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The first of May is Labour Day, celebrated in many countries all over the world. Why? On May 1, 1884 was the proclamation of the demand for eight-hour workday in the United States of America. Two years later, on May 1, 1886 there was a general strike which eventually wins the eight-hour workday in the U.S.. These events are today commemorated as May Day or Labour Day.

In the early 19th century labourers had very few rights. They were much depending on the good will and decency of their bosses, people of higher standard who used to look down on their employees. There was no social security and a worker who -under the bad circumstances- became ill or got injured simply lost his job. The Industrial Revolution in the second half of the 19th century was a disaster for many workers whose jobs were taken over by newly invented machines, powered by the most important invention of this era: electricity.

Labourers who worked for landowners and farmers were paid by the day but they did not actually receive their money until the harvest was sold in the autumn. Around 1813 French landowner M. Mila gave one of these promissory notes written on half playing cards to his labourers for every day they worked. The farmhands often slept in barns and stables without any privacy. Nevertheless, they had to keep their notes safely hidden away or they would not get paid.
A few years ago a lot of these cards were found, probably in the estate where M. Mila lived. According to their quality, all are fairly clean, these cards have not been given out. Part of the playing cards is not even cut yet. The printing is done in two styles so I presume at least two runs were printed. Unfortunately I have no information about the size of the estate and how many people have worked there. I do not know of other promissory notes of this kind printed on playing cards.

Gejus                                    

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