19th Century England

The Industrial Revolution caused people to leave the farms and move to the city. Within 20 years, London’s population doubled. Those who couldn’t find work turned to crime. In 1797, one out of every eight Londoners was living through crimes such as pickpocketing, forgery, extortion, etc. England did not have an official paid police force until 1829.

British Law Many laws were enacted to protect personal property and possessions. Anything that harmed or destroyed property was worthy of hanging. Public hangings were supposed to discourage criminal activity. People were hanged for arson, theft, poaching, forgery, kidnapping, cutting an ornamental shrub, and appearing on the road with a sooty face.

Prison Systems Prisons were for terror, not reform. Privately owned prisons forced prisoners to pay for privileges such as food, drink, freedom of movement, etc. Prisons did not have sewage systems, adequate ventilation, doctor care, etc.

Debtor’s Prison During Europe's Middle Ages, debtors, both men and women, were locked up together in a single large cell until their families paid their debt. Debt prisoners often died of diseases contracted from other debt prisoners. Conditions included starvation and abuse from other prisoners. If the father of a family was imprisoned for debt, the mother and children fell into poverty. Unable to pay the debt, the father often remained in debtors' prison for many years.

Poor Law Before 1834, the cost of looking after the poor was growing more expensive every year. This cost was paid for by the middle and upper classes in each town through their local taxes. There was a real suspicion amongst the middle and upper classes that they were paying the poor to be lazy and avoid work.

Poor Law After years of complaint, a new Poor Law was introduced in Under the new Poor Law, parishes were grouped into unions and each union had to build a workhouse if they did not already have one.

Workhouses Conditions inside the workhouse were deliberately harsh, so that only those who desperately needed help would ask for it. Families were split up and housed in different parts of the workhouse. The poor were made to wear a uniform and the diet was monotonous. Inmates, male and female, young and old were made to work hard, often doing unpleasant jobs such as picking oakum or breaking stones. Children could also find themselves hired out to work in factories or mines.

Workhouses The work inmates were made to do was deliberately tedious. Work was meant to keep people busy & to subsidize the cost of relief provided by the parish. After rising at 5am (in summer), an inmate worked 7-12am and 1-6pm; which is a 10 hour working day. Bed was 8pm. As well as gardening, cooking & sewing, there was corn milling, sack making, oakum picking (unraveling short lengths of rope) & crushing stone. Bones were crushed by hand to make fertilizer. Sometimes the inmates were so hungry that they would pick scraps of flesh off the bones and eat it. The bones were not all animal bones either! Bone crushing was banned after 1845.

Workhouses Until 1842 all meals were taken in silence, and no cutlery was provided - inmates had to use their fingers. There were 6 official diets which were so meagre that they were described as "a slow process of starvation". A typical diet was:- BREAKFAST 6 oz bread; DINNER 4 oz bacon and 3 oz bread or potatoes; SUPPER 6 oz bread & 2 oz cheese. The workhouse diet was between 137 and 182 ounces a week only.

Charles Dickens

Born on February 7, 1812 Died on June 8, 1870 He was the 2 nd of eight kids. When he was 12, his family went to debtor’s prison. Charles worked in a blacking (shoe polish) factory to pay off the debt. The family was freed when a relative died and left them an inheritance.

Charles Dickens At 17, Charles began working as a newspaper reporter. Many of his novels were first published in the newspaper in weekly or monthly installments. Dickens novels were very unusual for the time because they featured common everyday people from all walks of life.

Charles Dickens His novels were influential in bringing about laws to protect children from child labor and to protect poor people. His most famous novels are: –Oliver Twist –A Christmas Carol –Great Expectations –A Tale of Two Cities

Child Labor In 1833 the Government passed a Factory Act to improve conditions for children working in factories. The basic act was as follows: –No child workers under nine years of age –Employers must have an age certificate for their child workers –Children of 9-13 years to work no more than nine hours a day –Children of years to work no more than 12 hours a day –Children are not to work at night –Two hours schooling each day for children –Four factory inspectors appointed to enforce the law.