Final answer:
The English workers depicted in 1900 likely wore heavy boots or leather shoes, not modern tennis shoes, as their attire was suited to industrial labor conditions of that period.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine if the workers are wearing tennis shoes, an examination of their attire in historical context is necessary. Since the image provided is of English workers arriving for their shift in 1900, it is unlikely they are wearing tennis shoes as we understand them today. At that time, industrialization was in full swing, and many workers wore heavy boots or leather shoes appropriate for labor-intensive work. The presence of a young boy employed by the factory indicates child labor, which was common during the Industrial Revolution.
With regard to the sweatshop labor image, while it may highlight issues around modern clothing production, it does not provide information on what footwear the workers themselves are wearing. Similarly, the description of a shoemaker measuring feet for individualized products, and the transition to unskilled labor in shoe production during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, demonstrates that standardized working attire, including shoes, became more prevalent.
Finally, the speculations about a man's suit and employment do not give us details on footwear either. Piecing together this historical context, it is safe to assume that the workers mentioned were not wearing tennis shoes but rather work-appropriate footwear that was typical for their era and occupation.