.CREFELD.
161
“ multiple shop ” system exists only in the case of a large coffee company which
has several shops, which deal, however, only in coffee, sugar, and biscuits.
Black pure-rye bread, grey bread, containing an admixture of wheat, and
also white bread are all consumed by the working classes ; slices of black and
white bread are frequently eaten together, in sandwich form. Loaves are sold
at various prices, 45, 55, and 60 pfennige (5¿d., 6Jd. and l\d.), and not by
weight. The price of a 4 lb. loaf of black bread in October, 1905, was 3\d.
to 4d., of a grey loaf of the same weight 5\d. and 6^d., and of white bread
6|d. and l\d. The prices of most groceries are fairly uniform throughout the
town, the only important variations being in coffee (which is everywhere of all
qualities and prices), sugar (which seems to be the commodity mainly affected
by competition among grocers), and cheese. The price usually paid for coffee
is 11 d. per lb. The practice of buying at small grocers’ shops “coffee water”
(boiling water ready for use) is still common with a section of the factory
population, especially where the wife works in the mill ; the sign “ Coffee water
with milk sold here” may be seen in the windows of these small shops. The
housewife takes her coffee in a jug, and obtains the necessary infusion at the
price of \d. for two quarts. The principal kinds of cheese sold are Dutch and
Swiss, but there are a good many other kinds upon the market, and in particular
Limburg cheese. A very inferior Dutch cheese is obtainable for 6d. or 6|rd.
Coal is principally used for fuel, little coke being burned, while briquettes,
which are also used, cost 8Jd. per cwt.
In connection with the question of food prices it may be noted that though
wages are distinctly lower for the weavers (whether home or factory workers)
outside the town and within it, food prices in the rural districts are no lower,
and are frequently higher. An investigation made by the Landrath of Crefeld
Rural District on 1st September, 1905, as to the average prices in the seven
areas which make up that district showed that for pork, bacon, beef, veal,
salt herrings, sugar, and petroleum the prices were in almost every case higher
than in the town of Crefeld, and that for most other commodities the town
and rural prices were about level.
As the following Table shows, the prices of butter, milk, cheese, flour,
bread, coal, and paraffin in September, 1907, were distinctly higher than at
October, 1905 ; the prices of sugar, bacon, and potatoes, on the other hand, had
fallen slightly :—
Predominant Prices paid by the Working Classes in October, 1905,
and September, 1907.
Predominant Price.
Commodity.
October, 1905.
September, 1907.
Coffee ... ... ...
Sugar :—
Loaf **• ... ...
White granulated ...
Bacon :—
Fat ... ... ...
Streaky
Eggs ... ..# •••
Cheese :—
Dutch .. ...
Limburg
Swiss
Butter ...
Margarine
Potatoes
Flour :—
Wheaten
Rye ... M. •••
Bread :—
White
Grey
Black
Milk ... ... •••
Coal ... ... •••
Coke ... ... •••
Paraffin
per lb.
per Is.
per lb.
per 7 lb.
per 4 lb.
per quart
per cwt.
per gallon
11 d.
2#
9#
13
8| d.
5 \d.
9\d. to 9|d.
10 id.
16
9#
7\d.
9#
Is. Id.
7 d.
2fd., 3d.
11 \d.
9fd. to lOfd.
6W. to 7\d.
5\d.
3\d.
3\d.
4d.
10 ^d.
9\d.
9 id.
11 d.
2W.
2\d.
8|d. to 9\d.
9\d. „ 9fd.
12 „ 14
lid.
3\d. to l\d.
11 d. to Is.
Is. 2\d. to Is. 3\d.
8#
2#
Is. 0\d. to Is. lfd.
10£d. to ll\d.
7\d.
3\d. to l\d.
4RL
2#
Is. Ofd.
9\d.
11 d.
29088
X
