Industrialisation and protest

how many banks were there in england in 1808

800

what was the first joint stock bank

Lancashire Banking Company

October 1826

how many joint stock banks were there by 1866

154

significance of the industrial middle class

alternative means for progressing in society

factory owners or merchants

consumerist economy

growth of the middle class 1816-1831

increase of 75%

what is tory paternalism

the wealthy having a paternal responsibility towards the poor as they often fear that unchecked poverty will lead to unrest

often guided by evangelical christian beliefs

successes of the ten hour movement

-peaceful

-respectable and middle class membership

-well funded

-voice in parliament

unsuccessful factors of the ten hour movement

limited legislation with no way to enforce it

when was Chadwick’s report written

1842

what were the short time committees (ten hour movement)

set up to help promote Hobhouse’s bill through parliament

formed by textile workers in Huddersfield and Leeds

held public meetings and tried to persuade people to sign petitions in support of Hobhouse’s bill

impact of the leeds short time committee

collected 10,000 signatures in a week

how was the campaign classified

deemed to be a crusade due to its moral quality

origins of the movement were moral and religious not economic

evangelical and philanthropic drive

what was the 1833 Act that was a result of the pressure from the ten hour movement

compromise Whig Act

only changed working hours for children with no way of enforcing the regulations

1847 factory act

10 hour working day

only to specific industries e.g. textiles

consumer revoloution

demand for goods fuelled the economy

domestic demand ensured prosperity

increase in the number of consumers

driven by social emulation

great exhibition 1851

peak of British economic dominance

range of british products displayed in the crystal palace in hyde park

working conditions

low wages (e.g. men 15 shillings per week and women 7 shillings)

harsh and cruel punishments e.g. hanging iron weights around neck

frequent fining of employees

frequent accidents (40% of cases at Manchester infirmary in 1833 were factory accidents)

poor health

long shifts of 12-14 hours a day

living conditions

back to back housing

open sewers

water contaminated by cesspits

overcrowding of houses with families living in cellars

sanitation

39,000 people living in 2860 cellars

one toilet per street

out of 3000 families 773 slept with four in a bed

200,000 people died of cholera

the luddites

named after ‘ned ludd’ (fictional character)

attempt to destroy factory machinery such as steam engines

battle of raw fords mill

lasted 1811-1813

working class men based in nottingham

combination act 1799

trade unions banned

what was the frame breaking act 1812

stated the breaking of industrial machinery was punishable by hanging

luddism - rawfords mill

april 11 1812

150 men stormed the mill

wrecking of factory equipment

soldiers attacked the mill and killed 2 luddites

high point of the luddite rebellion

significant aspects of luddism

inspired later protests e.g. swing and plug plot riots

skilled workers

some middle class sympathy

what damage did the luddites cause

by feb 1812 1000 frames were destroyed in nottingham at an estimated cost between 6000 and 10,000

rawford mill- soldiers brought in to protect the machines, april 1812 mill attacked and 2 luddites killed

ant-luddite mill owner william horsfall killed by luddites

frame breakers act 1812

deliberate destruction of frames a crime punishable by death

why did luddism exist

loss of employment due to mechanisation

attempt by skilled craftsmen to maintain their craft 

when were the swing riots

1830-1831

why did the swing riots break out

poor harvests

introduction of threshing machines that could do the work of 15 men

what were the demands of the swing riots

wage increases

reductions to rent

the end of rural unemployment

events of the swing riots

the first burning took place in Kent in August 1830

riots did not end until early 1831 - over 16 counties had witnessed trouble

1976 people arrested, 19 executed and 800 acquitted

punishment was left to local JPs who often sympathised with the cause

first example of the strength of the rural population during industrialisation

why was the ten hour movement established

working people had to endure long working days of up to 16 hours

in 1825 Whig MP Hobhouse had sought to restrict the working day of children under 16 to 11 hours but was unsuccessful

when did the ten hour movement begin and who led it

began in 1830 when workers in the Pennines organised themselves into short time committees intending to collaborate with trade unions

organised by Richard Oastler and George Bull

1833 Factory Act

no child under 9 could be employed

children aged 9-13 could only work a 48 hour week, limited to eight hours a day

all children under 13 were to receive 2 hours of education per day

1819 cotton mills and factory act

illegal to employ children under 9

limited those aged 9-16 to a 12 hour day

1842 mining act

makes it illegal for women and children under 9 to work underground

1844 factory act

restricts the hours of working women in the textile industry to the same as children

introduction of moderate safety precautions

1847 factory act

Ten Hour Act

10 hour day introduced for women and children

further limited working hours in the textile industry

1850 factory act

women and children (13-18) can work 6 am - 6 pm in summer and 7 am - 7 pm in winter

1853 factory act

extended regular hours to children aged 13

1856 factory act

repealed some of the safety features established in 1844

opposition to factory reform

dominance of the free trade argument

necessary to leave factories as they were as any changes made might alter productivity and effect the country’s economic performance

given credibility by the Whig economist Nassau Senior