Have you ever seen the show "Worst jobs in History"?
Last week they were talking about jobs in the Industrial era in England and showed us how little children were used to clean the floors in the cotton mills for 12 hours a day, on their hands and knees, half naked, because of the heat and rushing in and out of the machines to avoid being crushed.
At the end of the day they would get a bowl of slop with a piece of bread, if they were lucky.
They were also used down the mines, to either push the carts full of coal up the small openings, again on their hands and knees in total darkness for around 12 hours A DAY!!!!!
Oh yes, they could have candles, but they had to buy them and this would cut into their meagre wages. Also, you could hardly hold a candle while pushing a cart full of coal and avoid continually falling over.
To avoid getting their clothes dirty and ripped, they mostly worked almost naked.
Now these kids were as young as seven ( could you imagine your seven year old doing this? ) and there is even a case where a three year old was sent to work down the mine.
These kids worked so hard that many died because of continually inhaling all the dust and the injuries they sustained. They were eventually replaced by pit ponies which did the same job.
There were also little kids that were left in charge of door ways that would have to be opened and closed as the carts came past.
So these kids sat in the dark, with the dust, the silence and the RATS, waiting for the signal to open the door and close it when the carts went past - for 12 HOURS A DAY!
My God.....
So next time your child complains about some simple task that you have just asked them to do for the tenth time.....you and I both know...they really have no idea just how lucky they are!
6 comments:
Oh god mine do not even unpack the dishwasher ,,,without saying ... i am sick of this everyday
Yes, mine whinge about putting their clothes in the washbasket that is right next to the bathroom door!! The sad thing is, that there are still little kids being exploited this way now. Whether it be in sweat-shops or illegal diamond mines, they are still kids working in terrible conditions and getting paid nothing. And pity the poor kids sold into slavery, or worse, by their parents who can't afford to feed them.
sad......awful.......sad
We've raised a whole generation spoiled brats... because we can. Every generation wants their kids to have more than theythemselves had. But did we really do without?
Mind you, I never got the bike, trampoline or pony that I asked for.....
my kids got them... well not a real pony.......
yes i saw that show...not good jobs
I did see that, I watch every one - fascinating.
The cotton mill ones astounded me as the machinery was so dangerous and kids routinely lost fingers or arms or legs... it's awful.
I quite liked the job of the hermit (i think it was on the victorian era episode) where you lived in a cave at the bottom of some rich persons garden, came out as they or visitors passed, bowed to them, then went back inside. Only thing is, you only got paid (and it was a good wage too, for that time!) if you lasted doing it for so many years....
Amazing....
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