Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution brought new trends in employment. Steam-powered machines increased production but were large and cumbersome. Factories were built to house the new machinery. All the tools and machines used in the manufacturing process were housed in one building - the factory. Factories were built all over Britain, close to natural resources and transport. In a process called urbanisation, workers moved to the cities for employment opportunities provided by the new factories.

The reality, however, was very different from workers' expectations. Factories were dangerous and hot. Working hours were long. Work was repetitive and exhausting. The difficult working conditions were made worse by poor living conditions, with many workers living in slums. Some groups of workers, such as the Luddites, opposed the Industrial Revolution. Gradually, the plight of the workers was improved by government legislation and individual industrialists.

Factories were built all over Britain. Different areas of Britain had different factories, depending upon the location of natural resources, raw materials and transportation. 
Cities grew around factories. Populations increased dramatically as workers moved from the country to the city in search of new employment and prosperity. In the 1770s, Manchester had a population of 25 000. By 1850, Manchester's population had grown to 350 000. By the mid-19th century, more than half the population of Britain lived in cities.






Workers spent twelve to fourteen hours a day, six to seven days a week, in the factories. Workers were carefully supervised by managers. Twelve-hour working days were not unknown in Britain.

Factory owners employed children in order to teach them factory skills. Children learned factory skills more easily than adults.Women were also encouraged to work in the factories as they could be paid less than men while still producing the same quality of products. Women made a major contribution to the labour market. It was not unusual for married women to work full-time in the factories