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Before 1800s
Children who lived on farms worked with the animals or in the fields planting seeds, pulling weeds and picking the ripe crop. Boys looked after the animals, while girls milked the cows and took care of chickens.Children who worked in homes were apprentices, chimney sweeps, domestic servants, or assistants in the family business. Apprentices lived with masters and received training instead of knowledge, fair trade as long as master was not abusive. -
Period: to
1700's to early 1900's
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1788
Boys as young as four would work for a master sweep who would send them up the narrow chimneys to scrape soot off the sides. First labour law was passed to protect children from abusive masters. -
First Labour law passed in Britain
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Early 1800's
Children sent to work because bodies were needed and there were a plentiful number of children. Increase in poverty caused families to send children to work as they were in desperate need of income. Parents had worked when they were a child so they believed their children should be taught same values. Children were seen as “little adults” and expected to contribute to family’s income and enterprise. Children were cheap source of labour allowed factories to stay competitive. Children were ob -
War of 1812
America declares war on Great Britain. -
Cotton Factories Regulation Act of 1819
Set a minimum wage and maximum hours for British workers. -
1833
Children comprised roughly 10 to 20 percent of the work forces in the cotton, wool, flax, and silk mills. -
Regulation of Child Labour Law
Established paid inspectors to enforce laws -
Poor Law Amendment Act
Was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system. It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the Poor Law of 1601. With reference to this earlier Act the 1834 Act is also known as the New Poor Law. -
Queen Victoria's Reign Begins
Queen Victoria (1819-1901) became Queen of the United Kingdom on the death of William IV on 20 June 1837. She remained Queen for 64 years until 22 January 1901. -
1841
Common occupations for boys were Agricultural Labourer, Domestic Servant, Messenger and Cotton Manufacture Common occupations for girls included Cotton Manufacturer, Domestic Servants, Dress makers and Indoor Farm Servant. -
1842
One third of the underground work force of coal mines was under the age of 18 and one fourth of the work force of metals mines were children and youth. -
Mining Act of 1842
Prevented women and children from working in mines. -
Ten Hours Bill of 1847
Limited working hours to 10 for children and women. -
David Copperfield is Written
"David Copperfield" is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novelDavid Copperfield in 1850. The story deals with the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. Dickens very clearly expresses his attitude towards child labour, when young David says: “How can I so easily be thrown away at such an age.” This is an hidden statement against child labour and explains how useless and senseless it is to send young children to work -
1870 Education Act
Local ratepayers were asked to build a primary school in an area where one did not already exist. The local board had the right to compel children to attend these schools and to charge a nominal fee. -
1874
By 1874 over 5,000 new schools had been founded. In 1880 education became compulsory up to the age of 10 (raised to 12 in 1899) and in 1891 it was made free. -
Public Health Act
established in the United Kingdom to combat filthy urban living conditions, which caused various public health threats, the spreading of many diseases such as cholera and typhus. Reformers wanted to resolve sanitary problems, because sewage was flowing down the street daily, including the presence of sewage in living quarters. The act required all new residential construction to include running water and an internal drainage system. -
Early 1900s
Children seen less in the workforce as societies views changed. Father was seen as the breadwinner and mother was seen as a housewife. Families started showing an interest in education and began sending their children to school voluntarily. Advances in technology required the strength of skilled adult males as machines became heavier and more complicated. -
Queen Victoria's Reign Ends
Queen Victoria died on 21 January 1901 at the age of 81. She had been the Queen of Great Britain for 63 years, presiding over the industrialization of Britain and the expansion of the British Empire overseas. -
1906
In 1906 a Liberal government is elected with a massive majority. It introduces a large number of social reforms. -
1906
Workers are compensated for injuries at work -
1907
Medical tests for pupils at schools and free treatment provided -
1908
In 1908 a pension of five shillings was introduced for those over 70. This reform was of great significance as it freed the pensioners from fear of the workhouse. -
1911
In 1911 the government introduced the National Insurance Act that provided insurance for workers in time of sickness (reform was twenty years behind Germany). Workers paid a four penny weekly premium.
Unemployment benefit was introduced into certain industries (e.g. Shipbuilding).
