CHILD LABOUR DURING THE VICTORIAN AGE

During Victorian Age the United Kingdom became the largest empire ever. At this time there were huge
developments in science and technology as well as daily life.
United Kingdom saw massive population growth with this came the demand for work.
They needed to work to help their families earn enough money to live.
Why did people employ children? Factory owners employed children because:
o they were cheap
o they did not complain
o they had small fingers
o they could crawl under machines.

What kind of jobs did children do?

o Chimney sweepers: this work was dangerous and painful. Some boys got stuck and died of
suffocation.
o Factory workers: in textile mills children cleaned machines while the machines were kept running,
and there were many accidents. Many children lost their fingers or arms in the machinery and some
were crushed by the huge machines
o Street sellers: thousands of poor children worked and lived on city streets. They worked very long
hours for very little money. To buy bread they sold flowers, matches, ribbons, buttons, bootlaces,
polishes shoes.
o Crossing sweepers: a lot of poor children swept away horse-dung and other rubbish in the road.
o Coal Mines: coal was the main source of power in Victorian times. It was used for cooking and
heating, and for driving machinery, trains and steam ships. The coal mines were dangerous places
where roofs sometimes caved in, explosions happened and workers often injured themselves. In
order to produce more coal, children of 5 years old were used to mine it. They worked for up to 12
hours a day.
What was wrong with the working conditions for children?
o they started working at the age of five,
o they worked very long hours with little breaks and no fresh air,
o they often worked in very dangerous conditions,
o there was no education for the poor so they could not get better paid jobs when they were older
o children were paid very little because they were younger

Laws to protect children: three laws passed by Parliament.

o 1841 Mines Act: with this law children, under the age of 10, could not work underground in coal
mines.
o 1847 Ten Hour Act: no child could work more than 10 hours in a day.
o 1874 Factory Act: no child under the age of 10 could be employed in a factory

Life was not the same for all children during the Victorian times. The kind of life depended on its family in
fact children from rich families were usually well fed, clean and well clothed, didn't need to work, went on
holidays, had expensive toys, had pets such as ponies.