CHILD LABOUR IN THE 19TH CENTURY

by PELUMI AROGZ
(LONDON)

IN THIS PROJECT, I AM GOING TO INVESTIGATE HOW CHILDREN WERE TREATED I THE PAST BEFORE I PROCEED,I WILL LIKE TO DEFINE THE WORD 'CHILD LABOUR'.
CHILD LABOUR REFERS TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AT REGULAR AND SUSTAINABLE LABOUR.CHILDREN DID JOBS LIKE; MINING,FACTORY WORK,PROSTITUTION,QUARRYING,AGRICULTURE AND DOING SOME ODD JOBS.
SOME CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO DO TEDIOUS AND REPETITVE
JOBS SUCH AS;ASSEMLING BOXES AND POLISHING SHOES.WORK-
ING CONDITIONS VARIED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF WORK. SMALL
CHILDREN WOULD WORK AS SHOP KEEPERS.
IN MARCH 1832,A MAN CALLED MICHAEL SADLER INTRODUCED A
BILL INTO PARLIAMENT THAT PROPOSED LIMITING THE WORKING
HOURS OF ALL PEOPLE UDER THE AGE 18 SHOULD BE 10 HOURS A DAY.
MANY FACTORY OWNERS AND MANAGERS KEPT THEIR WORKERS WORKING FOR AS LONG AS THEY WANTED THEM TO FROM 5AM TO 9PM FOR EXAMPLE.
THE TROUBLE WAS THAT IN SOME FACTORIES,WORKERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR WATCHES,SO IF THEY WERE LATE FOR WORK,THEY WERE PUNISHED,PERHAPS BEATING OR HAD MONEY DEDUCTED FROM THIER WAGES.
THIER LIVING CONDITIONS WERE REALLY BAD. FAMINE WAS THE MOST POPULAR NATURAL DISASTER AND PEOPLE DIE OF FOOD.
THOUSANDS OF LITTLE CHILDREN,BOTH AMLE AND FEMALE THAT WERE AGED 7 TO 14 YEARS ARE FORCED DAILY TO LABOUR
FROM 6AM TO 11PM WITH ONLY 5 MINUTES LUNCH AND RECREATION.
IT WAS NOT JUST CHILD LABOUR IN FACTORIES AND MINES THAT CAUSED CONCERN,MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT A WOMAN'S
LACE WAS IN THE HOME LOOKING AFTER HER HUSBAND AND CHILDREN,BY WORKING SHE WAS SEEN TO BE DEPRIVING A MAN OF JOB.