Work assignment: Carry mortar in buckets with a yoke over your shoulders. Each batch weighs around 60 Kilo. The mortar-wench, as they were called, worked in floor shifts, carrying the buckets one story a time. Working on the top floor was considered worst, because you had to empty the buckets and burn your hands on the lime.

Wage: 14 Öre/hour

Work hours: 12 hours/day, 6 days/week

Working conditions: Building season was between April and October. Most mortar-wenches were unemployed most of the year. In winter they could get some work cleaning salvaged bricks. Mortar-wenches were the lowest payed workers. They were mostly poor and of "ill-repute" (prostitutes). Most of them were un-married with children.

In the 1890s a Kilo of meat cost 80 Öre, a Kilo butter 2,20 Kronor and a Litre of milk 5 Öre.