7/27/2019 Factories Sources Sen

1/2

Conditions in the factories

You cannot take food out of a basketor handkerchief because it getscovered in dust. The children arefrequently sick because of the dustand dirt they eat with their meal.

An interview with a mill workerJoseph Haberjam in 1832.

No man would like to work on apower loom. There is such aclattering it would make some

men go mad.

A workergiving evidence to aParliamentary committeeinvestigating factory conditions1835.

I think childrens work could not beeasier! The children stand up straight,walk about and even have theopportunity to sit down if they want.The tiny fibres of cotton in the air aresaid, even by medical men, not to beharmful to young persons.

Written by Edward Baines in hisnewspaper the Northern Mercury.(Co-owner of a factory)

I have visited many factories and Inever saw corporal punishment of achild. The children seemed always tobe cheerful and alert. They enjoyshowing off how good they are at theirwork to any stranger. They showed nosign of being exhausted at the end ofthe day. At Quarry Bank. NearWilmslow in Cheshire, they are wellfed, clothed and educated. Theapprentices have milk porridge forbreakfast, potatoes and bacon fordinner, and meat on Sundays.

Written by Andrew Ure, a factoryowner in 1835.Machinery was dangerous andinjuries were common. Lungs becamediseased from cotton particles.

A textbookextract written in 1995.

My workers are kept very busy all dayand I pay them for their work. Withoutthe employment I offer they wouldstarve. If they are not disciplined theybecome lazy. My factory is warm anddry and I allow my workers time off forbreakfast and lunch.

Evidence from a factory ownerto

government inspectors in 1831.

The mills did not employ childrenunder ten. They went to the villageschool up to the age of ten. They weretaught reading, writing andarithmetic. Their parents did not have

to pay. There was good quality food inthe village shop, sold cheaply. The

In Willenhall, the children are mostcruelly beaten with a horsewhip, strap,stick, hammer, handle, file orwhatever tool is nearest to hand, orare struck with the clenched fist or

kicked.

7/27/2019 Factories Sources Sen

2/2

workers were healthy and workedhard.

A description of Robert Owens millsin New Lanark, Scotland, written in

1831.

Investigation in to ChildrensEmployment Comission 1843.

I saw that they were too small, andtheir arms and legs were bent.

They went to school but could not dotheir lessons well.

Working in the factories for so manyhours harmed them.

Robert Owen a factory ownersaying why he did NOT employ youngchildren.

Our common food was oatcake. It wasthick and course. This was ourbreakfast and supper. Our dinner waspotato pie with boiled bacon in it, ittasted awful, but we were hungryenough to eat anything.

Written by a child worker