Working Conditions
People generally went to work in the mills straight from school. On the Water of Leith there was only two options locally for employment, the mills or working on the farms. Jobs were mainly obtained through word of mouth and people simply went to the mills and asked if there were any vacancies.'You didn't need an interview, you just went and got a job. I mean your integrity was probably known through your family'
Mills ran continuously on a 24 hour basis on a 3 shift system from Sunday night to Saturday lunchtime, Sunday would be used for maintenance and repairs. Woodhall mill did not stop at all and ran constantly on a 4 shift continental system, which meant that machines were only stopped for essential maintenance.
Machine House and Cutter House
In the machine house employees such as the papermaker, cutter men, machine men and broke boys worked in shifts from 6am to 2pm, 2pm to 10pm and 10pm to 6am. Breaks were taken at the machine when there was time. There was no formal apprenticeship or training, people learnt on the job. Most men started as broke boys or assistants on the cutters or beaters and then worked their way through the processes. However, by the 1950s people were beginning to be sent to night school to take City and Guild courses in papermaking.