The Children's Employment Commission of 1842

The Children's Employment Commission (1842) was a significant inquiry into the conditions under which children were employed, particularly in factories, mines, and other industries, in early Victorian Britain. The Commission played a crucial role in highlighting the exploitation of child labour, and its findings helped spur public outrage and led to reforms that improved the lives of working children.

Background and context
The formation of the Commission
Key findings
Public reaction and reforms
Legacy
Conclusion

Background and context

During the early 19th century, industrialisation in Britain led to the growth of factories, coal mines, and other industries that relied heavily on cheap labour. Child labour was widespread, and children were often employed in hazardous, physically demanding, and abusive conditions. Many children, some as young as five or six years old, worked long hours in dangerous environments for very low wages.

The Factory Act of 1833 had been passed to regulate the working hours of children in textile mills, but child labour continued to be a significant issue, particularly in coal mines and other industries where the law had less reach. Public concern about the welfare of children in these industries grew, leading to calls for further investigation into the conditions they faced.

The formation of the Commission

In 1840, the government established the Children's Employment Commission to investigate the working conditions of children in various industries. The commission was headed by Sir James Phillips Kay-Shuttleworth, a physician and social reformer, who had a particular interest in improving public health and working conditions for children.

The Commission was tasked with documenting the conditions under which children worked, including their hours, wages, the tasks they were assigned, and the dangers they faced on the job. The inquiry also aimed to understand the physical and psychological impact of factory and mine work on young children.

Key findings

The findings of the Children's Employment Commission were harrowing and exposed the brutal realities of child labour in Victorian Britain:

Physical and mental abuse:

Children were subjected to long hours of grueling labour, often working 12 to 14 hours a day in factories and mines, with little to no rest.

Many children worked in extremely unhealthy environments. In coal mines, for example, they were often required to crawl through narrow tunnels in near darkness, subjected to dangerous gases and the constant risk of accidents.

The physical toll on children was immense. Many suffered from deformities, chronic illnesses, and musculoskeletal problems due to the physically demanding nature of their work.

The Factory Act of 1833 had limited the hours children could work in textile mills, but these regulations did not apply to other industries like coal mining.

In factories, children were sometimes forced to work machinery or move at high speeds in dangerous conditions. This led to severe accidents, injuries, and deaths.

The mental and emotional toll was also significant. Many children were subjected to harsh punishment by their employers, often for minor infractions, which led to psychological trauma.

Children in coal mines:

A significant portion of the report focused on the conditions of children working in coal mines. Many children, particularly girls, worked as "trappers", whose job was to open and close ventilation doors for the miners as they passed through the tunnels. These children often worked in darkness and silence for long hours.

The mines were dangerous, and accidents were common, with children frequently injured or killed due to collapsing tunnels, explosions, and falling debris.

Children in mines were also exposed to damp conditions and poor ventilation, which led to respiratory illnesses and diseases like miner's lung.

Exploitation and low wages:

Children were paid a fraction of what adults were paid, often just enough to buy basic necessities. This exploitation of child labour contributed to the extreme poverty of working-class families, and many children had to work simply to help their families survive.

The report found that factory and mine owners often preferred to employ children because they were more manageable and cheaper than adult workers. The children were often forced to work long hours with little rest, and they had no voice in their working conditions.

The impact on education:

The long hours and physical demands of child labour often meant that children had little to no time for education. Many children were illiterate and uneducated, which perpetuated the cycle of poverty and limited opportunities for social mobility.

Public reaction and reforms

The report from the Children's Employment Commission created a public outcry, bringing to light the widespread abuse and exploitation of children in factories and mines. The Commission’s findings, especially the detailed accounts of the brutal conditions in which children worked, were instrumental in generating support for legislative reforms.

Some of the immediate effects of the Commission's work included:

Public awareness:

The publication of the Commission’s findings in 1842 raised public awareness about the issue of child labour and helped galvanise the growing movement for social reform in Britain. Many people were appalled by the inhumanity of the conditions and the widespread use of child labour, leading to calls for change.

Legislation:

In response to the Commission's findings, the government passed the Factory Act of 1844, which aimed to further regulate child labour. This Act extended working hour limits to children under 18 in textile mills, and it also required more frequent inspections of factory conditions. However, the Act still did not address child labour in other industries, like coal mining.

The Mines Act of 1842 was another direct result of the Commission’s report. It prohibited the employment of women and children under the age of 10 in coal mines. It also set restrictions on the working conditions of children in mines, such as requiring that they be no younger than 10 to work.

The role of reformers:

The findings of the Commission were widely circulated by social reformers like Lord Ashley (later the Earl of Shaftesbury), who had long campaigned against child labour. The Commission's report helped him push for reforms in Parliament, ultimately leading to improved laws regulating child labour and workplace conditions.

Legacy

While the reforms of the 1840s were significant, they did not completely eliminate child labour. However, the findings of the Children's Employment Commission were crucial in shaping subsequent reforms. The long-term impact was the gradual development of more comprehensive labour laws, including the Factory Acts and the eventual establishment of compulsory education for children.

Conclusion

The Children's Employment Commission of 1842 was a groundbreaking investigation that exposed the horrific conditions under which children worked in Victorian Britain. The Commission’s findings helped spark a wave of public concern, leading to the passage of new laws aimed at regulating child labour and improving working conditions. The Commission's work was instrumental in shifting public opinion on child labour, marking a critical turning point in the development of modern labour rights and child welfare policies in the United Kingdom. The legacy of this inquiry continues to shape labour laws and the protection of children's rights today.