Peel And Social Reform

Question 1

Why was there increasing pressure to protect children in factories and what was already in place pre 1833?

Answer 1

• 1788 act preventing chimney sweeps working until age 8
• As the factories increased so did the level of child employment
• it wasn’t that they began to work it was that they began to work outside the family unit

Question 2

What were the three acts surrounding factories and how effective was this?

Answer 2

• 1833 Factory act- age certificates needed, children 8-13 no more than nine hours, 13-18 no more than 12, two hours schooling
• Four factory inspectors were created to enforce the law
• 1842 mines and collieries act- no women and children or boys under 10 for underground work
• 1844 Factory act- under 8 children not allowed, 8-13 six and a half max, 13-18 no more than 12 hours

Question 3

What was the commission on the poor laws and how much evidence did they get?

Answer 3

• 26 commissioners
• 13,000 pages of evidence
• 3,000 parishes
• highly influenced by Chadwick and Nassau senior

Question 4

How successful was the anti poor law league?

Answer 4

• Activities concentrated in the industrial areas of Yorkshire and Lancashire
• Many leaders were involved in other things like Richard Ostler was with 10 hour day movement, Jr Stephens (preacher) and O’Connor were Chartists
• Some small achievements of delaying the implementation of the Act in some towns and cities like Norwich and Bolton

Question 5

Who opposed the 1834 poor law and what actions did they take?

Answer 5

• Workers opposed it (Rebecca riots in Wales where workers attached toll booths)
• Anti poor law league

Question 6

Who was involved in the 10 hours movement and what methods did they use

Answer 6

• Michael Sadler recommenced the 10 hour working day for textile workers to parliament
• Richard Oastler was a leader of the 10 hour movement and he wrote a series of 1830s letters to the Lees Mercury paper comparing working conditions in textile factories to ones of slaves on plantations

Question 7

Who was involved in the 10 hours movement and what methods did they use

Answer 7

• Michael Sadler recommenced the 10 hour working day for textile workers to parliament
• Richard Oastler was a leader of the 10 hour movement and he wrote a series of 1830s letters to the Lees Mercury paper comparing working conditions in textile factories to ones of slaves on plantations