The Mines and Collieries Act 1842 (5 & 6 Vict. c. 99), commonly known as the Mines Act 1842, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act forbade women and girls of any age to work underground and introduced a minimum age of ten for boys employed in underground work. It was a response to the working conditions of children revealed in the Children's Employment Commission (Mines) 1842 report. The Commission was headed by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Member of Parliament, who was styled Baron Ashley at the time, a courtesy title, and would succeed his father as the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury in 1852.[1]
An Act to prohibit the Employment of Women and Girls in Mines and Collieries, to regulate the Employment of Boys, and to make other Provisions relating to Persons working therein.
This illustration of a drawer (a type of hurrier) pulling a coal tub was originally published in the Children's Employment Commission (Mines) 1842 report.A hurrier and two thrusters heaving a corf full of coal as depicted in the 1853 book The White Slaves of England by J Cobden.
At the beginning of the 19th century methods of coal extraction were primitive and the workforce, men, women and children, laboured in dangerous conditions. In 1841 about 216,000 people were employed in the mines. Women and children worked underground for 11 or 12 hours a day for lower wages than men.[1] The public became aware of conditions in the country's collieries in 1838 after an accident at Huskar Colliery in Silkstone, near Barnsley. A stream overflowed into the ventilation drift after violent thunderstorms causing the death of 26 children; 11 girls aged from 8 to 16 and 15 boys between 9 and 12 years of age.[2] The disaster came to the attention of Queen Victoria who ordered an inquiry.[1]
In 1840 Lord Ashley headed the royal commission of inquiry, which investigated the conditions of workers (especially children) in the coal mines. Commissioners visited collieries and mining communities gathering information sometimes against the mine owners' wishes. The report, illustrated by engraved illustrations and the personal accounts of mineworkers was published in May 1842. Victorian society was shocked to discover that children as young as five or six worked as trappers, opening and shutting ventilation doors down the mine, before becoming hurriers, pushing and pulling coal tubs and corfs.[3] Lord Ashley deliberately appealed to Victorian prudery, focussing on girls and women wearing trousers and working bare-breasted in the presence of boys and men, which "made girls unsuitable for marriage and unfit to be mothers". Such an affront to Victorian morality ensured the bill was passed.[1]
Lord Londonderry, a coal-mine owner, opposed the bill in the House of Lords and pushed through amendments that watered it down. The bill passed the House of Lords at its third reading on 1 August 1842.[4]
Results of the actedit
No females could be employed underground.
No child under 10 years old was to be employed underground.
Parish apprentices between the ages of 10 and 18 could continue to work in the mines[5]
House of Lords, 1842. Retrieved 31 January 2020. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
Davies, Alan (2006). The Pit Brow Women of the Wigan Coalfield. Tempus. ISBN0-7524-3912-X.
November 01, 2023
mines, collieries, 1842, vict, commonly, known, mines, 1842, parliament, united, kingdom, forbade, women, girls, work, underground, introduced, minimum, boys, employed, underground, work, response, working, conditions, children, revealed, children, employment,. The Mines and Collieries Act 1842 5 amp 6 Vict c 99 commonly known as the Mines Act 1842 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom The Act forbade women and girls of any age to work underground and introduced a minimum age of ten for boys employed in underground work It was a response to the working conditions of children revealed in the Children s Employment Commission Mines 1842 report The Commission was headed by Anthony Ashley Cooper Member of Parliament who was styled Baron Ashley at the time a courtesy title and would succeed his father as the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury in 1852 1 Mines and Collieries Act 1843Parliament of the United KingdomLong titleAn Act to prohibit the Employment of Women and Girls in Mines and Collieries to regulate the Employment of Boys and to make other Provisions relating to Persons working therein Citation5 amp 6 Vict c 97Territorial extent 9 United KingdomDatesRoyal assentjune 1843Other legislationRepealed byCoal Mines Regulation Act 1872Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act 1872Status RepealedText of statute as originally enactedThis illustration of a drawer a type of hurrier pulling a coal tub was originally published in the Children s Employment Commission Mines 1842 report A hurrier and two thrusters heaving a corf full of coal as depicted in the 1853 book The White Slaves of England by J Cobden At the beginning of the 19th century methods of coal extraction were primitive and the workforce men women and children laboured in dangerous conditions In 1841 about 216 000 people were employed in the mines Women and children worked underground for 11 or 12 hours a day for lower wages than men 1 The public became aware of conditions in the country s collieries in 1838 after an accident at Huskar Colliery in Silkstone near Barnsley A stream overflowed into the ventilation drift after violent thunderstorms causing the death of 26 children 11 girls aged from 8 to 16 and 15 boys between 9 and 12 years of age 2 The disaster came to the attention of Queen Victoria who ordered an inquiry 1 In 1840 Lord Ashley headed the royal commission of inquiry which investigated the conditions of workers especially children in the coal mines Commissioners visited collieries and mining communities gathering information sometimes against the mine owners wishes The report illustrated by engraved illustrations and the personal accounts of mineworkers was published in May 1842 Victorian society was shocked to discover that children as young as five or six worked as trappers opening and shutting ventilation doors down the mine before becoming hurriers pushing and pulling coal tubs and corfs 3 Lord Ashley deliberately appealed to Victorian prudery focussing on girls and women wearing trousers and working bare breasted in the presence of boys and men which made girls unsuitable for marriage and unfit to be mothers Such an affront to Victorian morality ensured the bill was passed 1 Lord Londonderry a coal mine owner opposed the bill in the House of Lords and pushed through amendments that watered it down The bill passed the House of Lords at its third reading on 1 August 1842 4 Results of the act editNo females could be employed underground No child under 10 years old was to be employed underground Parish apprentices between the ages of 10 and 18 could continue to work in the mines 5 nbsp Victorian era portalCitations edit a b c d The Mines Act 1842 University of Paris Archived from the original on 21 July 2011 Retrieved 5 December 2010 Huskar Colliery Disaster PDF cmhrc co uk p 68 Archived from the original PDF on 28 August 2011 Retrieved 27 July 2011 Davies 2006 p 17 Hansard 1842 House of Lords Session of the 1st August 1842 Mines and Collieries The Marquess of Londonderry opposed the third reading The 1842 Mines Act Sources editHouse of Lords 1842 Retrieved 31 January 2020 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Davies Alan 2006 The Pit Brow Women of the Wigan Coalfield Tempus ISBN 0 7524 3912 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mines and Collieries Act 1842 amp oldid 1182432534, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
