CHILDREN AT WORK Part 2

Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution started in the late 18th century. Thousand of people left the country to find work in town. It brought great social changes.

Soon the pot of gold to work in factories for higher wages turned into disillusion. They were crowded in terrible housing conditions without land and the poor became even  poorer facing starvation. The factory owners seeing an endless supply of cheap labours kept their pay at the lowest possible.


Most jobs did not need strong, skilled labour for such as machine hands therefore they hired women and children to work for longest hours possible at very little pay. The owners did not hesitate to sack any one when they complained.

A great support of supply of children came from workhouses. They sent children of six and seven years to the cotton mills where they worked under the worst possible condition. They were fed a starvation diet and beaten for the least reason.

Children at the age of four were sent to the coal mines and worked as "trappers". It meant they sat in the dark to open and close ventilation doors. When just a few years older children  worked as "hurriers". They were pushing or pulling heavy carts of coal along narrow passages too small for adults to pass through.

Reform and Education for all
Slowly reformers and activists started to speak up against these dreadful condition in mines and factories where children worked .From 1833 onwards a series of Factory and Mines Acts were passed. It prevented very young children to work in mines and factories and reduced the hours for older children. 

Although more than welcome and appreciated by the well meaning reformers but it must have had an impact on families relying on their pay no matter how pitiful.

The movement of protective laws introduced, at the same time, education for children of all classes. Primary school became compulsory but the problem to be paid by the family  plus  the loss of pay while not working.  This was mostly impossible.

The education act was introduced in 1880 and by 1890 it was free. The school leaving age was raised from 12 in 1901 to 14 in 1920 and to 15 in 1944. It cancelled child labour automatically.