Schneiders Garment Factory, Stepney

Schneiders Garment Factory, Durward Street, Stepney, c. 1917. This photograph shows workers at a clothing factory in Stepney owned by the Jewish Schneider family. The clothing industry dominated the Jewish east end, employing up to 70 per cent of its workforce. Schneiders was considered a relatively large factory. The photograph shows the cramped working conditions experienced by the sewing machine operators, who appear to be mainly men. Like all workers in the sweated industries they would have worked long hours in poorly ventilated and cramped workshops, that were an ideal breeding ground for diseases such as consumption and tuberculosis.

During World War I the Schneiders' factory made military uniforms. In August 1917, about the time this photograph was taken, the Schneiders' anglicised their surname to that of Selby, probably fearing the Germanic sounding 'Schneider' put the factory premises at risk from attack by gangs of patriotic yobs during World War I. However, integration and assimilation had been considered previously by the family and in 1903 Zadok Schneiders had added the forename George to his name.
Similarly to other thriving and successful Jewish business people, the Schneiders' originally lived above the factory in Durward Street, later moving to more desirable premises in Stepney and subsequently living in West End hotels including the Hotel Great Central in Marylebone Road.
Michael the elder Schneider son, enlisted in 1916 and served in the 28th London Regiment (The Artist's Rifles). He was killed at Cambrai on 27th September 1918, and is buried at Quarry Wood Cemetery, Sains-les-Marquion.
Michael's younger brother, Barney Jack Selby (who added Robert as a forename), went on to become an architect. His father George Zadok Selby, was given the Freedom of the City of London on 9th January 1922. Both George and his wife, Annie, died in February 1941, five days apart. At the time Mrs Selby was living in The Rembrandt Hotel, Kensington. Barney died in 1987 in Camden.