Factory Reform 1833-70

Question 1

What did the 1842 Mines Act do?

Answer 1

• banned the employment of children under 10 in mines and women too

Question 2

What did the 1844 Factory Act do?

Answer 2

• Children were allowed to start work from age 8 but had to work half-time and no more then 6.5 hours a day
• Children ages 13-18 and women were to work a maximum of 12 hours a day
• Night work for women was forbidden
• More inspectors appointed
• Safety rules were introduced to fence off dangerous machinery and prohibit machines being cleaners when in motion
• Considerable progress but not towards the 10 hour day

Question 3

What did the 1847 Factory Act do?

Answer 3

• ## 10 hour working day for all women and children after Lord Ashley resigned his seat to support Peel over the Corn Laws in 1846

Question 4

What was the limitation of the 1847 Factory Act?

Answer 4

• Many factory owners managed to maintain a 12 hour day by managing lunch breaks and using relays (shifts) to keep workers in factories because there was no law about when the working hours had to be worked.