Was Government Regulation an Effective Way to Stop the Abuses of the Factory System?

Evidence #1: This is a section from a report of a factory inspector that was taken in 1836- three years after the Factory Act was passed.


Extract from a Factory Inspectors report of Taylor, Ibbotson, and Company.- British Parliamentary Papers (1836) 

My Lord, in the case of Taylor, Ibbotson, and Company I took the evidence from the mouths of the boys themselves.  They stated to me that they commenced [started]working on Friday morning, the 27^th of May, at six AM, and that, with the exception of meal hours and one hour at midnight extra, they did not cease working till four o’clock on Saturday evening, having been two days and a night thus engaged.  Believing the case scarcely possible, I asked every boy the same question, and from each received the same answers.  I then went into the house to look at the time book, and, in the presence of one of the masters, referred to the cruelty of the case, and stated that I should certainly punish it with all the severity in my power.

Talk to an elbow partner: Does this evidence suggest that the Factory Act was an effective way to stop abuses in the factory system? Why or why not?


Evidence #2: This photo was taken about 50 years after the passage of the Factory Act.

Talk to an elbow partner: Does this evidence suggest that the Factory Act was an effective way to stop abuses in the factory system? Why or why not?

Evidence #3: This table shows companies that were inspected 30 years after the passage of the Factory Act and found to be breaking the law. You can see what part of the law was broken, and how much the company has to pay in fines.

British money of the 1830s is different from American money of today.

• One British Pound (£) is like one US Dollar ($1).
• One British shilling (s.) is like one US nickel (5 ¢). 
• One British pence (p.) is like one US penny. (1¢)

Date	Sept 20,1863
Names and Addresses of Persons summoned.	Mary Jones, near Bridgend, Glamorganshire
Names of the Judges who heard the Case, and place of Hearing.	Richard Franklyn and Charles Knight. Town Hall, Bridgend.
Nature of the Offence.	Employing three young persons after 6p.m.
Amount of Penalty.	£1
Amount of Costs to be repaid to the court.	£1
Date	Sept 24, 1863
Names and Addresses of Persons summoned.	John Jones, Forest Factory, near Newbridge,
Names of the Judges who heard the Case, and place of Hearing.	William Perkins, and the Rev.Evan Morgan; Newbridge, Glamorganshire.
Nature of the Offence.	Employing three young persons and one female (adult) after 6p.m.
Amount of Penalty.	£1
Amount of Costs to be repaid to the court.	£1 ,10s. , 3p.
Remarks	Three cases withdrawn on payment of costs.

Date	Sept. 26, 1863
Names and Addresses of Persons summoned.	William Llewellyn, Lamb and Flag Factory, Glynneath
Names of the Judges who heard the Case, and place of Hearing.	Ilowel Gwyn and Griffith Llewellyn, Town Hall, Neath
Nature of the Offence.	Employing three young persons and two children after 6p.m.
Amount of Penalty.	£ 2
Amount of Costs to be repaid to the court.	£3 , 9s.
Remarks	Four cases withdrawn on payment of costs.

Date	July 21, 1863
Names and Addresses of Persons summoned.	William Kirk, Burnley.
Names of the Magistrates who heard the Case, and place of Hearing.	Thomas Hordern Whittaker and John Neels Esqrs.; Burnley
Nature of the Offence.	Employing two young persons without doctor certificates
Amount of Penalty.	£3
Amount of Costs to be repaid to the court.	£1
Remarks	One summons withdrawn on payment of costs, in consideration of the state of trade

Talk to an elbow partner: Does this evidence suggest that the Factory Act was an effective way to stop abuses in the factory system? Why or why not?