Michael Sadler Working Conditions During The 1800s

During the 1800s working conditions were bad for all workers, including the children. Working conditions were poor, unsanitary and unsafe in the textiles and mines. A person, who brought the poor working conditions and abuse of the children workers to the public light, was Michael Sadler. Born in 1780 and died in 1835, Sadler was a social reformer and political economist. During his time, he was a active in public speaking and was principally involved in the administration of poor law. In addition, in 1829 Sadler became the chairman of the parliament committee on labor in the Duke of Newcastle. Prior to Sadler being the chairman of the parliament committee, in 1810, he served as treasurer of poor rates. Here, Sadler became interested in the

concerns about child working labor and conditions. Sadler was best known for his work in trying to improve working conditions for all workers, especially the children. Sadler conducted an investigation which allowed him to interview eighty-nine children and works in hopes of creating laws and protective legislations for all workers. His investigation and report later came to be known as, the Sadler Report, was published in 1832 and contributed to the passing of the protective legislation in 1833 known as the Factor Act.
The hardship and abuse of children workers motivated and prompted him to conduct the Sadler Report.

During the 1800s, the textile industry and manufacturing process were quickly advancing and evolving. The flying shuttle (1733), invented by John Kay, speeded the process of weaving. The spinning jenny (1764), invented by James Hargreaves, was able to produce sixteen threads at once (Cole 507). The water frame (1769), invented by baber, Richard Arkwright, made it possible to produce stronger threads in greater quantity (Coles 507). Lastly, in 1799 Samuel Compton invented the spinning mule, which was a combination of the jenny and the water frame. All these machines invented during this time advance all productions across the textile industry and created an explosive growth (Cole

508).
New machines were introduced to the working industry that lead to the need of factory workers. This also lead to the ability and high demand of children of all ages to work, “children counted roughly two-thirds of the labor force in textiles” (Coles 508). Working days would be as long as from 3:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. Sometimes children would work fourteen to sixteen hours a day and at times work overtime (A Bev). Workers, including children lost hair and fingers working in the mills’ machinery (Coles 508). Children were preferred because they believed their small hands were a better suit to the intricate job of tying threads on the power looms (Cole 507). The population of children workers consisted of, orphans and destitute children (A Bev). Children were given over to the work industries with the exchange of having a roof to live under and meals to (A Bev). Due to the early mornings and late nights children would have a hard time waking up and staying awake; in the mill there was an iron cistern; it was filled with water; here boys would be taken up by the legs and dipped over head in the cistern, they would then return to work for the remaining of the day (Mills). Children at such a young age, took the responsibility of having to work long hours and heavy duty.
During the report Sadler asks the interviewee, “Why do you allow your children to go to work at those places where they are ill-treated or over-worked?” (Sadler 344), he answered with, “Necessity compels a man that has children to let them work.” (Sadler 344). He then asks, “Then you would not allow your children to go to those factories under the present system, if it was not from necessity?” (Sadler 344), the interviewee responded with, “No” (Sadler 344). Children worked in order to financially help their families during critical times. Children of all ages were allowed to work without a limited amount of hours and they received low wages. Children would work from twelve to fourteen to hours a day. The days were long and the nights were short. Sadler asked one of the workers, if they have ever worked at a factory and at what age did they begin working. The worker answered and told him “yes” and that he had begun working at the age of eight years old (Sadler 345).
With most of the children's day spent in the factories working, they were often covered in dirt and had little time to eat. Sadler asked one of the child workers if they were able to eat their food at the factory, the child replied, “No, indeed I had not much to eat, and the little I had I could not eat it, my appetite was so poor, and being covered with dust; and it was no use to take it home, I could not eat it, and the overlooked took it, and gave it to the pigs.” (Sadler 346). In addition to having little eat, Sadler also interviewed them in regards to the punishments they would receive. Sadler asked, “What was the consequence if you had been too late?” he answered with, “I was most commonly beaten.” (Sadler 345).
The work published by Sadler came to a shock to the members of the parliament and to the public, which sparked the need and lead to the act.

When Sadler introduced a legislation he intended it to limit the working hours of children. He argued that, “The parents rouse them in the morning and receive them tired and exhausted after the day has closed; they see them droop and sicken, and, in many cases, become crippled and die, before they reach their prime; and they do all this, because they must otherwise starve. It is a mockery to contend that these parents have a choice. They choose the lesser evil, and reluctantly resign their offspring to the captivity and pollution of the mill.” (Sadler 344). Sadler hoped to limit the amount of hours because with children being at such a young age and growing, their bodies were too fatigue which would cause death. He also hoped that they would be able to receive time for

education.
The Factory Act helped to improve working conditions for all working children. The act instituted, no child workers under the age of nine would be employed, all employers must have an age certificate for the child workers, children from the age nine to thirteen were not allowed to work more than nine hours a day, children from the age of thirteen to eighteen were not allowed to work more than twelve hours a day, and lastly, children were not to work at night. The employers were also to provide two hours of schooling for the children workers.
In today’s world, things have changed. No children are allowed to work without a working permit granted by the school district board. In addition, each state has different age requirements. The Sadler Report included numerous of different testimonies by children and older people who worked in the factories or mines. Michael Sadler was a good man with good deeds. He was a chairman member who believed in the better of the people, mostly the children.