Ghost in the Looking Glass

by Christina Walkley

Genres: History

137 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1981

Reviews

[T.R. Ormond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellently researched and well presented. Walkley opens a door unto the world of fashion and the exploitation required to support it. It provides more insight into nineteenth century English novels. I was curious to learn more about the 1890s in particular. Kat Jungnickel, in Bikes and Bloomers,writes about how the changes in patent legislation really opened doors for many seamstresses. No mention of this in Walkley's book.

[J A W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books discusses the plight of garment workers in England, most of them young women and/ or widows. The conditions were deplorable, the wages were incredibly low and many were worked nearly to death and, in the case of hatters, literally to madness (milliners were exposed to mercury day after day). The writer of this book did a good job of tying in the plight of the women, some of whom had to turn to prostitution to help survive, with the gathering supporters in the news, in the Houses of Commons and Lords, and among the intelligentsia to make change. Pamphlets and writings of the day make this era come alive. I read it years ago, and it is still vivid in my mind.