Peel and Social Reform The hours of work were often shorter than in domestic service.
Employment prevented idleness, unemployment and helped the
The employment of children
family.
Economic growth led to the greater use of child labour. In cotton spinner Industrial child labour was a regional phenomenon and
the ‘minder’ employed by the owner usually employed two younger concentrated in key areas where there were factories.
workers – a young adult and a child. It isn’t true to saying loads of children Idleness was a large problem as there was no compulsory and little
were employed nor is it to say they only worked in factories. Domestic for children to do.
workers and farmers used children as they had done for centuries. Children
worked in family businesses and trades alongside their parents and were Against working in factories
apprenticed at 12. They often did tasks that required small and agile A picture emerged of young children working in hot stuffy
workers. They worked more cheaply than adults and were disciplined conditions for 16 hours for low wages.
more easily. Chimney sweeps were notorious for maltreating children but The home environment was replaced by the harsh disciplines of
thanks to pressure from Jonas Hanway, a wealthy London merchant, an
factories.
Act was passed in 1788 to prevent ‘climbing boys’ from working until they
Children were deprived of education and were put in mortal
were 8 years old. Many girls were employed in domestic service from 12;
danger by working in an adult environment.
cooking, cleaning and child minding.
Child labour was not new, what was new was the context in which it took
A report in 1819 suggested that less than 5% of the labour force of cotton
place as child apprentices went to work in the new cotton mills where
mills were under 10 years old but 54% were under 19. Reports in 1833
outside of the family unit they were less protected from harsh discipline,
said that between 10 and 13% of the workforce in cotton, wool, flax and
accidents, abuse and exploitation. As mills became larger, labour shortages
silk factories were less than 13 years old. Estimations suggest 1/6 th of the
were met by the employment of children. The first attempt to pass
textile factory employees were under 14. In 1841 for boys under 20,
legislation to protect them came from Peel’s father in 1802 with the Health
196,000 were agricultural labourers, 90,000 were in domestic services and
and Morals of Apprentices Act which dealt with apprentices in cotton
45,000 were in cotton mills. For girls it was that 364,000 were in domestic
factories, allowing magistrates to appoint inspectors to check that they
service, 62,000 in cotton manufacture, 22,000 were dressmakers in
were adequately clothes and given religious knowledge. Working
domestic or small business environments and 12,000 were in indoor work
conditions had to be cleaned and well ventilated but there was only
on farms. Another important employment of children was coal and metal
intermittent enforcement and it only protected apprenticed children.
mining with 33% of the mining workforce being under 18 by 1842. Jane
For working in factories Humphries estimates that by the early 19th century England had a million
child workers accounting for 15% of the total labour force.
Children worked indoors and were not outside in all weathers.
They had food and shelter and the work as not as excessively hard Why was there increasing concern about child employment by 1830?
as it could be on farms or in urban trades.
, It was associated by some reformers with the factory system and Children between 9 and 13 years old would work for no more than
seen as unnatural to the existing social order. Tory reformers like 9 hours a day
the seventh Earl of Shaftsbury disliked the new factories. Children between 13 and 18 could work for no more than 12
Some were motivated by ethical concerns and religious conviction hours a day
that it was both immoral to employ children and a form of Children were not allowed to work at night
exploitation. There must be two hours of schooling each day for children under
Some looked back to an age of traditional rural life where the 13 and the employer must pay for this
children were in a more natural and supposedly healthy
environment. Four factory inspectors were appointed to enforce the law and report to the
Working men were concerned that the use of child labour kept Home Secretary. These inspectors were given powers to make all the rules
and orders to enforce the law and had the same powers as justices of the
wages low by offering cheap competition to adult work.
peace.
The factory system became the focus of much publicity in
newspapers which became a major human interest story. The Mines and Collieries Act 1842
From 1830, the new Whig government and the passing of
parliamentary reform in 1832 led to an increase in interest in This Act prohibited all underground work for women and girls of any age
change and reform in society. Some historians have called the and for boys under ten.
1830s a ‘decade of reform’. The Factory Act February 1844
There was more concern for education leading to demands for the
basic education of children. The home secretary Sir James Graham passed this Act following a report
of a parliamentary commission on the employment of children.
Factory labour was forbidden for children under eight years old
How effectively were children protected by legislation 1833-1846? Children between 8 and 13 could work a maximum of 6 ½ hours a
The Factory Act 1833 day
Women, and children between 13 and 18 could not work more
In 1833 the Whig Government of Lord Grey passed a Factory Act than 12 hours
introduced by Lord Althrop which aimed to improve conditions for Safety rules concerning the fencing of machinery were put in place
children working in factories. The Act followed a Royal Commission on and children were not allowed to clean moving machinery
Factory reform and was framed by Edwin Chadwick. Inspectors had the right to enter factories and schools
The Act said: Surgeons were to be appointed to specify the age of children.
