Kids'working conditions during the industrial age

In Europe the first industrial revolution of the late 18^th century was based on the invention of the steam machine by James Watt and the use of coal. Poor people from the countryside came in town to get a job in factories and to have better living conditions. But they didn't expect to find a harsher life and they had to face with starvation. So in those days children were a source of income since they were allowed to work.

They were exploited by employers who imposed them very bad working conditions.   Through a reconstitution of a young worker's daily routine day, based on real testimonies of young workers and thanks to various document, we can understand and see what children’s life was like. Let's imagine a kid describing his life:

    “I am a 12-year-old boy and I began to work at the age of six. I live in a slum with my five brothers, my parents and my grand father. He used to work as carpenter but now he's so unhealthy that he can only work as scavenger. Our flat is near the factory where we work so we can go there by foot.

     I used to work in a coal mine but it was really badly paid (only 2shillings per week!) and I had to gasp for breath. It's a nice job for a young child but kids can easily pass through the narrow galleries to pick up coal. Today I cannot do it anymore so I found a job as piecer, getting gradually advanced in wages, untill 6 shillings per week. I think that the highest wages I can expect per week for about 10 hours per day. It's well paid. But it's an extremely dangerous job.

I'm gradually becoming a cripple because of it. Actually my legs are twisted and my body, from my head to my knees, forms a curve: I look like a C! My little brother has to help me when I want to stand up. However I shouldn't blame myself because my employer is pretty nice. He's building schools in his factory to teach kids trade and to read and write.  But I don’t go there: I’m too old and I'm too tired to think about learning. What’s more, I don't give a damn about being educated: my parents aren't so why should I be?

Definitely the most important is to be fed not to be educated. On the opposite, my employer in the mine was a sort of tyrant. Indeed, we weren't allowed to talk or to stop work more than 3 times per day to go the bathroom or to eat. We were overwhelmed by work and he used a system of slight chastiment so I was scared to do a mistake. In my factory now I can get rewards: the more I work, the more I get paid.

     At night, when I come back home with my father and my brothers, my grand father begins his work. My mother doesn't work anymore because her limbs are distorted by continual standing and stopping. She used to work as spinner and now she spends her day long to look for cheap food and a means to struggle starvation. Thanks to my last little brother, who is five years old, we have one more shilling at the end of the week.

I know we are treated as slaves and that we should be helped because we work too much for our age but without child labour our family would be starving and it's the only thing we have always done. I am not expecting a better life but I hope one day children won't have to work to survive and that they'll live a longer than me.”