Industrial Revolution Bills and Laws

  • Peel's Factory Act

    Peel's Factory Act
    Robert Peel created this act, which prohibited cotton mills from employing children under nine years old. Children aged 9-16 could only work a maximum of 12 hours per day.
  • 1833 Factory Act

    1833 Factory Act
    This act was an extension of Peel's Factory act and applied to all textile mills with the exception of silk and lace. It not only prohibited children under nine years old to work but limited work hours for those aged 9-13 to a maximum of nine hours a day and those aged 13-18 to 12 hours a day. Children were not allowed to work at night and had to have two hours of schooling each day.
  • 1847 Factory Act

    1847 Factory Act
    This act was focused on the textiles industry. Workdays for women and children under 18 years old shortened to a maximum of 10 hours per day.
  • 1842 Mines Act

    1842 Mines Act
    This act banned women and children under the age of 10 from participating in underground work
  • 1844 Factory Act

    1844 Factory Act
    (Mainly focused on the textiles industry). This act changed work hours for children from between 8-13 hours per day to 6.5 per day. Work hours for women were limited to 12 per day.
  • 1853 Employment of Children in Factories Act

    1853 Employment of Children in Factories Act
    This Act limited banned children aged 8-13 from working before 6 a.m. and after 6 p.m..
  • 1867 Factory (Extension) Act

    1867 Factory (Extension) Act
    Factory acts that had previously only applied to textiles were extended to all other factories. Children under the age of 8 weren't allowed to be employed and children aged 8-13 years old needed at least 10 hours of schooling each week.
  • 1867 Agricultural Gangs Act

    1867 Agricultural Gangs Act
    This act didn't allow employment of any children under the age of eight and banned men and women from working in the same gang.