Wages Collection

National coal strike - demands of miners 1912
National coal strike, to secure a minimum wage that lasted from February to early April 1912. This table shows how the wages differ per day in Great Britain and Ireland during 1910, of boys, youths

Welsh women road builders, South Wales
A group of twenty Welsh women road builders in Pembrokeshire, Dyfed, South Wales, holding their spades. They built the road to Hook in 1903-4 to facilitate transport to the colliery

Copper Miners Strike - Calumet, Michigan, USA. Industrial action by Copper Miners of the Western Federation of Miners. Workers were concerned of being displaced to a lower-paying job or of losing

Official wording, Apprenticeship Indenture
Official wording of an Apprenticeship Indenture, between John Henry Watson of 3 Newland Street, Derby, and Messrs John Davis & Son (Derby) Limited

A. J. Cook led the Miners and the miners led the strike, c1926, (1938). Arthur James Cook (1883-1931), known as A. J. Cook, was a British trade union leader who was General Secretary of the Miners

Striking Beauty Workers
Four women workers from The Beauty Shop, on strike for decent living wages and decent working hours. Date: early 1930s

Events / Africa / Libya
The U.S. wages war on Algerian pirates : Stephen Decaturs life is saved when Reuben James interposes his head between a pirate sword and his commander

Cartoon commenting on the disadvantages of arbitration - it can go against you, 19th century
5308704 Cartoon commenting on the disadvantages of arbitration - it can go against you, 19th century; (add.info.: Cartoon commenting on the disadvantages of arbitration - it can go against you)

Mother urging her child to go to work in the mill. Clothes are rags and straw helps keep his feet warm
527857 Mother urging her child to go to work in the mill. Clothes are rags and straw helps keep his feet warm. Children wait for mill door to open

Farmer's wife letting out a bull to frighten off agricultural workers attacking a farm, c1830
527849 Farmer's wife letting out a bull to frighten off agricultural workers attacking a farm, c1830. Rick burning and machine wrecking widespread at this time as workers were afraid that

Children earning a living, 1850
3478706 Children earning a living, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting children earning a living by knitting and making nets. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG

Riot by railway workers at Martinsbury on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
530419 Riot by railway workers at Martinsbury on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Workers went on strike when the Company cut their wages

Kentish agricultural workers attacking a farm at night, c1830. Ricks were burned and machinery
527874 Kentish agricultural workers attacking a farm at night, c1830. Ricks were burned and machinery, particularly threshing machines

The Needlewoman at Home and Abroad': The advantages of emigration for the wretched British needlewoman on sweated
527867 The Needlewoman at Home and Abroad': The advantages of emigration for the wretched British needlewoman on sweated wages

The Prince Imperial of France, 1858. Creator: Unknown
The Prince Imperial of France, 1858. The Portrait which we now present is from a photograph taken by Messrs. Miall (Freres)

The vineyard workers receive their wages, mid 17th century. Creator: Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn
The vineyard workers receive their wages, mid 17th century

Payment of Salaries to the Night Watchmen in the Camera del Comune of Siena, 1440-1460. Creator: Anon
Payment of Salaries to the Night Watchmen in the Camera del Comune of Siena, 1440-1460

Pay day for the stevedores, Baltimore, Md. c1905. Creator: Unknown
Pay day for the stevedores, Baltimore, Md. c1905

Car of migrant agricultural worker on strike... Bakersfield, California, 1938. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Note on campaign "Olson for Governor, 1938." Car of migrant agricultural worker on strike for wage increase in cotton. Bakersfield, California. ['Olson - Downey - Patterson]

Billboard on U.S. Highway 99 in California, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Billboard on U.S. Highway 99 in California. National advertising campaign sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers

The Owner of the Vineyard Paying his Labourers... 1850. Creator: Unknown
The Owner of the Vineyard Paying his Labourers - painted by Rembrandt - from the Gallery of the late King of Holland, at the Hague, 1850

Great Exhibition Building - Paying the Workmen, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Great Exhibition Building - Paying the Workmen, 1850....the exterior of the pay-office is seen on the right, with a workman in the act of taking from the box his weekly wages

NUPE and GMBATU school meals campaign, Croydon
NUPE and GMBATU representatives at a press conference to launch a Save our school meals campaign in the London Borough of Croydon, 29 June 1983. Date: 1983

Political poster, Free Trade versus Fair Trade -- a commentary on Joseph Chamberlain (seen here as the New Gardener) and the Tariff Reform League. circa 1906

The Matron of George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton, Miss A. Barry(centre), and her assistant, Mrs. M. Jones(left) give some of the nurses instruction on the more important points to be raised when they

Tippoo Saib, (1750-1799), 1830. Creator: Unknown
Tippoo Saib, (1750-1799), 1830. Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) ruler of Mysore, a pioneer of rocket artillery deployed in the Anglo-Mysore War

Scene During The Preston Strike, c1890. Artist: William Rainey
Scene During The Preston Strike, c1890. Part of the 1842 General Strike or Plug Plot Riots. These strikes and disturbances were prompted by depression in 1841-2 which resulted in wage cuts of over

