Endnotes
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“Tommied to death”: Subjected to the “tommy” or “truck” system of wages. See “tommy” below. —Editor ↩
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“Tommy”: The iniquitous system of paying workers with vouchers rather than money. These vouchers were only redeemable at the employer’s own stores, where goods were often of inferior quality and comparatively high in price. The system kept down employer’s actual wages bills but meant that their workers often lived in abject poverty. —Editor ↩
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“Butty”: A butty in the mining districts is a middleman: a doggy is his manager. The butty generally keeps a tommy or truck shop and pays the wages of his labourers in goods. When miners and colliers strike they term it, “going to play.” —B. D. ↩
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“At play”: on strike. —Editor ↩
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“Hachis”: in cooking, an ingredient which is minced or chopped. Here it indicates just “a mess.” —Editor ↩
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“Charter”: The People’s Charter of 1838, demanding universal manhood suffrage (the right to vote) and other democratic reforms. —Editor ↩
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“Paixhans rockets”: Paixhans was a French general who developed artillery guns which fired explosive shells. The implication here is that the barons cannot stand against modern artillery in the hands of the people. —Editor ↩
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“Five Points”: This refers to the demands of the People’s Charter demanding universal manhood suffrage (the right to vote) and other democratic reforms. —Editor ↩
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“Congo”: black tea imported from China (despite the name, not from the Congo). —Editor ↩
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“Biggin”: a kind of coffee-pot with a strainer, named for its inventor. —Editor ↩