Their fees for certificates confirming children’s ages were to be
Employers must have an age certificate for all their child workers paid for by the factory owners
Employment prevented idleness, unemployment and helped the
The employment of children
family.
Economic growth led to the greater use of child labour. In cotton spinner Industrial child labour was a regional phenomenon and
the ‘minder’ employed by the owner usually employed two younger concentrated in key areas where there were factories.
workers – a young adult and a child. It isn’t true to saying loads of children Idleness was a large problem as there was no compulsory and little
were employed nor is it to say they only worked in factories. Domestic for children to do.
workers and farmers used children as they had done for centuries. Children
worked in family businesses and trades alongside their parents and were Against working in factories
apprenticed at 12. They often did tasks that required small and agile A picture emerged of young children working in hot stuffy
workers. They worked more cheaply than adults and were disciplined conditions for 16 hours for low wages.
more easily. Chimney sweeps were notorious for maltreating children but The home environment was replaced by the harsh disciplines of
thanks to pressure from Jonas Hanway, a wealthy London merchant, an
factories.
Act was passed in 1788 to prevent ‘climbing boys’ from working until they
Children were deprived of education and were put in mortal
were 8 years old. Many girls were employed in domestic service from 12;
danger by working in an adult environment.
cooking, cleaning and child minding.
Child labour was not new, what was new was the context in which it took
A report in 1819 suggested that less than 5% of the labour force of cotton
place as child apprentices went to work in the new cotton mills where
mills were under 10 years old but 54% were under 19. Reports in 1833
outside of the family unit they were less protected from harsh discipline,
said that between 10 and 13% of the workforce in cotton, wool, flax and
accidents, abuse and exploitation. As mills became larger, labour shortages
silk factories were less than 13 years old. Estimations suggest 1/6 th of the
were met by the employment of children. The first attempt to pass
textile factory employees were under 14. In 1841 for boys under 20,
legislation to protect them came from Peel’s father in 1802 with the Health
196,000 were agricultural labourers, 90,000 were in domestic services and
and Morals of Apprentices Act which dealt with apprentices in cotton
45,000 were in cotton mills. For girls it was that 364,000 were in domestic
factories, allowing magistrates to appoint inspectors to check that they
service, 62,000 in cotton manufacture, 22,000 were dressmakers in
were adequately clothes and given religious knowledge. Working
domestic or small business environments and 12,000 were in indoor work
conditions had to be cleaned and well ventilated but there was only
on farms. Another important employment of children was coal and metal
intermittent enforcement and it only protected apprenticed children.
mining with 33% of the mining workforce being under 18 by 1842. Jane
For working in factories Humphries estimates that by the early 19th century England had a million
child workers accounting for 15% of the total labour force.
Children worked indoors and were not outside in all weathers.
They had food and shelter and the work as not as excessively hard Why was there increasing concern about child employment by 1830?
as it could be on farms or in urban trades.
, It was associated by some reformers with the factory system and Children between 9 and 13 years old would work for no more than
seen as unnatural to the existing social order. Tory reformers like 9 hours a day
the seventh Earl of Shaftsbury disliked the new factories. Children between 13 and 18 could work for no more than 12
Some were motivated by ethical concerns and religious conviction hours a day
that it was both immoral to employ children and a form of Children were not allowed to work at night
exploitation. There must be two hours of schooling each day for children under
Some looked back to an age of traditional rural life where the 13 and the employer must pay for this
children were in a more natural and supposedly healthy
environment. Four factory inspectors were appointed to enforce the law and report to the
Working men were concerned that the use of child labour kept Home Secretary. These inspectors were given powers to make all the rules
and orders to enforce the law and had the same powers as justices of the
wages low by offering cheap competition to adult work.
peace.
The factory system became the focus of much publicity in
newspapers which became a major human interest story. The Mines and Collieries Act 1842
From 1830, the new Whig government and the passing of
parliamentary reform in 1832 led to an increase in interest in This Act prohibited all underground work for women and girls of any age
change and reform in society. Some historians have called the and for boys under ten.
1830s a ‘decade of reform’. The Factory Act February 1844
There was more concern for education leading to demands for the
basic education of children. The home secretary Sir James Graham passed this Act following a report
of a parliamentary commission on the employment of children.
Factory labour was forbidden for children under eight years old
How effectively were children protected by legislation 1833-1846? Children between 8 and 13 could work a maximum of 6 ½ hours a
The Factory Act 1833 day
Women, and children between 13 and 18 could not work more
In 1833 the Whig Government of Lord Grey passed a Factory Act than 12 hours
introduced by Lord Althrop which aimed to improve conditions for Safety rules concerning the fencing of machinery were put in place
children working in factories. The Act followed a Royal Commission on and children were not allowed to clean moving machinery
Factory reform and was framed by Edwin Chadwick. Inspectors had the right to enter factories and schools
The Act said: Surgeons were to be appointed to specify the age of children.
Their fees for certificates confirming children’s ages were to be
Employers must have an age certificate for all their child workers paid for by the factory owners
