NEW FOR 2025
Recalling the highs and lows of life ‘on the line’
After the Second World War, Dundee evolved into a manufacturing hotspot. An excellent rail network, a busy port and a plentiful supply of employees with good engineering skills were the main attractions, and international companies like NCR, Timex, Levi and Veeder Root built large factories on the outskirts of the city. When newly built, these modern factories provided thousands of local residents – particularly, women – with well-paid jobs, training and safer working conditions than the jute mills and shipyards. This panel recalls daily routines on the production line, and celebrates the up and downs of 20th century factory life.
1. Factory uniforms
The modern factory uniforms and overalls were very different to those worn in the jute mills and shipyards. At Timex, for example, different coloured uniforms represented different departments, and the garments were made of a smooth nylon fabric to prevent dirt or hair being transferred to the delicate inner workings of the watches being made.
2. Mealtimes at work
Most factories in Dundee had a staff canteen, serving basic, but nourishing, Scottish fare. Mass-produced food had its limitations, though, and the menu was often affectionately compared to school dinners: vegetables could be soggy, meat could be greasy and overdone, and the eggs were often rubbery. Lunch was usually only 30 minutes, so employees had to be quick to get to the canteen, eat and get back to the production line again.
3. Working ‘on the line’
Perks such as canteens, welfare departments, sports clubs, holiday pay, and a decent wage meant Dundonians queued for jobs in the new factories. Factory workers had ‘totals’ (or targets) to reach and people helped each other reach the required target. But while working on the line could be laborious and repetitive, it’s also where relationships and lifelong friendships were born. Popular topics of conversation on the line covered who was going with who; who had fallen out; what someone was wearing ‘doon the toon’ on a Saturday; and who’d been seen at the dancing… anything that relieved the boredom of standing or sitting in the same spot for hours at a time. Many factory workers also took part in community-focused activities, with money being raised to support fellow workers on strike, local pensioners, or donated to charity.
4. A skilled workforce
NCR and Timex both opened their Dundee factories in 1947, followed by Levi Strauss (jeans) and Michelin (tyres) in 1972; other notable factories included Valentines, Smedley, Carhartt and Veeder Root. The specialised equipment and busy production lines required a skilled workforce, and they found that among Dundee’s former jute workers, engineers and shipbuilders.
5. Side hustles
A career ‘on the line’ could be very sociable and when Dundee’s factories closed in the latter half of the 20th century, former employees missed the camaraderie as much as the wages. There were even opportunities to make some money on the side by selling goods or giving haircuts in the toilets. Neatly packed, pre-ordered butcher’s meat, kids clothing and knitted garments could all be shopped for on a visit to the loo.
6. Children’s festive parties
Christmas parties for the children of factory workers were an annual treat, with a willing employee decked out in a Santa outfit and a neatly-wrapped present for every child.
7. Clocking in and clocking out
Just as they had done in the jute factories and shipyards, Dundee’s modern factory workers would ‘clock in’ and ‘clock out’ to enable each factory to accurately track and calculate their employees’ working hours. In some factories, if you were late by five minutes or more, you were ‘quartered’ and you lost 15 minutes’ pay. It was rounded up to the next 15 minutes so, if you were 17 minutes late, you would lose half an hour’s pay.
8. Training and apprenticeships
Following an apprenticeship, many people in Dundee were employed at the same factory for their whole working lives. It wasn’t unusual for generations of the same family to work beside each other so it was a huge loss when a factory closed its doors. It’s estimated that more than half a million people stopped working in factories and workshops across Scotland between 1951 and 2021, including Dundee.
9. Traditions in the factory
A few days before their wedding, brides-to-be were given a memorable send-off. They were dressed up in a veil, given a baby’s potty to hold, and wheeled around the factory in a wheelbarrow to receive everyone’s good wishes. Sometimes money would be thrown into the wheelbarrow by other factory workers, and the whole event was accompanied by singing and loud cheers.