5 Worst Jobs Given To Children In History
Summary
TLDRThis historical overview delves into the grim reality of child labor, highlighting five perilous occupations from the past. From 'mud larks' scavenging in London's filthy River Thames to 'mule scavengers' risking life and limb in textile mills, the script paints a stark picture. It also covers the horrors of child coal miners, the treacherous work of chimney sweeps, and the explosive risks faced by 'powder monkeys' on naval ships. The narrative serves as a chilling reminder of the exploitation and hardships children endured before labor laws were enacted.
Takeaways
- 🔍 Historically, children were exploited as cheap labor for dangerous jobs due to the lack of legislation protecting workers' rights and enforcing a minimum working age.
- 🌊 In 18th and 19th century London, 'mud larks' were children who scavenged the River Thames for valuable items amidst raw sewage and other hazards, risking infection and death.
- 🧶 'Mule scavengers' in textile mills during the Industrial Revolution were children tasked with collecting cotton scraps from under dangerous machinery, facing severe health issues and the risk of injury or death.
- 🏭 Victorian era coal miners included children who worked in confined, hazardous conditions, suffering from long hours, poor visibility, respiratory diseases, and the constant threat of accidents.
- 🔥 Chimney sweeps involved young children climbing narrow, hot chimneys to clean soot, leading to physical abuse, stunted growth, and blindness from the harsh conditions.
- 🐒 'Powder monkeys' on naval ships during battles were responsible for transporting gunpowder to artillery guns, facing the risk of explosion and injury amidst the chaos of combat.
- 👦 The term 'mud lark' evolved from referring to children who scavenged the River Thames to school children who would beg for change by sifting through riverbank mud for amusement.
- 👷♂️ Children in coal mining were estimated to make up 30% of the workforce in Britain in 1851, highlighting the widespread use of child labor in this industry.
- 🛠️ 'Trapper boys' in coal mines were the youngest workers, often alone in the dark, responsible for managing airflow through trapdoors, a tedious and perilous task.
- 🏹 The speed and efficiency of 'powder monkeys' could directly influence the outcome of naval battles, underscoring the importance of their role despite the lack of recognition.
- 👨🏫 The script serves as a reminder of the harsh realities and exploitation of child labor in history, prompting reflection on the progress made in workers' rights and child protection.
Q & A
What was the role of a mudlark in 18th and 19th century London?
-A mudlark was a child who scavenged through the muddy shores of the River Thames, searching for valuable items such as coal, iron, wood, or even lost jewelry and coins that could be sold for money.
What were the risks and dangers faced by mudlarks?
-Mudlarks faced risks such as deep cuts from broken glass and rusting trash, infections due to the filthy environment, and competition with Toshers who scavenged from sewers. The riverbank was covered in raw sewage and even human and animal corpses.
What was the significance of mule scavengers in the textile mills during the Industrial Revolution?
-Mule scavengers were children who collected cotton scraps from under the spinning mules in textile mills. Their small size allowed them to fit into tight spaces, and they were cost-effective for the mill owners, despite the hazardous working conditions.
What were the hazards faced by mule scavengers while working in textile mills?
-Mule scavengers faced hazards such as severe health problems like respiratory diseases and cancer due to the dusty environment, and the risk of being crushed or decapitated by the moving parts of the spinning mules.
Why were children preferred as workers in coal mines during Victorian times?
-Children were preferred in coal mines because their smaller bodies enabled them to fit into the tight confines of the mine shafts, and they could be paid much less than adult workers. In 1851, children made up an estimated 30% of the coal mining workforce in Britain.
What were the specific jobs given to children in coal mines, and what were the associated dangers?
-Children in coal mines performed jobs like 'breaker boys' who removed impurities from coal, 'trappers' who controlled air flow by opening and closing trapdoors, and 'hurriers' who pushed and pulled heavy coal carts. Dangers included open cuts, crushed limbs, long hours in dark conditions damaging eyesight, respiratory diseases, and the constant threat of explosions and cave-ins.
Why were chimney sweeps in demand during the Industrial Revolution?
-The increase in the use of coal for heating led to a buildup of soot inside chimneys, which needed frequent cleaning to prevent blockages and fires. The narrow and often twisted design of these new chimneys made them accessible only to small children.
What were the physical and psychological effects of being a chimney sweep?
