A. The Sample.

Supervisors will be given detailed quotas for their areas. It is important that full quotas of the occupation groups mentioned be obtained whilst some small variation in the age quotas set will be permissible.

In those areas where factory workers are to be interviewed at their place of work, time will probably be saved if the factory interviews are planned first and the other occupation groups and housewives interviews are organised to fit in with any pauses or delays which may occur during factory interviews. Except for delays the order of importance of interviewing is as follows:

1st Light Engineering

2nd Textiles

3rd Other Factories

4th Housewives

5th Clerical

6th Shop Assistants

7th Transport

8th Agriculture

That is to say unless delays occur in any of these groups interviewing should be completed in this group order.

Age Groups.

The interviews in each occupation group are divided into age groups. Please do your best to see that you secure interviews with the age groups mentioned wherever possible.

Income Groups.

Since we are concerned with the differences between occupational groups, we are not setting rigid social group quotas. We would like you, however, to use the guides to your allocation of interviews which are given in the Sections below in occupation groups.

Light Engineering, Textiles & other Factories.

Calls will be made on factories, names of which are to be supplied. The names have been supplied by the local inspector of factories and this official should be seen before beginning the calls since he may be able to introduce the Survey to the management concerned. Should extra official help be of assistance the local Medical Officer of Health may be approached and the problem put to him from the welfare point of view.

In each case contact will be made with the management before beginning interviews and it may save time to communicate with managements by ‘ phone with the aid of local M.O.I. official or local inspector of factories.

Co-operation on the part of managements will probably come more easily if the Welfare or Health aspect of the enquiry is stressed. Nothing must be suggested which would hold up production and interviewing may therefore have to be carried out during rest pauses or meal breaks On the other hand if it is pointed out to management that the interview in each case is quite short permission may be obtained for interviews to take place during working time.

Not more than 20 interviews should be made in most factories. Fewer than this where the factory is small, but up to 30 in large factories.

Some Manageresses or forewomen (B Social Group) may be interviewed but these should not exceed the quotas allocated.

Clerical workers in factories should not be included in the factory quotas.

Clerical & Shop Assistants.

Before interviewing in places of work the permission of managements must be secured. Not more than 2 or 3 interviews should be made in small establishments, but in large offices or department stores up to 20 interviews may be distributed amongst different departments. Over half of all shop calls should be made in privately owned shops or shops with 6 or fewer assistants, but the remaining calls should cover department stores or Multiple Shops.

Housewives.

These calls will be made in streets in appropriate districts after consultation with local officials. Quotas are given in each case. In order to secure the age quotas amongst housewives it may be necessary to select some street interviews.

Transport.

Arrangements are being made for these interviews to be carried out with the aid of the Transport Department of the town concerned.

Agriculture.

These interviews will be made in the hostels of the Women’s Land Army prior permission having been secured by Head Office.

B. The Questionnaire.

Throughout this questionnaire we have asked you to ring the number opposite the answer given. Most questions can be dealt with completely in this way.

In those few questions where you will have to write on the forms please remember that we have to analyse the remarks subsequently and that clarity and brevity are essential.

Q.1. There are two sections to this question, Codes 1-12 dealing with corsets and belts and the Codes 1-3 dealing with brassieres. Both sections may be answered by any of your contacts. Simply put the question and ring the type of garment now being worn by contact. Then ask the price paid for it and record this in the space provided.

Q.2 and 4. Follow easily from Q.1. Simply put the question and do not prompt any of the printed codes. If other reasons are given than those printed please write them in the spaces provided.

Q.4. deals with corsets and brassieres separately. Please see that both sections are covered.

Q.3. This question follows naturally on Q.4. but interviewers may change the order in which questions are put should they prefer a different order. For all other garments which the contact has in addition to the garment worn ring the type of garment and write down the number the contact possesses,

Q.6. and 7. Please write the date the garment was bought, i.e. March 1940 or August 1941 and then ring the type of garment bought. The code numbers are printed against the names of types on the opposite page.

Similarly in Q.7. Should contacts not be able to give precise dates then approximate will do, i.e. 2 months time, in 3 months. If contact refuses to give date put ‘Don’t know’.

Comments. Please note any comments throwing light on womens habits in this matter. i.e. circumstances affecting length of wear or types worn.

Classifications. Please ring number opposite appropriate classification.

If the contact is a housewife please note the husband’s occupation.

If the contact works ring the number of her occupation group and note the job carried out.