‘There’s no help for it’

William Small

Engraver not identified, but probably W. Thomas

1869

Wood-engraving

6¼ x 4¾ inches

Illustration for The Quiver, 1869, p.697.

An unusually direct representation of labour problems in mid-Victorian Britain. Small, like Pinwell and Barnes, is a sympathetic chronicler of the life of the working-classes. [Continued below]

[Click on image to enlarge it.]

Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one. ]

Though apolitical, as such, Small is adept at showing injustice and suffering while also pointing to what were perceived as the sterling qualities of the honest workman. This image, which illustrates A Muddy Day in Muddlesford, shows the men’s response to difficulties at a dyeing works. They treat the ‘gaffer’ who speaks to them with respect, offering no blame and accepting the situation. This is a long way from the stereotypical notion of working men as riotous and subversive, and Small’s image is in line with the Evangelical emphasis on respect and understanding rather than conflict. Most telling, perhaps, is the small detail of the workman’s arms, held behind his back, as he listens respectfully: more like a schoolboy than a grown man, but with a full understanding of how things are.

Bibliography

The Quiver. London: Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, 1869.

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Last modified 6 May 2013