His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, 1858. Creator: Unknown
His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, 1858. The cities of Holland...put on their holiday attire, to pay due honour [to the prince] on his attaining his majority

Lancashire cotton mill workers wages in 1793

Cartoon, A Pretty Penny in the Slot -- Baldwin asks John Bull for national investment in mines. Following the mine-owners reduction of their workers wages

Dancer and Dance Master (colour litho)
3641674 Dancer and Dance Master (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dancer and Dance Master. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

The British Butcher supplying John Bull with a substitute for bread, 1795 (colour litho)
CHT219338 The British Butcher supplying John Bull with a substitute for bread, 1795 (colour litho) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

Women getting mens wages (colour litho)
3641643 Women getting mens wages (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Women getting mens wages. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Paymaster on edge of pea fields... near Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Paymaster on edge of pea fields pays a quarter for every hamper of thirty pounds brought to the scale. Near Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California

Part of line up at paymasters window at noon... near Grants Pass, Josephine County, Oregon, 1939
Part of line up at paymasters window at noon. Hop pickers are paid off daily. Oregon, Josephine County, near Grants Pass

Paymaster on edge of pea fields pays a... near Calipatria, Imperial Valley, CA, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Paymaster on edge of pea fields pays a quarter for every hamper of thirty pounds brought to the scale. Near Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California

Opposition of the medical profession in Great Britain to the health scheme proposals of Lloyd George in the National
KDC400210 Opposition of the medical profession in Great Britain to the health scheme proposals of Lloyd George in the National Insurance Act, 1911 (litho) by Partridge

Opposition of the medical profession in Great Britain to the health scheme proposals of Lloyd George in the 1911
KDC400214 Opposition of the medical profession in Great Britain to the health scheme proposals of Lloyd George in the 1911 National Insurance Act, 1912 (litho) by Partridge

The Christmas Pantomimes, "The Babes in the Wood, "at Drury Lane (litho)
1615045 The Christmas Pantomimes, " The Babes in the Wood, " at Drury Lane (litho) by Begg, Samuel (fl.1886-1916) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Christmas Pantomimes)

Frank Bruno Wages War On Jesse Ferguson (Nec March 94) 30 March 1994 Date: 30 March 1994

Payment of Salaries to the Night Watchmen in the Camera del Comune of Siena, 1440-60 (tempera on panel)
3545928 Payment of Salaries to the Night Watchmen in the Camera del Comune of Siena, 1440-60 (tempera on panel) by Italian School, (15th century); 28.5x25 cm; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Equity, or a Sailors Prayer before Battle, 1805. Creator: Charles Williams
Equity, or a Sailors Prayer before Battle, 1805

Cost of living, Diagram illustrating the increased cost at home and abroad
6008301 Cost of living, Diagram illustrating the increased cost at home and abroad, and rise of wages in the principal industries (litho) by English School

Office recorder and time recorder for use in a factory (b / w photo)
6008201 Office recorder and time recorder for use in a factory (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Sancho asks Don Quixote for wages (engraving)
969739 Sancho asks Don Quixote for wages (engraving) by Gilbert, John (1817-97) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sancho asks Don Quixote for wages)

Surrender of the Pinkerton men to the strikers at the Carnegie Steel Company
PNP249841 Surrender of the Pinkerton men to the strikers at the Carnegie Steel Company, 1892 (litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; Peter Newark American Pictures; American

African labourers lined up to receive their wages
African labourers on a farm or plantation lined up to receive their wages. Date: 1950s

Cartoon by Gillray, a poor man goes hungry - wages were low and food prices were high, thanks to foreign wars, corn duty and a bad harvest. 1790s

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"Wages: A Historical Struggle for Fairness and Equality" Throughout history, the issue has been at the forefront of numerous social and political movements. From the National coal strike in 1912, where miners demanded better pay and working conditions, to Welsh women road builders in South Wales who fought for equal wages during challenging times. The official wording of an Apprenticeship Indenture highlighted the importance of fair compensation for labor. It was leaders like A. J. Cook who led the miners' strike in 1926 and again in 1938, standing up against exploitation by mine-owners. Even events across continents were marked by wage-related protests. In Africa's Libya, workers took a stand against unfair treatment. Meanwhile, striking beauty workers raised their voices demanding just remuneration for their skills. Looking back to Lancashire cotton mill workers' wages in 1793 reveals a long-standing struggle for economic justice within industries. The letter from Harland & Wolff to Mrs. A. W Frost exemplifies how employers communicated with employees regarding their earnings. In more recent times, campaigns such as NUPE and GMBATU's school meals campaign in Croydon shed light on ongoing efforts to ensure fair compensation for essential work. A powerful cartoon titled "A Pretty Penny in the Slot" depicted Baldwin asking John Bull for national investment in mines after mine-owners reduced worker's wages - illustrating how disputes over they have always sparked protest and industrial action throughout history. From past struggles to present-day battles, it is clear that discussions surrounding they can deeply rooted within society's fabric. The fight continues as people strive towards a future where fairness prevails over exploitation – ensuring that every individual receives just compensation for their labor.