-Chimney sweeps faced physical effects like stunted growth, deformity of the spine and limbs, blindness due to sores and infections of the eyes, and respiratory issues. Psychologically, they were often abused and lived in constant fear and grief due to the harsh working conditions.
What was the role of a powder monkey in naval battles?
-A powder monkey was a young boy responsible for transporting gunpowder from the ship's magazine to the artillery guns during a naval battle, ensuring a continuous supply for the guns to fire.
What were the dangers associated with being a powder monkey?
-Powder monkeys faced the risk of explosion from a stray spark, being hit by flying splinters from cannon fire, and the potential for being crushed by dismounted guns or injured by misfires that sprayed hot shards of iron.
How did the conditions and roles of child laborers reflect the societal and economic conditions of the time?
-The harsh conditions and exploitative roles of child laborers reflect the lack of legislation protecting workers' rights, the high demand for cheap labor during the Industrial Revolution, and the societal indifference towards the welfare of children, especially those living in poverty.
Outlines
👧 The Harsh Reality of Mudlarks and Mule Scavengers
This paragraph delves into the grim working conditions faced by children in the 18th and 19th centuries. It highlights the existence of 'mudlarks,' children who scavenged the River Thames for valuable waste amidst filth and danger, competing with 'Toshers' who searched through sewers. Mudlarks risked infection and death from cuts in a harsh environment. The paragraph also describes 'mule scavengers,' children employed in textile mills to collect cotton scraps from under spinning machines, facing the risk of injury or death from the machinery. These children worked long hours in poor conditions, leading to health issues and a lack of education, illustrating the exploitation of children in the Industrial Revolution era.
🏭 The Perilous Lives of Victorian Child Coal Miners and Chimney Sweeps
The second paragraph discusses the plight of child laborers in coal mines and as chimney sweeps during the Victorian era. Children were employed in coal mines due to their small stature, which allowed them to navigate tight mine shafts, but this came at the cost of their health and safety. They performed various tasks such as 'breaker boys' who removed impurities from coal, 'trappers' who managed air flow, and 'hurriers' who transported heavy coal carts. The paragraph also details the horrifying conditions of chimney sweeps, young children forced to climb narrow, hot chimneys to clean soot, leading to physical injuries, stunted growth, and blindness. Both professions exposed children to severe exploitation and life-threatening conditions.
💥 The Brave yet Overlooked Powder Monkeys of Naval Warfare
The final paragraph recounts the critical but perilous role of 'powder monkeys' in naval battles. These young boys were tasked with transporting gunpowder from the ship's magazine to the artillery guns amidst the chaos of battle. Their small size was advantageous for moving quickly through the ship, but it also put them at great risk of injury or death from explosions, falling debris, or misfired guns. Despite the significant impact their work had on the outcome of battles, these boys were often overlooked and underappreciated, highlighting the extreme bravery and sacrifice of child laborers in historical naval conflicts.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Child Labor
💡Mudlarks
💡Industrial Revolution
💡Mule Scavengers
💡Coal Miners
💡Chimney Sweeps
💡Powder Monkeys
💡Legislation
💡Victorian Times
💡Soot
💡Steam
Highlights
Children historically exploited for cheap labor in dangerous jobs due to lack of protective legislation.
Mudlarks in 18th and 19th century London scavenged the River Thames for valuable items amidst hazardous conditions.
Mudlarks faced competition from Toshers, adult scavengers in sewers, for finding valuable items.
Mudlark work was physically demanding, with high risks of injury and infection due to the filthy environment.
Mule scavengers in textile mills were tasked with collecting cotton scraps from under dangerous machinery.
Orphaned children were often forced to work as mule scavengers, enduring poor conditions and severe health issues.
The constant danger of injury or death from machinery was a grim reality for mule scavengers.
Coal miners, including children, faced grueling work conditions and high mortality rates.
Children made up a significant portion of the coal mining workforce, performing diverse and perilous tasks.
Chimney sweeps, including very young children, risked suffocation, burns, and deformities in their work.
Chimney sweeps' work involved climbing narrow, hot chimneys and dislodging soot with brushes and scrapers.
Powder monkeys, young boys on warships, carried gunpowder with high risk of explosion and injury.
The speed and efficiency of powder monkeys could influence the outcome of naval battles.
