ACTRESSES AS WORKING WOMEN stating that twelve weeks were to be expected (presumably the pantomime season) and agreeing with an anonymous dancer who states that half of all performers are employed only six months in the year.97 This phenomenon was endemic throughout the ranks: A case occurs to me of a versatile young actor, who has had excellent Press notices, whose salary is about £8 a week, but who has recently ‘rested’ for thirteen consecutive months; and another one of a clever, cultured, small-part actress who, after working for fourteen out of eighteen months, waited in vain for another engagement for six months, and was then obliged to accept a situation in a milliner’s workroom, where, I believe, she now remains; and of a lady of the first rank in the profession, who has received and earned £80 a week, who ‘rests’ over forty weeks in the year.98 The number of ‘resting’ performers was, therefore, substantial Hibbert generously estimates that of 3,000 (actually 4,057) women in London who called themselves actresses (including dancers and supers), no more than two-thirds had regular work Taking a £2 wage (which is what the Actors’ Association lobbied for) as a good case, a twelve week working year would give an average weekly wage of less than 10s The Women’s Trade Union League estimated the average wage of a manual worker to be 7s 6d., taking into account the huge disparities between East London homeworkers whose wages sometimes dropped to 2s 6d., and the relatively affluent unionized Lancastrian textile workers whose wages averaged higher than 15s.99 A woman could survive on 10s a week, but the wage table of an upholsteress indicates the scale of economies.100 ½ Room 2s Coals and Wood Light Bread, butter, milk, tea, and sugar Sunday dinner Daily dinner at home Washing Clothes and boots Doctor, if ill, or omnibuses in bad weather0 TOTAL 10s 34 6d 1½ 4½ 6 0d