EAL Nexus Resource
Victorian child labour
Sentence starters
Subject:
History
Age group:
8 – 11, 12-14
Topic:
Victorian child labour - mining
© Bell Educational Trust 2016
EAL Nexus – free downloadable teaching materials https://eal.britishcouncil.org/
This resource was originally developed by C. Hurley and has been adapted for EAL Nexus.
During the Victorian period, the Industrial
Revolution dramatically increased the
need for coal.
In order to produce more coal, the miners
needed more workers.
During the Victorian period, the Industrial Revolution
dramatically increased the need for coal which was
needed to make steam and to drive the machinery. In
order to produce more coal, the miners needed more
workers. Children as young as five years old were used to
supply this need.
This is eight year old Billy and he was employed as a
trapper. Trappers operated the air doors providing
ventilation for the miners. And by keeping the fresh air
flowing, they stopped the build-up of dangerous gases.
The young children would sit for hours in the draft of the
door. Cramped, cold and frightened, with little or no light.
Some would sing, to keep themselves awake, frightened
that the miners would beat them if they fell asleep. They
could cause an explosion if they didn’t do their job
properly.
Other children worked as drawers. They pulled heavy
carts of cut coal to the pit surface with chains around
their waist. These drawers worked directly for the miners.
More coal meant more money and the miners could be
cruel if the children didn’t work fast enough. These narrow
tunnels were often wet and thick with coal dust. The
children got chest infections, pneumonia and lung
disease and drawers also got lumps and sores on their
backs from constantly banging them on the roof as they
crawled along. All this, and the threat of roof falls.
The older children, aged between ten and twelve, were
trusted to operate the pulley which lifted the buckets of
coal and people up and down the mine shaft. Serious
accidents could occur if the chain slipped or the buckets
fell.
While the children worked, the mine owners and
their managers got richer. Long hours, poor pay
and dangerous conditions all meant cheap and
speedy coal production and a hefty profit for
them. Malnourished and exhausted, these
children could only expect to live until they were
twenty five.
When?
Where?
How?
Why?
Sentence openers
In order to…
Children as young as…
Trappers operated…
These narrow tunnels…
The young children…
They could cause…
Other children worked as…
These children…
While the children worked…,
Malnourished and exhausted…,
The older children…
Image attributions
1. When?: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/8385768077 Image By
Batholith (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2. Where?: https://pixabay.com/en/signpost-arrows-blank-wooden-308368/
Public domain via Pixabay. No attribution required.
3. How?: https://pixabay.com/en/man-looking-words-book-black-29749/
Public domain via Pixabay. No attribution required.
4. Why?: https://pixabay.com/en/thinker-thinking-person-idea-28741/ Public
domain via Pixabay. No attribution required.