Aspects of the employment of children in the British coal-mining industry, 1800-1872
This thesis examines aspects of historiography, legislation, working conditions and welfare relating to the employment of the children who worked in British coal mines between 1800 and 1872. Contemporary views of children's employment in mines are considered in the light of the Children's Employment Commission of 1842. The movement for the abolition of child labour is examined and claims of 'indecent' underground working conditions are investigated. It is argued that the decline in the incidence of children's employment in coal mining came about as a result of the declining economic viability of their labour to the industry. The legislative prohibition of children from the coal industry was a rational process driven largely by improvements in production technology and by safety considerations. The research suggests that the incidence of child employment was lowest in the most technologically advanced coalfields. Computer-aided prosopography was used to analyse ages and occupations of mining children. The physical stature of mining children is discussed as an indicator of their nutritional status and welfare. A number of environmental influences upon the relative shorter stature of mining children are identified
Kirby, Peter Thomas
History
Aspects of the employment of children in the British coal-mining industry, 1800-1872. This thesis examines aspects of historiography, legislation, working conditions and welfare relating to the employment of the children who worked in British coal mines between 1800 and 1872. Contemporary views of children's employment in mines are considered in the light of the Children's Employment Commission of 1842. The movement for the abolition of child labour is examined and claims of 'indecent' underground working conditions are investigated. It is argued that the decline in the incidence of children's employment in coal mining came about as a result of the declining economic viability of their labour to the industry. The legislative prohibition of children from the coal industry was a rational process driven largely by improvements in production technology and by safety considerations. The research suggests that the incidence of child employment was lowest in the most technologically advanced coalfields. Computer-aided prosopography was used to analyse ages and occupations of mining children. The physical stature of mining children is discussed as an indicator of their nutritional status and welfare. A number of environmental influences upon the relative shorter stature of mining children are identified
aspects employment child british coal_mining industry examines aspect_historiography legislation work condition welfare relate employment child work british coal mine contemporary view child employment mine consider_light children employment commission movement abolition child_labour examine claim underground work condition investigate argue decline incidence child employment coal_mining come decline economic viability labour industry legislative prohibition child coal_industry rational process drive largely production_technology safety consideration suggests incidence child employment low technologically advanced coalfield computer_aided prosopography use analyse age occupation mine child physical stature mining child discuss indicator nutritional status welfare number environmental influence_upon relative shorter stature mining child identify