The ”Mill Girl” statue was created in 1988 by Antoinette Schultze and commemorates the active role women played in the Amoskeag Mills of Manchester NH. She would have been considered an “operative.” This statue is located in the Amoskeag Millyard of Manchester next to the Stark Mill. Photograph by Normand Boulanger, 1988. Manchester Historic Association Collection. Used with Permission.
The term operative was used in several ways during New Hampshire’s history. In 1762 lye was said to be an operative, while in 1785 the poison of a rattlesnake was described as being operative, each meaning they had a strong effect.
The New Hampshire Mercury newspaper of 1787 mentions ‘operative workmen,’ the first time that I see the term connected with the working class. By the 1800s and the advent of the giant textile mills and other mass production industries in New Hampshire, the male and females workers who were trained to use manufacturing equipment were called “operatives.” Continue reading
