In the 19th century education was expensive and only accessible by the wealthy. Poor children received what education they could in dame or Sunday schools. The majority were seen as child labour and worked long hours in factories. The factory acts started to change this perception of children and gave them a basic education and better working conditions.
The first act in 1802 was promoted by Sir Robert Peel, an MP and also a wealthy factory owner himself. The act was the first of its kind to address the working condition of children in factories. The Peel Act as it was known only applied to apprentices under 21 years old. It limited apprentices to 12 hours per day and made a provision for them to receive a basic education. It wasn’t effectively enforced due to visitors inspecting the factories being known to the factory owners.
Many more acts followed the 1802 act to address the working conditions in factories and mines. The Factory Act 1833 promoted by Lord Shaftesbury included all textile producing factories rather than just the cotton factories previously included. This act made it …show more content…
The minimum age for children working in factories was increased to 10 years. It reduced the working hours of children under 13 years to a maximum of 6.5 hours per day. Acts were also passed during this time to cover the working conditions of children working in the mines.
The 19th Century factory acts reinforced the opinion in government that all children should receive some form of basic education. The educational clauses in the factory acts were seen as a positive step forward for children and the government wanted to widen this right to education to all children. The education of children in factories was widely discussed in the House of Commons. “The object of that bill was, to secure an education to the children” Maule F (1838) This was the first step in the UK for education to be accessible for all
The first act in 1802 was promoted by Sir Robert Peel, an MP and also a wealthy factory owner himself. The act was the first of its kind to address the working condition of children in factories. The Peel Act as it was known only applied to apprentices under 21 years old. It limited apprentices to 12 hours per day and made a provision for them to receive a basic education. It wasn’t effectively enforced due to visitors inspecting the factories being known to the factory owners.
Many more acts followed the 1802 act to address the working conditions in factories and mines. The Factory Act 1833 promoted by Lord Shaftesbury included all textile producing factories rather than just the cotton factories previously included. This act made it …show more content…
The minimum age for children working in factories was increased to 10 years. It reduced the working hours of children under 13 years to a maximum of 6.5 hours per day. Acts were also passed during this time to cover the working conditions of children working in the mines.
The 19th Century factory acts reinforced the opinion in government that all children should receive some form of basic education. The educational clauses in the factory acts were seen as a positive step forward for children and the government wanted to widen this right to education to all children. The education of children in factories was widely discussed in the House of Commons. “The object of that bill was, to secure an education to the children” Maule F (1838) This was the first step in the UK for education to be accessible for all