Work Collection

MS. MAGAZINE, 1972. Cover of the first issue of Ms. magazine, spring 1972

Children labelling tins of tea c. 1910, Butlers Wharf BB87_09690
BUTLERs WHARF, Shad Thames, London. From 1921 children had to be at least 12 years old before they could work full-time, though some of these boys look younger

Polkanuggo Quarry, Stithians, Cornwall. September 1902
A view of the quarry face showing workers sitting on a granite block weighing an estimated 2, 738 tons. It was claimed to be the largest single block ever quarried

Quarry in Mabe or Constantine, Cornwall. 1903-1904
A view of the quarry face showing two workers with sledge hammers standing by a granite block that is being dressed. Part of the Freeman & Sons, Penryn Collection. Photographer: Unknown

Amish Blacksmith
Anna Zhang

Freeman & Sons dressing floor, probably Penryn, Cornwall. 1903-1904
Classical granite columns on the dressing floor of Freeman & Sons works. The man pictured is either Bernard Freeman or his brother. Part of the Freeman & Sons, Penryn Collection. Photographer: Unknown

Transporting granite blocks for King Alfreds statue to Penryn Station, Penryn, Cornwall. 1901
Fowler traction engines 7974 and 9016 are pictured hauling blocks of granite from one of the Mabe quarries to Penryn Station, for onward transportation by train to Winchester, Hampshire

A new Peugeot rolls off the production line at the Peugeot factory at Ryton. 12th January 1988

Workers at Peugeot factory Ryton celebrate an eight fold increase in profits and a record amount of cars produced in a year. 18th May 1989

The crew of a Yarmouth Herring boat pull in their catch on a storm tossed North Sea. Circa 1935

CAPITALIST PYRAMID, 1911. American Socialist poster

Ploughing with shire horses, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

DIEGO RIVERA: DETROIT. Automobile Industry. Large detail of Diego Riveras mural at The Detroit Institute of Arts, 1932-1933

Comptometer Room, Stratford Cooperative Society 1914 BL22762
STRATFORD CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, Maryland Street, Stratford, Greater London. Interior view of the Comptometer Room at Stratford Co-operative Society

Anthony Higgins in Peter Greenaways The Draughtsmans Contract (1982)

CAILLEBOTTE: PLANERS, 1875. The Floor Planers. Oil on canvas by Gustave Caillebotte

Oseberg replica Viking ship, Norway

Butlers Wharf, Shad Thames BB87_09745
BUTLERs WHARF, Shad Thames, London. A cargo of bananas in specially ventilated crates is unloaded and transferred into the warehouse via a conveyor belt while two foremen in bowler hats look

Firefighters and hoses, LFB annual review, Lambeth HQ LFB150
London firefighters from East London demonstrating mass jets during the Annual Review display at the Brigades headquarters. Lambeth, SE1

Blowing glass in a British factory, 1800s
Workers in a crown-glass factory, Great Britain, early 1800s. Hand-colored engraving of a 19th-century illustration

Coal mine in England, 1850s
Removing coal in the Bradley mine, Staffordshire, England, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Land Rover Defender TD5

Range Rover Mk. 1 Classic
car, Range, Rover, Classic, British, Britain, England, English, UK, United, Kingdom, mustard, 1973, 1970s, 70s, seventies, classic, hatchback, hatch

Station Master BB98_05551
STATION MASTER, Finmere Station, Oxfordshire. In 1898-99 the Great Central Railway Company (formed 1897) created a main railway route from Sheffield through Nottingham and Leicester to London

Pay day, Butlers Wharf, Shad Thames BB87_09666
Pay day at Butlers Wharf, Shad Thames, London. A line of workmen collect their wages from a hatch, while a security guard looks on. Photographer unknown, c.1910

RIVERA: PRE-COLUMBIAN LIFE. The Zapotec Civilization. Mural, c1925, by Diego Rivera at the Ministry of Public Education, Mexico City

Large atrium in the Lloyds Building, designed by Richard Rogers, City of London, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Building the HTP warehouse on Malpas Road, Truro, Cornwall. Around 1911
Warehouse being built for HTP (Hosken, Trevithick and Polkinhorn), who were agricultural and grain merchants. View of the frame of the building with scaffolding and gangs of workers

