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Ten Hours Act


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(1847).

This Act, limiting the work of women and young persons (aged 13–18) in textile mills to ten hours a day for five days in the week and eight hours on Saturday, was the result of a sustained campaign from the 1830s managed in Parliament by Lord Ashley (Shaftesbury) and John Fielden. The Act was a triumph of welfare legislation over laissez‐faire doctrine.

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