Seafood Canneries
Daisy Langford, 8 years old, works on Ross's Canneries, Seaford, Del.
She helps at the capping machine, but is not yet able to keep-up.
She places caps on cans at the rate of about 40 per minute working
full time.
This is her first season in the cannery. , 06/01/1910
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1593
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-15
On right hand end is Marie Colbeck, 8 years old, who shucks 6 or 7 pots
of oysters a day (30 or 35 [cents]) at Alabama Canning Factory.
At left end is Johnnie Schraker, 8 years old, who earns 45 [cents]
a day.
Been schucking for 3 years. Bayou La Batre, Ala. , 02/22/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1986
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-1986
Little Lottie, a regular oyster shucker in Alabama Canning Co. She speaks
no English.
Note the condition of her shoes caused by standing on the rough shells
so much.
A common sight. Bayou La Batre, Ala. , 02/22/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1988
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-1988
8 year old Max, one of the shrimp pickers. Only a small force was working
that day. Biloxi, Miss. , 02/20/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1999
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-1999
Some of the young shrimp pickers. Sore, swollen and even bleeding fingers
are common
among these workers on account of the acid in the shrimp. Biloxi, Miss.,
02/20/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2000
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2000
Millie, (about 7 years old) and Mary John (with baby) 8 years old. Both
shuck oysters.
This is Mary's second year. She said, "I shuck six pots if I don't
got the baby; two pots if I got him."
(Many of the little too young to work all the time, tend baby when
not working.) Bayou La Batre, Ala, 02/22/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2001
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2001
A group of shrimp pickers in Peerless Oyster Co., working during short
noon recess.
Many workers, including the children, utilize part of the lunch time
this way, when there is lunch time allowed.
In many canneries, they snatch their lunches as best they may while
the work goes on
just the same and others are ahead of them. Bay St. Louis, Miss.
, 03/01/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2041
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2041
Group of oyster shuckers working in a canning factory. All but the very
smallest babies work.
Began work at 3:30am expected to work until 5 P.M. The little girl
in the center working, her mother said she is a real help to me.
About 300 workers. Dunbar, La. , 03/02/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2050
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2050
Show the way they cut fish in sardine canneries. Large, sharp knives
are used with a cutting and sometimes chopping motion.
The slippery floors and benches, and careless bumping into each other
increase the liability to accident.
"The salt water gits into the cuts and they ache." Eastport, Me., 08/14/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2435
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2435
Butcher knife used by Ralph, a young cutter in a canning factory, and
a badly cut finger.
Several children working with him had cut fingers, and even the adults
said they could not help cutting themselves.
Eastport, Me. , 08/14/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2446
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2446
4 year old Mary, who shucks oysters, (two pots a day). Tends the baby
when not working.
The boss said that next year Mary will work steady as the rest of them.
The mother is the fastest shucker in the place.
Earns $1.50 a day. Works part of the time with her sick baby in her
arms. Father works on the docks. Dunbar, La. 02/02/1911
Variant Control Number(s): NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-2059
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-2059
Manuel the young shrimp picker, 5 years old and a mountain of
child labor oyster shells behind him.
He worked last year. Understands not a word of English. Biloxi,
Miss. , 02/20/1911
Variant Control NAIL Control Number: NWDNS-102-LH-1984
Local Identifier: NWDNS-102-LH-1984