In Manchester 57% of all children died before the age of 5! In some of the poorest areas in Manchester life for children was very tough, they lived in filthy, dirty, unhygienic areas. Families living there had often dug holes in the ground for excretion. No pavements were placed on to the ground and the areas often smelt. Many children died by the surroundings and environments they were force to live in. There were no health or safety regulations.
The Gang System was affected by the agricultural and farming conditions. In each gang system there was a gang leader, the gang leader employed children and women only to do their work, in farming. For example Sarah Ann Robert ages 11 was treated in poor conditions. Everyday Sarah was wet in the rain, as they were not given any shelter. Sarah walked with sticks, she had to walk with sticks because she suffered from swore bones, swore bones were cause by the considerable time she spent outdoors in the cold and rain. Elizabeth Dixon gave birth to 11 children she was known to have worked hard. Her job was to pull turnips and mangles. Elizabeth was kicked, beaten and abused by maestros. Jemiah Dixon was the daughter of Elizabeth Dixon; she died from aches and pains from working in the bad conditions on fields. The Gang System was thought to have encouraged misbehaviour. Young children, girls and boys would often be ramping in the hay. They did not go home after work and often stayed on the farms. The children felt as if there was nothing wrong with ramping around in the hay. The Gang Leaders abused children and often girls became pregnant by the leaders.
Coalmines were dangerous areas where children died. For example Jane Moffat age 12 and John Otterson age 9 were two children who worked in coalmines. They worked in dark, damp and dirty conditions. They were given no food and stayed underneath the mines all day with rats surrounding them. They worked up to 12 hours a day and were often smacked and beaten up. Ann Ambler age 13 worked in a pit she faced some different problems. Ann was treated badly; men physically and sexually abused her. These children’s parents often knew what their children were going through during the day but they did not act towards it, they believed that if they did not work there would be no money and they all would suffer and die of hunger.
Conditions for children in London were also bad. Mudlarks were people who lived near rivers and lakes they searched and collected items such as copper, wood, nails, cloths anything that they thought looked valuable. It was a struggle because often you would not always find valuable items. In 1851 Henry Mayhem published a report, ‘London Labour and London Poor’ this gave details on conditions on how girls and women were forced into prostitution for extra money. These profits were given to the head of the household. Parents often encouraged or sometimes forced their own children to prostitution. Police did not have much control over this. People often ‘turned a blind eye’.
For children working as chimney sweeps the conditions they worked in was also very bad. Most people wanted young boys to clean their chimney instead of machines because they believed that they did a better job with it then machines did. Boys worked in poor conditions; they had deep cuts, bruises and blood pouring from their elbows. Often they were told to clean their skins with brine (salty water) this was said to make your skin hard, people thought that it was a good source to heal pain but it did not as we know now brine stings our skin.
As a result of this, The Royal Commissions brought out a number of new laws. For example the 1833 Factory Act. These acts included children under the age of 9 were banned from working in mills, all children aged 9-13 were to only to work up to 48 hours a week and no nights they were to attend the factory school at least two hours a day. The factory school were dirty, unhygienic, cramped and often the teachers were not proper educated teachers, they were normal men or women who could no longer work in the factory because of injuries or sickness. In 1842 Act the laws changed, hours for children were changed to only 6 and a half hours. A law for protection of children was also brought out, full time reporters inspected factories, and the government had now more control. However many people argued against these new laws and acts because factory owners argued that there would be a loss of profits and business. They often thought that reporters or inspectors were not working or doing their job properly because they believed that they were paid to spy and inspect at their inventions by other factory owners.
In my opinion these laws did not go far enough because many children were still forced to work in poor conditions, this was not fair. I also think that it was wrong for factory owners not to allow reporters to inspect their factories as that proves that they have something to hide, this could be that they were still employing children to work and increasing the amount of time they worked in the poor conditions. Factory owners could still have been forcing children to work.
Overall in this essay I have discussed the main points and arguments that were caused during the 19th century about the conditions and working environments children worked in. The acts during that period of time are very different compared to laws at the moment. During that particular period it was compulsory that children worked, now in 21st century it is against the law for children under the age of 16 to work, I think that people’s morals have changed over time compared to our beliefs in right and wrong because I think that people opinions have changed and there are other alternative ways for dealing with problems, which could include wealth, for example young girls and women are not forced into prostitution. I think these laws change because people become to realise the children are the future therefore the government are trying to educate our children.
Poonam Patel 9/4
