The overall unenforceability of the Factory Acts led to the appointment of the first factory inspectors in 1833. The powers of the inspectors were similar to those that the magistrates had previously. They had the right to enter any mill which was in operation, and introduce regulations which would lead to the effective implementation of the Factory Act. However, this act took away the right to create regulations away from the inspectors, and instead this power was given to the Home Secretary. Out of the four inspectors, two were members of the 1832 Commission and were undoubtedly opposed to the Factory Acts. Additionally, none of the inspectors could be regarded as advocates of state intervention which questions their ability to inspect
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Medical certificates testified to a child’s “physical age” and were highly unreliable and furthermore, the compulsory registration of births was not introduced in England until 1837 which exacerbated the problem. Documents from parishes could also not be trusted to give a reliable age as the time period between birth and baptism could vary greatly. Gray argued that when the enforcement of prohibiting child labour happened, it just put a greater focus on the lesser regulated teenage labour force. Hort points out that the possibility of enforcement depended greatly on the type of offense being committed. He explains that some offences were visible at any inspection, and gives the example of time-books being absent. However, offences such as overworking or the cleaning of moving machinery, could not be easily seen in a singular visit, and instead multiple visits to the same factory would need to be made. As the inspectors were male, they were not able to access the private areas in which females worked. Consequently, McFreely notes that women continued to work illegally in the sweated industries in order to boost income or gain work experience. Whilst seeming like another failure, some historians would argue that the act created a starting point for a much needed system of government control. Furthermore, it has been said that without these initial four inspectors, the working conditions of women and children would not have been improved until the middle of the twentieth
Medical certificates testified to a child’s “physical age” and were highly unreliable and furthermore, the compulsory registration of births was not introduced in England until 1837 which exacerbated the problem. Documents from parishes could also not be trusted to give a reliable age as the time period between birth and baptism could vary greatly. Gray argued that when the enforcement of prohibiting child labour happened, it just put a greater focus on the lesser regulated teenage labour force. Hort points out that the possibility of enforcement depended greatly on the type of offense being committed. He explains that some offences were visible at any inspection, and gives the example of time-books being absent. However, offences such as overworking or the cleaning of moving machinery, could not be easily seen in a singular visit, and instead multiple visits to the same factory would need to be made. As the inspectors were male, they were not able to access the private areas in which females worked. Consequently, McFreely notes that women continued to work illegally in the sweated industries in order to boost income or gain work experience. Whilst seeming like another failure, some historians would argue that the act created a starting point for a much needed system of government control. Furthermore, it has been said that without these initial four inspectors, the working conditions of women and children would not have been improved until the middle of the twentieth