The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Women

By Megan Hillendahl and Courtney Fisher

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.

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

Conditions for women before the Industrial Revolution

– Farm Life Women worked in fields or the farm houseKept children with themCared for sick children themselvesHad 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

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

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

Work in Factories and Mines General Working Conditions

– No work or food breaks– Unsanitary conditions (no bathrooms)

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

Work Conditions in the Mines Dangerous Conditions

Darkness, Bad Air, Cave-insWater (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 legsPermanent handicaps (back and legs)Permanent disabilities on the job/ended

careers early, went to live in the poor house

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

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.

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.

Elizabeth Bentley

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.

Sarah Carpenter

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.

Hannah Brown

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

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.

Mary Bucktrout

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

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

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

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.