The Angelus (c1857-1859). At the sound of the Angelus bell from the church in the distance, peasants pause in their work to say an evening prayer. Jean Francois Millet (1817-1875) Musee d Orsay, Paris

DIEGO RIVERA: DETROIT. Detail from Diego Riveras mural depicting the American automobile industry at The Detroit Institute of Arts, 1932-1933

Postman, Harnham, Salisbury OP04500
HARNHAM, Salisbury, Wiltshire. View from the Old Mill at Harnham, looking across the water meadows towards Salisbury Cathedral with a postman pushing his bicycle along the Town Path in

Wessex helicopter winching up survivior in rescue from sea

Smithfield Market BL22966_004
SMITHFIELD MARKET, London. Smithfield has been the site of a market since the Middle Ages, originally selling horses, cattle and pigs

Clifton Suspension Bridge BB89_03974
CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE, Bristol. The bridge under construction. Work began on the bridge in 1836 under the supervision of Isambard Kingdom Brunel but stopped due to lack of funds

Big Ben Clock Tower CC73_02867
PALACE OF WESTMINSTER, London. Inside the clock tower. Maintenance on Big Ben clock face

The pithead and winding gear at Coventry Colliery at Keresley 31st January 1974

The Jarrow March. The marchers left Jarrow on 5th October 1936. They reached London on 31st October 1936 and they returned to Jarrow on 5th November 1936

Detail of Diego Riveras mural at the Detroit Institute of Arts depicting the American automobile industry, 1932-33
DIEGO RIVERA: DETROIT. Detail of Diego Riveras mural at the Detroit Institute of Arts depicting the American automobile industry, 1932-33

Land Rover Defender TD5

Land Rover Freelander 2

Champagne wine cellar, Reims, Champagne, Ardennes, France, Europe

The old trading floor of the London Stock Exchange, before Big Bang, City of London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Swimming flag and patrolling lifeguard at Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Pacific

Polkanuggo Quarry, Stithians, Cornwall. 1903-1904
A general view of Polkanuggo Quarry with steam traction engine BETA No 483 and workers posing for the camera. The traction engine was made around June 1885 by John Fowler of Leeds

John Deere combine harvester, harvesting Barley (Hordeum vulgare) crop, filling trailer pulled by tractor with grain, England, july

Medieval goldsmith at work
Workshop of Etienne Delaulne, a goldsmith in Paris, 1500s. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century illustration

Blacksmith, Norfolk a98_13558
Woodbastwick, Norfolk. Interior of blacksmiths shop. A farrier shapes a horseshoe on his anvil. Photographed by Hallam Ashley, February 1949

The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a Scottish shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. 5th January 1966

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"Work: A Tapestry of Time and Struggle" In the spring of 1972, Ms. Magazine graced the shelves with its first issue, marking a pivotal moment in the feminist movement. As women fought for their rightful place in the workforce, this cover served as a powerful symbol of empowerment. Across the Atlantic, in Derbyshire, England, shire horses ploughed through fields with unwavering determination. Their labor spoke volumes about the resilience and dedication required to make ends meet. Meanwhile, an American Socialist poster from 1911 depicted a capitalist pyramid—a stark reminder of societal inequalities that plagued workers during that era. The struggle for fair wages and better working conditions echoed throughout history. Diego Rivera's mural at The Detroit Institute of Arts captured the essence within the automobile industry during the Great Depression. This masterpiece showcased both pride and hardship experienced by countless individuals who relied on this sector for their livelihoods. Gustave Caillebotte's painting "The Floor Planers" transported us back to 1875 Paris where manual labor was essential for progress. It highlighted how every stroke had purpose—each worker contributing to society's advancement. The Oseberg replica Viking ship reminded us that work has evolved over centuries; it represented exploration and trade routes carved out by brave sailors who risked everything for prosperity. Fast forward to more recent times—the iconic Range Rover Mk. 1 Classic became synonymous with hard work paying off—an emblematic vehicle representing success achieved through perseverance and dedication. At Butler's Wharf on pay day, workers eagerly awaited their well-earned wages—a momentary respite from daily struggles but also a reminder that financial stability remained elusive for many even then. Diego Rivera once again left his mark with a mural depicting pre-Columbian life in Mexico City—a testament to indigenous civilizations' industriousness long before modern notions emerged.