Workpeople and Girls Leaving Thos. Adams Factory, Nottingham (1900)

The hustle and bustle of Edwardian lace-workers heading home after a morning shift.

Working conditions at the Quaker-owned Thomas Adams factory were considered better than most in an industry where facilities were basic and temperatures could top 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Lace-production was generally a male preserve, whereas lace-dressing was undertaken by females, hence the large number of women and girls in this film, shot at the Stoney Street finishing warehouse.

Despite long shifts and inadequate ventilation, these employees were relatively fortunate in that their workplace had indoor toilets, a chapel, washing facilities and tea rooms - all very unusual for the time. Adams folded in 1950, after nearly a century of trading. The building is now part of the university college.