How Did People Live in Australia at the Turn of the Century?
At the turn of the century people of Australia were categorised into social classes. These being lower, middle and upper classes. People’s housing, working conditions and lifestyles depended on which social class people are in.
The housing of the lower class was dangerous, unsanitary and overcrowded. They consisted of clusters of small built houses along factories, which caused health problems for many people. The homes and the backyards of the middle and upper classes tended to have large ad spacious houses. And the residents of the homes were wealthier and had more sanitary conditions. There was also a huge difference in living standards in the bush. Shearers and drovers, earned small wages and also lived in poor housing yet owners of grazing properties lived in huge houses. This is was a huge difference between the lower, middle and the upper class.
Australia was often described as a ‘workers’ paradise’. Skilled workers were well paid and had good working conditions compared to Europe, America or Britain. However, unskilled workers usually worked in factories in harmful conditions for long hours and minimum wages. Many people would get health problems working in these poor and unsanitary conditions. Women that worked received much lower wages than men even if the women are skilled. Social classes’ wages depended on how skilled or unskilled the person was.
The lower class and the middle and upper classes’ lifestyles were completely different. Most lower class people had little time or money for recreation .The main recreation for men was drinking in hotels after work. However there were several popular forms of entertainment for the upper and middle class. They included picnics, dancing, sporting events especially cricket and football. People with enough money like the middle and upper class could send telegrams; have gas lights in their homes, travel by steamships and even ride in motor cars. Only the middle and upper class children were able to attend
The housing of the lower class was dangerous, unsanitary and overcrowded. They consisted of clusters of small built houses along factories, which caused health problems for many people. The homes and the backyards of the middle and upper classes tended to have large ad spacious houses. And the residents of the homes were wealthier and had more sanitary conditions. There was also a huge difference in living standards in the bush. Shearers and drovers, earned small wages and also lived in poor housing yet owners of grazing properties lived in huge houses. This is was a huge difference between the lower, middle and the upper class.
Australia was often described as a ‘workers’ paradise’. Skilled workers were well paid and had good working conditions compared to Europe, America or Britain. However, unskilled workers usually worked in factories in harmful conditions for long hours and minimum wages. Many people would get health problems working in these poor and unsanitary conditions. Women that worked received much lower wages than men even if the women are skilled. Social classes’ wages depended on how skilled or unskilled the person was.
The lower class and the middle and upper classes’ lifestyles were completely different. Most lower class people had little time or money for recreation .The main recreation for men was drinking in hotels after work. However there were several popular forms of entertainment for the upper and middle class. They included picnics, dancing, sporting events especially cricket and football. People with enough money like the middle and upper class could send telegrams; have gas lights in their homes, travel by steamships and even ride in motor cars. Only the middle and upper class children were able to attend