Life in the 19th Century Cotton Mills

Introduction

• Early 19th-century cotton mills in Northern England.
• Grueling shifts of 12 hours or more, dangerous work conditions, low pay.
• Owners of mills could choose how to treat workers.
• Exploration of life inside an industrial cotton mill.
• Life expectancy for workers often in the mid-30s.

The Cotton Industry

• Quarry Bank in Cheshire, built in 1784 by Samuel Greg.
• By 1800, 900 mills had been established in Britain.
• Textiles such as cotton, wool, silk, and linen produced.
• Raw cotton imported from British colonies and the USA.
• Inventions like the flying shuttle and spinning jenny revolutionized production.
• Cotton made up 50% of Britain's exports, with a focus in the northwest.

Location and Workforce

• Choice of site near water for power (River Bollin at Quarry Bank).
• Mills required large labor forces, often whole families worked.
• Children employed out of necessity; families moved for better opportunities.

Working Conditions

• Long hours, minimal breaks, high noise levels.
• Children as young as five worked; some jobs required crawling under machinery.
• Health risks included lung disease, inflammation, and hearing loss.
• Work dictated by factory time, not natural cycles.

Machinery and Technology

• Spinning mule key to mass cotton production.
• Machines like the Great Wheel provided power.
• Workers paid per results, efficient work demanded.

Child Labor and Contracts

• Child labor contracts were common; many children signed up for years.
• Children often worked in dangerous and unhealthy conditions.
• Morality and ethics of child labor questioned.

Discipline and Punishment

• Strict discipline with fines and physical punishment.
• Punishments included beatings and creative methods to enforce discipline.

Life Expectancy and Health

• Average life expectancy in mid-30s due to poor living conditions and diseases like tuberculosis.
• Some workers lived into 60s and 70s.
• Living conditions in cities were overcrowded, contributing to health issues.

Legal and Social Changes

• Factory Acts introduced to regulate work hours and child labor.
• Enforcement was lax; workers had few rights.
• Campaigns by figures like Wilberforce and Shaftesbury for change.

Economic Impact and Ethical Concerns

• Greg's mills expanded, employing thousands and generating profits.
• Profits linked to the Atlantic slave trade; moral costs considered.
• Changing attitudes towards labor and rights leading to reforms.

Conclusion

• Cotton mills symbolized industrial progress but also highlighted social and ethical dilemmas.
• The next focus would be on life outside the factories and social changes during the Industrial Revolution.