How did industrialisation affect healthand environment before 1850? Discuss in relation to a geographical area of your choice.

The conditions in Bradford were very unhealthy and unhygienic and the public health was very bad. A recurrent reminder of the social costs of industrialisation came from the “…pall of thick yellow smoke.”8  During 1826, “the Beck” had become the exposed sewer of the town, this was polluted so much and slums were growing towards the factory system.

The industrial urban towns had many problems of “…water supply, sanitation and overcrowding”9 and the drinking water was limited but when it did come, it came on carts and donkeys. Water was very expensive and was saturated with “filth” and “injurious to health, cleanliness and comfort”, and yet it was unhealthy, this part of the living conditions shows how badly the majority of the population suffered huge deaths at a young age which was mostly the consequence of industrialisation and pollution of the West Riding towns.. In 1832, cholera hit Bradford and “made fearful ravages in the Wapping district”(bottom of Manchester Road).10

The living conditions varied from the population as many sources indicate, the general state was respectable, but those inhabited by the working class the living conditions were completely different. Many dreadful conditions in Bradford reoccurred during industrialisation.  Houses which were overcrowded with inappropriate sewage and drinking water led to disease. A German poet living in Bradford described his shock, “…the mean homes of industrial workers were crowded on top of one another…an evil smelling town… Bradford”.11  One government Commissioner said “it was the dirtiest town he had ever seen”.12 The population of the ‘borough’ of Bradford due to industrialisation rose 130% between 1811 and 1831 and in1831 it was 43,527, in 1841 it was 66,713. By 1850s it had gone up to 103,771.13

The outbreak of industrialisation affected the living conditions in Bradford. The town was not so good, as it mentions in Jack Reynolds book that the population of “132,164” out numbered the houses of “7,240”, due to overcrowding. This was because as people migrated into the industrial town, there wasn’t enough houses that were available and therefore they had to share rooms with strangers. For the working class the conditions were appalling because the “upper houses drains” fell “into the cellars” of the poorer population.14 The conditions of living was really bad and many other factors such as “narrow” streets made it worse as no supply of fresh air and ventilation could be reached, this result caused “constant ill health and fever”, so therefore, the smell was always there. I also did a preliminary experiment by comparing the streets of Bradford towns to a town just a few miles away Saltaire. I realised that the streets were not as narrow and the houses looked much more presentable. The state of living in Bradford was disastrous with obnoxious smell which was sometimes “very strong, people caught fevers due to the dirty smell”. When analysing the living condition of the population I can say that Bradford was indeed not a good, and healthy place to live in during the nineteenth century.15

A Bradford Observer of 16th October 1845 described the conditions of the poor inhabitants of that town. “… In the course of last week I have visited some of the most filthy and wretched abodes that the man can conceive…”.16 Many critics debated about the public health especially when diseases such as cholera affected the rich. The government at the time were addressing their lassie-faire no government intervention. 17 However soon government intervened and changes in regulations began a minor Factory Act in 1802, although the first serious Factory Act only came in 1833; there was further legislation to restrict the hours and conditions of work for women and children in the 1840s. Richard Oastler and Mr. Wood therefore worked together and the “Ten hour Bill” was taken into place.

 

Not only men but women and children worked long hours in mines and factories in very poor, unsafe conditions. (Need reference)

It came to a serious point  that industrialisations social consequences could no longer be ignored, many parts of Bradford were “simply unfit for human habitation”.18 The weavers themselves were mentioned as “indescribable” 19 and suffered from the most severe outcomes of smoke “emitted from steam engines”20. The Bradford “worsted weavers in 1835” informed about the further reductions of their wage which led to worse living, health and environmental conditions.21 The problem of air pollution endangered human health and this originated during the Industrial Revolution, and has been growing ever since. By 1848 pollution from factories chimneys was reduced when ‘the new council passed a by law stating that manufacturers should prevent smoke or operate suitable to consume smoke’22 pp. 226

During industrialisation the diet of the people ranged from “ cereals, meat, potatoes, beer, sugar and tea” .22 This shows that industrialisation affected peoples diet and health. The Committee of 1834 “ John Fielden.. declared that….weavers , could not obtain sufficient food of the plainest or cheapest kind.”23

Government had no interest at first with the working classes however they acted when it was their time. Many reports and surveys were done on housing conditions.  Edwin Chadwick. In 1845 Health of Towns Association and 1848 General Public Health Act became  law.24

BRADFORD was a filthy town. In 1833, children between ages of 9 and 12 had their working hours reduced by law to no more than 9 hours a day and no more than 48 hours per week. The industrial revolution at this time meant that machines speeded up production at the mills and created jobs.

Bradford was very bad with crowded space, light, warmth in the mill.

From optimists view factory work brought many advantages for some groups of workers and regard the discipline of work was an aim to help the workforce and they thought industrialisation did bring an early improvement. However the pessimists argue and state that labourers suffered harsh disciplinary conditions. They also put the notion that environmental and social factors contribute significantly for the poor condition of workers and thought industrialisation did not bring early improvement.

Pessimists view….  thought industrialisation did not bring early improvement

Optimists view …..thought industrialisation did bring an early improvement

Evidence from Richard Oastler in Report of the select committee on factory children’s labour 1831-(1832) says “…it was the custom for the children at that time to mix learning their trades with other instruction and with amusement”.

Andrew Ure ‘The blessing of the factory system’ from The Philosophy of Manufacturers, (1835). Say the system was a “blessing”….. an Optimist point of view

Each of these sources of evidence has its limitations. It has been argued that they do not reflect adequately the standard of living of large sections of the population. A number of reasons have been suggested for their insufficiency as a means of assessing welfare.

-Not only men but women and children worked incredibly long hours in mines and factories in very poor, often unsafe, conditions. Women and children in mines were said not to see the sun for months because it was not yet up when they went down into the mines and was already set when they came out again.

- critics did emerge and the beginnings of government intervention and regulation began: a minor Factory Act in 1802, although the 1st serious Factory Act only came in 1833; there was further legislation to restrict the hours and conditions of work for women and children in the 1840s.


- also, even the relatively limited gov’t regulation in the 19th C was introduced and pushed through by conservatives in the face of vigorous opposition by lassie-faire liberals. As we shall see, these terms—‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’—meant very different things in the 19th C from what they do today. In fact, the terms tend to be used with different and even contradictory meanings even today.

In conclusion, I would say industrialisation awakened many perceptions of health and environment. First of all a state with no government law on health showed that people lived their own unhygienic lifestyles. However as industrialisation occurred especially in rural and urban areas it led to many diseases. The death rate increased to huge numbers. People who were illiterate did not know what was going on and when and were just earning a living. Children during this stage worked many long hours and their health was affected dramatically.

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