Working Conditions During the Industrial Revolution

1. The evidence given before the Sadler Committee helped to establish the Factory Acts or 1833. In the "Benefit of Factory Legislation", it stated that people and kids were working in the dark for at least 13 hour shifts. Also, that the atmosphere in which they were working in, was very bad due to the coal dust. Not to mention that kids were becoming deformed from standing or from sitting too long. In "Physical Deterioration of the Textile Workers", it states that children are developing abnormally because they are not getting enough exercise. Their spine grows irregularly, along with their leg bones growing bent. In addition to this, their growth was stunted because only one set of muscles were used and the others were not being used at all. In "Ashley's Mines Commission Testimony", four people have their testimonies about work in the mines. Part one is about a strapper named Sarah Gooder, who works in the dark for twelve hours and she is only eight years old. Next, is Isabella Reed, who is a coal bearer, and is only twelve years old. Then in part 3 there is Patience. She can't read and write, but she works many long hours. Lastly, there is Ben Miller, who is an undertaker, and along with all the rest of them, works long, hard hours. In the "Sadler Committee Evidence", one person, who started working at eight years old, had to wake up everyday at five in the morning. They were beaten if late to work, did not get breaks, and were working twelve to sixteen hour shifts. Also, the people were expected to work at the fast pace of machines. All these things brought about the Factory Acts of 1833, which were child labor reforms.

2. In my opinion, i think the most influential siting on the working conditions during the Industrial Revolution is the "Ashley's Mines Commission Testimony". I think this is the most influential because the peoples' testimonies in this had to work 12 hours at the least in the dark. For example, Sarah Gooder, was eight and she was working long, hard hours. A man named, Thomas Wilson, who is the owner of three collieries, believes woman shouldn't work in coal mines, and also believes that men should be educated to work effectively. However, woman did work in coal mines, and men were not educated therefore causing more injuries. Also Isabella Reed was only twelve and was working too many hours for that age. Many kids would also get beaten if they showed up late to work. Not to mention that many of them had to walk to work. Patience, another person whose testimony was about their childhood, stated that they did not even get breaks and that she could not even read or write. Lastly, there was Ben Miller, who worked many hours right along side the others, without any breaks. All these things prove that this was the most influential because it showed how hard it truly was to work in these horrible working conditions.