Friendly Society of Operative Scale Makers

The London scalemakers were working together as long ago as 1834, at the time that Robert Wood was in Smithfield and Thomas Herbert was working for Palletts.  The original purpose of the Association was to fix prices charged to customers, something that is illegal nowadays.  A ‘Friendly Society of Operative Scale Makers’ was formed on 3rd March 1834 and a table of prices published.  Among the conditions unanimously agreed on was ‘that after the last day of November 1834 the hours for day men shall be from seven o’clock in the morning until seven in the evening:  except Saturday when it shall be from seven till six’.  In all, a 71 hour week!
 

 
Friendly Society of Operative Scale Makers

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