Donne in filanda all’esordio del sistema di fabbrica: spunti e prospettive di ricerca a partire dal caso tirolese

This contribution examines the working conditions of women employed in 19th-century silk spinning mills organised according to the factory system, with a specific focus on the Tyrolean case, distinguished by pioneering labour legislation introduced in the 1880s. Analysis of factory regulations and lists of female workers, complemented by a preliminary investigation of parish registers, reveals the tasks and working time, and offers initial insights into the relationship between women’s work in the mill, their life cycle, and marriage choices. This preliminary work identifies promising avenues for further research, particularly concerning family-level labour division strategies and the unique figure of the female overseer.