Powder monkeys faced life-threatening conditions, including flying splinters and misfiring cannons.
The occupation of mudlark evolved by the 20th century to school children begging for change on riverbanks.
The video concludes with a call to remember the plight of these children when considering one's own work challenges.
Transcripts
throughout history children have often
been utilized as nothing more than cheap
and convenient labor forced undertake a
whole host of unbelievable and downright
dangerous jobs in an age before
legislation which protects the rights of
workers and enforces a minimum working
age young children were often at the
mercy of ruthless adults keen to exploit
them for personal profit so next time
you think you're having a bad day at
work spare a thought for these
unfortunate children number 5 mud locks
life in 18th and 19th century London was
hard and unforgiving for the huge
numbers of children living in poverty
with no skills or opportunities to
improve their situation any chance to
scrape together enough money to survive
would be seized with both hands for
those children living near the River
Thames one way to generate an income was
to become a mud log this lowly
occupation involved scavenging through
the muddy shores of the river searching
for anything of value which could be
sold the massive growth of London during
the industrial revolution had resulted
in enormous levels of waste and garbage
being dumped into the River Thames
however what was one man's trash would
often be a child's treasure as the tide
of the river went out packs of mud logs
would scurry through the mud looking for
anything that could earn them some coin
chunks of coal scraps of iron and pieces
of wood that had been discarded by
others would be gratefully gathered up
by the mud logs and sold for whatever
they could get on a rare lucky day
they might even find something more
precious such as a lost piece of jewelry
or even silver coins yet such fines did
not occur often as the mud larks had to
compete with Tosh's who were grown men
who scavenged from the sewers as the
trash came through the sewage system at
first the Tosh's would more often than
not be the first to find the really
valuable items the work was
back-breaking the rewards were low and
the risk was high the muddy riverbank
was covered in raw sewage and even the
corpses of humans and animals the mud
locks would often suffer deep cuts from
shards of broken glass and other pieces
of rusting trash embedded in the shore
and such wounds were especially prone to
infection due to the filthy environment
the children were surrounded by even a
small wound could be a death sentence
and conditions were so bad that the term
mud log quickly became slang for a pig
the amount of money the mudlark made
each day was tiny but it was enough for
them to survive and unlike most other
jobs in that period they had a certain
amount of independence being able to
work whatever hours they chose and
keeping 100% of the money they made by
the 20th century improving opportunities
in the cities meant that the occupation
had all but disappeared and the term
instead began to be used to describe
school children who would earn some
extra money during the school holidays
by begging passers-by to throw some
spare change into the mud of the
riverbank which they would then scramble
through the mud to retrieve causing a
spectacle which would amuse onlookers
number four mule scavengers yet another
job
born from the Industrial Revolution mule
scavengers were a common sight in
textile mills across the world in the
18th and 19th centuries over the course
of the working day scraps of cotton
would gather on the floor underneath the
great lumbering machines used to spin
cotton into thread along with dust oil
and other debris
these cotton scraps were seen by the
mill owners as far too valuable to
simply throw away and needed to be
collected and removed at regular
intervals to prevent the machines
clogging up and breaking down the work
was unskilled and required small bodies
to fit underneath the spinning mules in
order to get at the cotton scraps small
children were seen as ideal for this
task being small enough to fit into the
tight spaces and very cost-effective
these scavengers were viewed as being at
the bottom of the hierarchy of staff and
had to endure the worst working
conditions the children were often
orphans as young as four who were taken
in by the factory owners and forced to
work after 16 hours a day until they
were 15 years of age suffering severe
beatings should they fall asleep from
exhaustion trapped inside the dusty
factories for most of the day their
fragile bodies frequently developed
severe health problems including
respiratory diseases and even cancer yet
these terrible health issues were not
the only danger they faced the giant
spinning mules that spun cotton into
thread would not be turned off to allow
the child to scavenge the scraps
underneath the machine operators were
paid by how much they produced and as
such any lost time would prove too
costly so they continued their work
forcing the children to crawl under the
deadly spinning machines
to avoid having the life crushed out of
them the children had to lay low
desperately hugging the floor as they
carefully crawled underneath the
enormous machines as the mule moved
forward they had to quickly gather all
the cotton scraps they could find as
