Factory and mine legislation Flashcards
When was the first Factory Act?
1833
How is the Factory Act of 1833 also known?
Althorp’s Factory Act.
Why did Althorp’s Factory Act happen?
It followed the Royal Commission of 1833 which investigated factory conditions.
Why was Althorp’s Factory Act limited?
It only covered factories- not mines.
What did Althorp’s Factory Act do?
No children under 9 were to work.
Limited the working hours of younger children.
No child under 18 was to work more than a 12 hour day.
What happened to the education of children due to Althorp’s Factory Act?
All children between 9 and 11 were to receive 2 hours of education a day.
How well-enforced was Althorp’s Factory Act?
There was four inspectors for the whole country, which was not enough for it to be effective.
How was Althorp’s Factory Act ineffective?
Parents and employers often lied about the ages of children and records were hard to check.
Who tended to comply with the laws?
Larger mills tended to comply, but smaller mills often bent the rules as bad publicity would not completely ruin them. The biggest chance of getting caught was a fatality.
When was the Mines and Collieries Act?
1842
Why did the Mines and Collieries Act happen?
It came as a result of the Royal Commission exploring children and women being employed in mines.
What did the Royal Commission’s report reveal about mines?
The harsh treatment and working conditions. The biggest reason for the act was the revelation that women were working topless underground - this caused a scandal due to it being immoral.
What were the terms of Mines and Collieries Act?
No female was to be employed underground. No boy under 10 years old was to work in the mines.
How were the mines inspected?
There was only one inspector to cover the whole of Britain and he had to give warning before visiting a mine.
What did the lack of enforcement of the Mines and Collieries Act mean?
Women continued working illegally underground. Only when one died, did it become public knowledge.
