Many workers during Victorian era spent an entire day tending a machine in a large, crowded, noisy room. Others worked in coal mines, steel mills, railroads, slaughterhouses, and in other dangerous occupations. Most were not paid well, and the typical workday was 12 hours or more, six days per week.
Studio portrait photos that shows occupations in the 1850s and 1860s
Owners spent little money to improve the safety and comfort of its workers. Since there were no laws protecting workers, owners took no responsibility for employees who got hurt or sick on the job. Many of these workers were new immigrants who had limited skills, spoke little English, and could easily be taken advantage of business owners.
Here below is a set of amazing portrait photos that shows occupations in the 1850s and 1860s.
A carpenter stands with his tools of the trade: a saw, steel square and ruler
A fireman reenacts a scene as he prepares to climb a ladder
A harness maker poses with his tools of his trade with a bridle as a backdrop
A man poses with the tools of his craft as a colorist, including a box of paints, bottles of dye, brushes and a mortar and pestle
A man is dressed in the regalia of the Knights Templar, a masonic organization that thrived in 19th century America
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