Reform In Factories, Mines and Public Health

Question 1

Why was reform necessary in factories and Mines?

Answer 1

Unscupulous factory and mine owners and fierce competition let to owners paying workers as little as possible.
Factories were dangerous and unhealthy, long term effects of working in factories included respiratory diseases.

Question 2

Name all the relevant Factory and Mine Acts of this period.

Answer 2

The Factory Act 1833
The Mines Act 1842
The Factory Act 1844
The Factory Act 1847

Question 3

Why was there in increase in demand for reform in Public Health?

Answer 3

• Increase in population in new towns and cities put pressure on sewerage etc.
• 1840s saw thousands of cities absorbing people escaping the Irish famine
• Cramped back to back housing

Question 4

Explain the Public Health Act 1848

Answer 4

Gave local authorities power to appoint Boards Of health whose work was to be supervised by the General Board of Health.

Question 5

Why did the Public Health Act not have a big impact?

Answer 5

The law was not made compulsory so by 1854 only 182 boards had been appointed covering 2 million people out of 18 million people.

Question 6

Why was reform in Education necessary?

Answer 6

Before 1833 there was no government funding for education, schools were set up by the Church and most working class children were illiterate.

Question 7

Why was the 1833 Education Act ineffective?

Answer 7

£20,000 was only enough to build schools