Factory Reform

What was factory reform?

In the 19th century there were a number of campaigns to improve conditions in factories and mines.

Why did people want factory reform?

There were two key reasons for factory reform:

• ❖ Children as young as six worked in factories.
• ❖ MP Michael Sadler's report showed children were being caught under machines and injured, and owners were mistreating workers.

What did the factory reform campaign do?

There were two key aspects to the campaign for factory reform:

• ❖ Shaftesbury and Sadler, both MPs, supported the movement to restrict children's working hours to ten hours a day.
• ❖ Robert Owen, a factory owner, introduced better conditions in his factories and campaigned for others to follow.

Why were some opposed to factory reform?

Some were opposed to factory reforms, believing the government should not intervene in the economy (known as laissez-faire), and that the reforms would cost too much.

What was the significance of the factory reform campaign?

The campaign was significant for three key reasons:

• ❖ Parliament passed a Factory Reform Act in 1833, which restricted the hours children could work. It also passed the Mine Act in 1842, which banned women and children aged below ten from working underground.
• ❖ It improved the life for many factory workers, particularly children.
• ❖ It showed Parliament could be influenced by complaints from the working class.