How much money did a chimney sweep earn in Victorian times?

How much money did a chimney sweep earn in Victorian times?

From 1773, master chimney sweeps regularly kept anywhere from 2 to 20 children, depending on how many they could use for their business. For each child, the master sweep was paid 3-4 pounds by the government when the apprenticeship agreement was signed.

What did a Victorian chimney sweep do?

A chimney sweep uses brushes and sticks to dislodge and sweep away the soot from the walls of the chimney, and collects the soot in bags for disposal. In the Victorian era the number of houses with chimneys grew apace and so chimney sweeps became more important than ever.

What was it like to be a chimney sweep in Victorian times?

Chimney sweeping was a job children could do better than adults. Small boys (starting at the age of 5 or 6 years) would be sent scrambling up inside the chimney to scrape and brush soot away. They came down covered in soot, and with bleeding elbows and knees. Some boys got stuck and died of suffocation.

Why was Chimney Sweeping dangerous in the Victorian times?

Work was dangerous and they could get jammed in the flue, suffocate or burn to death. As soot is carcinogenic, and as the boys slept under the soot sacks and were rarely washed, they were prone to chimney sweeps’ carcinoma. At first there would be one heated room in the building and chimneys would be large.

Why did children typically become chimney sweeps?

This practice of sending small boys up and down chimneys in order to ensure that they were free of harmful creosote deposits was the norm in England for approximately 200 years. The use of child chimney sweeps became widespread after the Great Fire of London, which occurred in September of 1666.

Why did people sweep chimneys?

With the increased use of coal, chimney sweeps became a symbol not only of a good hearth but also of good health, since they restored clean air in homes. Tragically, the way chimney sweeps accomplished getting the maze-like chimneys cleaned was by using small boys to do the work.

Why did Chimney Sweeps wear top hats?

This story says that beginning in the 17th century, funeral directors would take pity on these poor children being forced to crawl up chimneys. To help raise both their status and their morale, they gave them the extra top hats that would have otherwise been disposed of.

Why did children become chimney sweepers?

These were between the ages of 5 and 10, although most were under the age of seven, and some were even as young as four. These boys were used to climb up chimneys to clean out deposits of soot. The chimney sweep master taught them the trade while being responsible for feeding, clothing and housing them.

Why were hats so tall in the 1800s?

Top hats were tall because they were a symbol of fashion and being current with the times. Almost everyone wore them, which is why more people had a hat then those who didn’t. Although they went out of style in the 1920s, hats were worn for many decades afterward.

Who was the chimney sweeper in the Victorian era?

Generally, sweepers were children, mainly boys and not adults. Chimney sweeping was a dirty job (this is a later period image) Chimney sweeper is a poor man who cleans chimneys to make a living. Generally, sweepers were children, mainly boys and not adults. Chimney sweeps are also featured in Victorian literature.

Who was the chimney sweep in Mary Poppins?

In the history of chimney sweeping, there isn’t a chapter that honestly resembles the depiction of the joyful sweep played by Dick Van Dyke in the classic movie Mary Poppins. Sadly, for centuries chimney sweeping was not an enviable or safe profession, though it was always very much needed.

Why was the chimney sweep so in demand?

Moreover, with an ever increasing urban population drawn to the large towns and cities for work, the use of chimneys and thus the necessity of a chimney sweep meant the job was in more demand than ever.

Who was the last chimney sweep to die?

George Brewster, a 12-year-old chimney sweep, became the last climbing boy in England to die on the job. In February of 1875, his master, William Wyer, sent him into the Fulbourn Hospital chimneys, where he got stuck.