carefully as they could so as not to
become entangled in the machines moving
parts despite taking such great care
accidents still happened hands and even
heads would be frequently crushed under
the machines moving parts and there were
even reports of decapitations body parts
were prone to being torn off and perhaps
the most feared injury was scalping if
the child's hair strayed too close to
the machinery it could be sucked in and
become entangled viciously tearing the
scalp from the head with such dangers
looming overhead the scavengers also
suffered psychological breakdowns many
were reported by observers to be in a
constant state of grief and terror due
to the constant noise in the factories
and the ever-present danger of painful
injury and death number three
coal miners during Victorian times steam
became the prime source of energy
powering trains factories and even ships
burning coal was the best way to boil
water and thus produce steam causing an
enormous increase in demand for the
precious black chunks massive coal mines
opened all over the world and children
became the ideal employees for these new
underground money-making enterprises
the bodies were smaller enabling them to
fit in the tight confines of the mine
shafts and they could be paid much less
than the adult colleagues in fact the
use of children in coal mining became so
widespread that in 1851
it was estimated that children made up
30% of the coal mining workforce in
Britain alone the types of jobs the
children were given were diverse but all
of them involved working in horrendous
and dangerous conditions above
groundbreaker boys spent 10 hours a day
6 days per week toiling to remove
impurities from the mined coal they
would spend their day sitting on wooden
chairs hunched over conveyor belts
picking sharp pieces of slate out of the
coal by hand without the luxury of
cloths by the end of the day their
fingers could often be covered in open
cuts and it was not unusual for boys to
have their fingers torn off after
getting them trapped in the moving
conveyor belts many others would lose
their
or even be crushed to death after being
pulled inside the giant gears which
powered the machines below ground
trappers were often the youngest
employees some just eight years of age
though job was simply to open and close
the trapdoors which allowed fresh air to
flow through the mine and they would
often spend up to 12 hours a day alone
and in total darkness deep within the
mine although the work was not hard it
was my numbing ly boring and fraught
with danger her ears and thrusters were
older and stronger children who were
given the labor-intensive job of pushing
and pulling the coal Laden cards which
could easily weigh over 600 pounds
through cramped roadways which were
sometimes as low as 16 inches one child
would pull the cart while the other
pushed the elbows and knees scraping
against the rocky surface with the
pusher often using the heads to help
push against the heavy cart resulting in
the hair on the child's head wearing off
leaving them bald hours were long for
everybody and work could often begin at
2:00 in the morning with the child
remaining in the mine for up to 18 hours
such long hours in the dark could easily
damage a growing child's eyesight and
the lack of ventilation in the mine
caused numerous cases of respiratory
disease and cancer with many of the
workers dying before the age of 25 the
young workers lived with the
ever-present fear of explosions and
cave-ins knowing that at any moment they
could be blown to pieces or buried alive
and should they survive any of the
horrific injuries that could befall them
while at work no compensation for the
suffering would be forthcoming and a
future of poverty starvation and death
would likely be the fate number 2
chimney sweeps with the population of
cities exploding during
industrialization the number of houses
with chimney shot up and so did the
demand for chimney sweeps
whereas before wood was the fuel of
choice for home heating now the use of
coal was on the rise this resulted in
layers of soot building up inside the
flute which would need to be frequently
cleaned
thus topic becoming blocked and in many
cases even catching fire burning the
house down these new cold chimneys were
far more narrow than chimneys of old and
often bent and twisted at sharp angles
instead of rising straight up it was
common for them to be as narrow as 9
inches across a space
that was far too tight for an adult male
to enter as such small children as young
as four years old were recruited as
apprentices and made to climb up the
chimneys dislodge the soot usually
holding a brush above his head and
shimmying up the flue using the brush to
remove any loose soot and a scraper to
dislodge any solid pieces once at the
top of the chimney he would then slide
back down and collect the pile of cert
which could be sold as fertilizer these
young children would often be taken from
orphanages bought from parents or even
kidnapped from the streets and would be
bound to their new master as indentured
servants until they were adults
the master would teach his apprentice
the trade and be responsible for feeding
and clothing him yet no wages would be
paid to the child it was now totally at
the mercy of their new master while some
might have been raised with care the
uncomfortable truth was that many were
treated like slaves and suffered
terrible abuses the boys would sleep
