Child Labor in 1900 England: The Harsh Reality of "Breaker Boys" in Coal Mines

A recent tweet by Brian Roemmele, referencing "1900, England" and the term "Breaker boys," has drawn attention to the widespread and hazardous practice of child labor in British coal mines at the turn of the 20th century. These young workers, often as young as eight, played a crucial role in the coal industry, enduring brutal conditions to separate impurities from coal. Roemmele's tweet highlighted the grim reality: "A breaker boy was a young coal-mining worker whose job was to detach impurities from coal."

Breaker boys typically worked long hours, often 10 hours a day, six days a week, perched precariously over chutes and conveyor belts in coal breakers. Their task involved manually picking out slate, rock, and other debris from the coal as it rushed past. This work was performed without gloves, leading to frequent cuts, bleeding fingers, and even amputations from the fast-moving machinery.

The environment in the coal breakers was extremely dangerous and detrimental to health. The air was thick with coal dust, leading to severe respiratory issues like black lung disease and asthma among the boys. Additionally, coal was often washed to remove impurities, creating sulfuric acid that burned their hands. Despite public disapproval emerging by the mid-1880s, the practice of employing breaker boys persisted in the United Kingdom and the United States until the early 1920s.

The continuation of child labor, despite its known dangers, was driven by economic necessity for impoverished families and the slow adoption of mechanical coal-cleaning technologies by mine owners. The decline in the use of breaker boys was eventually spurred by advancements in technology, stricter child labor laws, and compulsory education mandates. The efforts of social reformers and advocates against child labor played a significant role in bringing an end to this exploitative practice, transforming the landscape of industrial work.