Leading Points in the Development of Factory Legislation

Date. Industries affected. Class of Workers chiefly protected. Nature of Regulations. Mode of Administration. Effectiveness.

1802 Cotton and 'other mills' (applied exclusively to cotton). Apprenticed Pauper Children. 12 Hours Day. Night-work regulated. Education, sanitation. Local Justices to appoint visitors. Virtually inoperative.

1819} Do. Children Prohibition of work Do. Do.

1820} Do. (not Paupers). under 9 years. Young persons (under 16) a 12 hour day. Regulation for meal-time. Amendment of 1802 Act.

1825 Do. Do. Shortened Saturday labour. Penalties provided for breach of Factory Regulations. Do.
(Millowners and relatives prevented from acting on the Bench in reference to Factory Acts.) Generally evaded.

1833}
1834} All Textile Industries. Children and Young Persons. 48 Hours Week for Children (9-13), 69 Hours for Young Persons (13-18). Prohibits night-work for Young Persons. Children in Silk Mills, 10 Hours Day. Government Inspectors (4). 1 out of every 11 millowners convicted in 1834, in spite of defiant attitude of magistrates.

1842 Mines. Children and Women. No underground work. Mine Inspectors.

1844}
to }
1846} Printworks. Children, Young Persons, Women. Factory Acts applied. 'False relay' system for children checked. 6-1/2 Hours Day for Children. Female Young Persons age raised to 21. 12 Hours Day for Women. No night-work for women. Government Inspectors. Improved administration, but 'false relay' system reestablished. Fines inadequate.

1847}
to }
1850} Textile Factories, Printworks, etc. Do. 10 Hours Day, afterwards 10½ Hours Day for Young Persons and Women, practically for Men. Increased Staff of Government Inspectors. Largely defied or evaded for some time.

1860 Bleaching and Dyeing. Do. Do., with special regulations for overtime.

1860 Coal and Iron Mines. All Workers. Restriction on male labour under 12. Safety, ventilation, etc. Mine Inspectors.

1863 Finishing processes in Bleaching and Dyeing, Bakehouses, Alkali Works. Children, Young Persons, Women.

Factory Acts generally applied.

1864 Non-textile Factories, (Earthenware, Fustian Cutting, Cartridges, Lucifer Matches, Paper-staining). Do.

1867 All Factories & Workshops. Do. Factory Acts Extension Act. Workshops Regulation Act, applying to Workshops. Factory rules affecting hours, education, etc. in modified form. Workshops Act left at first to local authorities, brought under Factory Inspectors, 1871. Workshops Act dead letter in 1868-69. Later, fines inadequate. Inspectors inadequate.

1867 Agriculture. Children, Women. Act for Suppression of Agricultural Gangs fixing minimum age at 8, regulating employment of Women.

1870 Printworks, Bleaching, Dyeing. Children, Young Persons, Women. Application of chief provisions of 1867 Factory Act.

1871 Brickworks and Fields. Children and Young Female Persons. Forbids employment. Improved conditions for Women.

1873 Agriculture. Children. Minimum age raised to 10.

1878 Factories, Workshops, Agriculture. Children, Young Persons, Women, (incidentally Men). Consolidation of Factories & Workshops Act (extending some provisions to agriculture). Increased Staff of Inspectors.

1891 Do. Do. Amendment of Factories & Workshops Act. Age for Children raised to 11. Protection in dangerous trades. Board of Trade power to schedule dangerous trades.

1892 Shops. Children, Young Persons. Limits working-day.

1893 Various Trades. All workers. Restrictions on dangerous trades. Appointment of working men and women Inspectors.

1893 Railways. Adult males Restrictions on hours of labour. Increased number of Inspectors.