Child Employment Commission, 1841:: David Robinson |
No. 27.- David Robinson, 48 years old :- Blast furnace man; wages 1l. 10s. a-week. Went into pits about 7 years old; was a parish 'pretice; did not like the pits; it waur very hard work; much harder than it is now; and waur a very slender lad, had much more put to him than he was able to do; for a stout lad it is by no means hard work; they will eat horse meat when they come out; it would not do if they did not go in till thirteen years of age; if they worked shorter hours before thirteen, and went to school, that would do right well; would rather go to bed without supper himself, and have 6d. less a day, and work shorter hours; it would be a good thing for boys to work shorter hours; would give his life to get that done, and put down new public houses; they have ruined this part of the country. |