might have excused depression and dulness. 
 
 The Hon. Sec., Mrs. Arnold Glover, the Lady Superin- 
 tendent, Miss Wiegand, the assistant for off-duty days, Mrs 
 Ride wood, all received farewell gifts from the members, who 
 also collected a considerable sum to divide among their friends 
 the attendants, who were daily at their service in the cloak 
 room and coffee stall. 
 
 “One person I have to make good: mj'self. But my duty to my 
 neighbour is much more nearly expressed by saying that I have to make 
 him happy — if I may.” 
 
 “A Christmas Sermon” — R. L. Stevenson. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA