Some jobs that children did
- Children were employed as live scare crows to run up and down the fields all day chasing birds away so they didn’t eat the seeds.
- Some kids used slingshots, others were given a clapper made of three bits of wood. ...
- One of the coldest hardest tasks was picking turnips for the animals to eat and it was a job that went mostly to kids.
What did Victorian children do for a living?
Whereas in the past children may have helped their families get a harvest in, pick vegetables or help to tend the land, in Victorian times children worked in large “gangs” for people they didn’t know – often doing repetitive and hard work, in all weather for very low pay. Click here to find out more about Victorian jobs!
Why were Victorian children in high demand for jobs?
Because they were considered cheap labor Victorian children were in high demand for many types of jobs including mining, factory work, street sweepers, clothing and hat makers, chimney sweeps, farming, textile mills, servants, and sadly, prostitution. As you may have already noticed,...
What was the Victorian child labor force like in the 1800s?
Therefore coal mines used a large part of the Victorian Child Labor force in the 1800’s. The thought of using children for working the coal mines was very attractive to mining companies.
What were the working conditions like for children in Victorian Mines?
Working Conditions in the Mines. One of the on the job aspects of Victorian Child Labor was the dreadful working conditions. This was particularly magnified in the coal mines. It was dark in the mines making it hard to see and at times would cause permanent problems with sight from the constant strain on the eyes.
What age did children work in Victorian times?
Research has shown that the average age at which children started work in early 19th-century Britain was 10 years old, but that this varied widely between regions. In industrial areas, children started work on average at eight and a half years old.
What work did rich Victorian children do?
Many worked with their parents at home or in workshops, making matchboxes or sewing. Children could also earn a bit of money as chimney-sweeps, messengers or crossing sweepers like the boy in this picture. Crossing the street in the 19th century could be dirty and dangerous.
What was it like for a Victorian child?
Children worked very long hours with little breaks and no fresh air. They often worked in very dangerous conditions resulting in injuries or even death. There was no education for the poor, so it was very unlikely they could get better paid jobs when they were older.
What did kids do for fun in the Victorian era?
Outdoors, Victorian children played with toys like hoops, marbles and skipping ropes, with friends in the street, or in the school playground. They played chasing games such as Tag, Blind Man's Bluff, and played catch with balls.
What jobs did the rich Victorians have?
Mothers of wealthy Victorian families didn't work. They spent their days calling on friends and relatives. Most of the child care was done by a nanny. Rich Victorian men had jobs such as doctors, lawyers, bankers and factory owners.
What did upper class Victorians do?
These women had a range of servants to perform the domestic chores for them, so they usually just had to oversee them. An everyday task of upper-class women was accepting and paying visits, as well as organizing dinner parties for their friends and family.
What did rich Victorians do for fun?
Sporting pastimes, such as cycling, rowing and horseracing were also popular, and large crowds would often attend sailing events like the Henley Regatta and famous horse races such as the Epsom Derby. One of the largest events of the Victorian calendar was the famous Great Exhibition, held in 1851.
Did rich Victorian children have servants?
The children in these families grew up in nice homes with some able to have rooms of their own. They never had to worry about going hungry or having clothes and decent shoes. There were servants to do the chores and as money was not an issue, they did not have to go to work.
Interesting Facts About Victorian Child Labor
What Jobs Did Victorian Children Perform?
- Victorian Child Labor was prevalent in the Victorian Era. Here is a list of several types of jobs that children did. As you can see Victorian Child Labor covered a broad spectrum of occupations. To cover all of them in this article would be a monumental task to be sure. However, we will look into some of the more prevalent jobs that children did in Victorian times.
Chimney Sweeps – Victorian Child Labor
- The life of a chimney sweep in Victorian times was nothing like what you see in Mary Poppins. It was a brutal, dreary existence for Victorian child chimney sweeps. Some were as young as 3 years old. Their tiny size made them a popular choice for going down the narrow chimney stacks. A Victorian Child Chimney Sweep may have been the most dangerous job for children in the 1800’…
Factories and Textile Mills – Victorian Child Labor
- Victorian Child Labor was nothing new for Britain or all of Europe for that matter. Children had been used for labor for centuries. It was expected of them to help support their families. During the 1800’s awareness began to grow toward the ills of child labor in factories and elsewhere. Laws were passed and then amendments to those laws were passed until the use of children un…