Whitechapel and Spitalfields were notorious for their sweating 'dens'. Crammed into every available space, far from the gaze of factory inspectors, 12 people might share a small room with no natural light.
A team of workers would make a single garment; each person carrying out a simple task like sewing button holes or pressing cloth. Cutters and pressers used heavy equipment like shears and irons for 18 hours a day, and meals were often eaten at workbenches.