under suits acts were rarely washed and
were often deprived food to ensure that
they stayed thin and therefore able to
fit inside the tight spaces of the
chimney the chimneys they were forced to
clean were often still scorching hot and
the boys knees and elbows would be
scraped bloody by the constant rubbing
against the rough bricks the master
would harden their skin by making them
stand close to a hot fire and then
rubbing in brine using a rough brush
every evening a process which would
cause sheets of hardened skin almost
like Armour to form around the elbows
and knees the work was extremely
dangerous and boys would often get stuck
inside the chimneys becoming more
tightly wedged by the panic-stricken
efforts to escape before eventually
suffocating if they were not rescued in
time there were even cases where a
second boy was sent up to help the
trapped one resulting in both of the
boys suffocating stunted growth and
deformity of the spine and limbs were
common due to the work forcing them to
remain in twisted positions for long
periods of time before their small and
fragile bones had time to mature and
harden many would go blind as a result
of sores and information of the eyes
caused by the filthy working conditions
and asthma and even cancer were common
caused by the carcinogenic suit and
constant exposure to extreme weather
conditions
even the common phrase lighter fire
under you is linked to the young Chimney
Sweeps if it was deemed that the boy was
working too slowly a small fire would be
lit in the fireplace the heat from which
would encourage him to move faster
another disturbing workplace motivation
tactic was to send another boy up
underneath and prick pins into his feet
or legs to get him working more speedily
number 1 powder monkeys during some of
the most famous naval battles of history
hidden away from view deep within the
ships engaged in battle were dozens of
small boys known as powder monkeys whose
job was vital to a ship survival but
also highly underrated these boys who
often as young as nine were given the
dangerous task of ferrying gunpowder
from the ships magazine to the artillery
guns the highly explosive nature of
gunpowder meant that it was secured deep
within the ship in a sealed chamber
known as the magazine so as to keep it
away from anything that might ignite it
which could cause a giant explosion
which would destroy the entire ship the
magazine would therefore be located
quite some distance away from where it
was needed during the heat of battle and
as the ship's guns continued to fire
they would eventually run out of
gunpowder and require a speedy resupply
powder monkeys would make their way to
the magazine as quickly as they could
bringing back a supply of gunpowder to
the gun crew they were assigned to the
boys were chosen for this task primarily
because of their size being small and
quick on their feet was a huge advantage
enabling them to move faster and more
easily through the tight confines of the
ship's decks in those days the outcome
of a naval battle did not only rely on
the number of guns being fired at the
enemy but also on how quickly the
individual guns could be reloaded and
fired again a higher rate of fire would
result in the enemy ship being destroyed
or disabled more rapidly which could
turn the course of the battle the speed
at which the powder monkeys moved could
have a direct influence on whether or
not the ship survived the battle and
even affect the outcome of the battle
itself a single delay could spell doom
for a ship and her crew lose an entire
battle and even change the course of
history an incredible responsibility was
placed on the boys shoulders but they
rarely received the recognition they
deserved many of the boys were kidnapped
or pressed into service against their
will the young age and
any size made them easy targets for the
press cans once on board the ship they
had to quickly come to terms with the
realization that they were unlikely to
ever see their homes again with no
prospect of pay and placed at the bottom
of the ship's hierarchy life must have
seemed bleak yet there was worse to come
as the inexperienced boys were also
given one of the most dangerous jobs on
board the ship carrying bags of
gunpowder on their back during the chaos
of a battle was a risky proposition a
stray spark could turn the sack of
gunpowder into a deadly bomb and the
boys also had to contend with the
horrors of 19th century naval combat
bullets and cannonballs would be
constantly smashing into the ship's
wooden hull spraying clouds of vicious
splinters of oak in all directions these
splinters could be inches thick and
would easily shred flesh from bone and
tear off limbs the guns themselves could
dismount crushing anyone in their path
under their enormous weight or even
misfire spraying the surrounding area
with redhot shards of iron during the
heat of battle
many of the powder monkeys would have
been killed and the sight of men
suffering with horrific injuries during
his journey through the ship would have
been common yet still the boy had to
press on through the chaos so those are
my choices for five of the worst jobs
for children in history I hope you
enjoyed the video let me know your
thoughts and what other jobs you would
have included in the list in the
comments below and I'll see you again on
the next video
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