Oastler, Richard

Oastler, Richard

▪ British industrial reformer
born Dec. 20, 1789, Leeds, Yorkshire, Eng.
died Aug. 22, 1861, Harrogate, Yorkshire

      industrial reformer known in the north of England as the “Factory King,” who from 1831 conducted a campaign for shorter working hours that was in part responsible for the Ten Hours Act of 1847.

      In 1830 Oastler, who was managing a large Yorkshire agricultural estate, learned of the evils of child labour (labour, hours of) in factories and immediately began a journalistic attack on the employment of young children. The next year he started his agitation for the 10-hour day. Although he was essentially conservative on other issues and never opposed industrialism as such, he considered the existing factory system inimical to what he called the “natural right to live well.” He found allies in the House of Commons, especially Lord Ashley and Michael Thomas Sadler. After many rejections, a 10-hour law (sometimes known as Lord Ashley's Act) was passed in 1847.

      For his opposition to the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 (under which indigent farm labourers could be compelled to work in factories for substandard wages), his employer dismissed him (May 1838) and had him imprisoned for debt (December 1840–February 1844). While in jail, Oastler elaborated his social theories in the Fleet Papers, 3 vol. (1841–43; named for the prison). Afterward, he edited a weekly newspaper.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Oastler — Oastler, Richard, geb. 1789 in Leeds, war erst Architekt, dann Kaufmann, seit 1820 Ökonomieverwalter zu Fyxbyhall in Yorkshire. Schon früher mit Wilberforce wegen der Sklavenemancipation verbunden, wendete er bes. seit 1830 seine Thätigkeit auf… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Richard Oastler — (20 December 1789 22 August 1861) was an English labour reformer and abolitionist. He fought for the rights of working children in the Factory Act of 1847, and was also a prominent leader of the Factory reform and anti Poor Law… …   Wikipedia

  • Oastler — may refer to: Richard Oastler (1789 1861) English labour reformer and abolitionist Malcolm Oastler (1959 ) British Formula One designer and director This page or section lists people with the surname Oastler. If an …   Wikipedia

  • Bradford — For the larger local government district, see City of Bradford. For other uses, see Bradford (disambiguation). Coordinates …   Wikipedia

  • Остлер Ричард — (Oastler, Richard) (1789 1861), англ, социал реформатор. Начал свою агитационную деятельность в 1830 г. при поддержке Джона Вуда, промышленника из Бредфорда, выступавшего против наиб, чудовищных форм использования детского труда на ф ках. О.,… …   Всемирная история

  • Factory Acts — The Factory Acts were a series of Acts passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to limit the number of hours worked by women and children first in the textile industry, then later in all industries. The factory reform movement[1] spurred… …   Wikipedia

  • Little Horton — Infobox UK Wards WardName=Little Horton 1stCouncillor= Ian Greenwood| 1stParty= Labour Party| 2ndCouncillor= Sher Khan| 2ndParty= Labour Party| 3rdCouncillor= Naveeda Ikram 3rdParty= Labour Party Little Horton (population 17,368 2001 UK census)… …   Wikipedia

  • English Poor Laws — Poor Law redirects here. For the Poor Law systems of Scotland and Ireland, see Scottish Poor Laws and Irish Poor Laws. Although many deterrent workhouses developed in the period after the New Poor Law, some had already been built under the… …   Wikipedia

  • Thedden Grange — is a privately owned country house and estate on the outskirts of Alton, Hampshire, England. Since renovation in the mid 1970s the original house, outbuildings and land have been divided into seven separate properties plus additional flats.The… …   Wikipedia

  • Fixby — is a suburb in north west Kirklees bordering neighbouring Calderdale and is traditionally part of Huddersfield in the English county of West Yorkshire. Fixby is mentioned in the Domesday Book.In the nineteenth century Fixby was a large estate to… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”