The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Women

1. The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Women By Megan Hillendahl and Courtney Fisher

2. Summary The Industrial Revolution was a very difficult time for women. They needed the wages for to survive. But the work was hazardous for their health and made family life and raising children extremely difficult.

3. Contents Conditions for women before the Industrial Revolution. Farm Life and The Transition Time Working in Factories and Mines Work Conditions Home Life and Raising Children Reforms/Improvements Legal Rights and Gender Equality

4. Conditions for women before the Industrial Revolution Farm Life Women worked in fields or the farm house Kept children with them Cared for sick children themselves Had time for family and domestic tasks The Transition Time “Putting-In System” – work done in women’s homes (ex: piece work sewing) Still time to raise children and care for family

5. Work in Factories and Mines Urbanization began Woman no longer able to work in fields or stay home Few able to work in shops or do domestic work (governess or housekeeper) Most had to work in factories and mines

6. Work in Factories and Mines Women often favored over men: Lower wages Easier to control Complained and rebeled less Readily intimidated or beaten by supervisors

7. Work in Factories and Mines General Working Conditions No work or food breaks Unsanitary conditions (no bathrooms)

8. Work Conditions in the Mines Working Conditions Crawled on all fours dragging heavy coal bins up steep passages by chains around their waist Women wore trousers Both women and men stripped to the waist Women often harassed or beaten, many illegitimate children born Supervisors and Companies insensitive to any problems, no legal rights

9. Work Conditions in the Mines Dangerous Conditions Darkness, Bad Air, Cave-ins Water (often knee deep) Cramped spaces (1-2 feet tall, lying on side with pick) Black Lung and Silicosis (lung diseases) Loss of fingers, arms, or legs Permanent handicaps (back and legs) Permanent disabilities on the job/ended careers early, went to live in the poor house

10. Work Conditions in the Factories Typically textile mills (carding, spinning, and looming) Dangerous conditions Fatigue around unsafe machines Brown lung (cotton dust) Loss of fingers, arms, or legs Permanent handicaps (back and legs) Permanent disabilities from job ended careers early

11. Reforms Parliament studied the plight of women and factory workers in the 1830s and 1840’s, to figure out what reforms to make. The Parliamentary records include interviews with women about working in the factories and coal mines.

12. Elizabeth Bentley Personal Account of work in the flax mills. Summary: Worked 16 hours a day with one break for lunch. Beaten if she slowed down or was late. Worked in the carding room, and the flax dust was so bad you couldn’t see across the room. Got brown lung and was deformed from carrying heavy baskets over long periods of time since she was young. Later lived in the poor house because the work injured her so much she can’t work. Supported her widowed mother.

13. Sarah Carpenter Personal Account of work in the flax mills. Summary: Worked 16 hours a day. Food was bad – coarse oatcakes and potato pie with boiled bacon. Her supervisor was nicknamed Tom the Devil because he was encouraged by the manager to beat up the child workers and he did often. The children always worked in fear. Sarah was beaten on the head when someone else stopped the equipment and has some permanent effects. Roommate was beaten and died in her sleep from the beating.

14. Hannah Brown Personal Account of work in flax mills. Summary: Started at age 9 in the mills. Worked 15 hours a day, with no breaks (food or otherwise). Deformed by her work by carrying heavy loads. Beaten. Another girl was dragged 3-4 yards by her hair by the boss.

15. Personal Account of work in a textile factory. Summary: Started working at 13 hours a day and later went to 17 hours a day. Fatigued by long hours. Beaten often. Normal and healthy when she began work at the mill. Permanently handicapped by her work and now wears an iron brace on her leg. Eliza Marshall

16. Mary Bucktrout Personal Account of work in the flax mills. Summary: Worked in the carding room. Lost her right arm and left thumb at age 14 in an accident involving the mill machinery. Paid 1 shilling severance pay. Going to school to care for infants and has a prosthesis in order to write.

17. Home Life and Raising Children Women unable to care for children Long work hours (~15 hrs/day, 6-7 days/wk) Children not allowed in work place Child care too expensive – children sent to factories to work, or oldest took care of baby No family leave – worked until day before delivering a child, then returned the day after, leaving infant with older relatives

18. Home Life and Raising Children Many divorces/problems with child custody (women had no rights to custody or property) Women often injured or incapacitated in workplace Many children orphaned when parents died in factories

19. Reforms/Improvements Made • Legal reforms • Problems studied by Parliament • in 1840’s • Laws made • --Women Prohibited from Working in • Mines • --Factory Safety and Sanitation Standards • --Work Hour Limits • --Prohibition of Beatings • --Disability Pay and Leave • --Women allowed to keep wages and to • own property

20. Summary The Industrial Revolution was a very difficult time for women. They worked to survive. Factory life was hazardous and difficult. Family life and raising children extremely difficult. Reforms were slow to come, but remedied many of these problems, and laid the groundwork for modern society with worker safety and gender equality.