Craigends of the 20th Century a Renfrewshire estate remembered

Thomas Smith
I have worked at Annick Lodge. There was no other compulsion except expectation, but I have known men spoken to by the managers or foremen and told that they were expected to go to the store. That would be five or six years ago, it was very common. I have seen placed up in the windows of one of Messrs. Merry and Cunninghame's works, bills, stating that no person would be compelled to deal at the store, and just by the side of that, a bill, stating that on certain days the men would get cash advanced. I considered that an indirect mode of compelling the bulk of the miners to deal in the store whether they would or not, and the men understood it so perfectly. Some of the people live three miles from the store at Annick Lodge. They have to take their articles from the store on the day of the cash advance. At one time there was a cart in use to bring the goods to the people.