The Factory Act of 1833 in Britain sought to establish a regular, limited working day for children who worked in textile factories. For workers under the age of 18, work could not start before 5:30 am and had to end by 8:30 pm and was limited to 12 hours a day; that age 9 to 13 could only work 9 hours per day and under fewer than 9 could not work in textile factories at all. In the early 19th century parliament passed laws to curtail child labor.

However, these laws all proved to be unenforceable. The first effective law was passed in 1833 because for the first time factory inspectors were appointed to make sure the law was being obeyed. The new law banned children under 9 from working in textile factories. It said that children aged 9 to 13 must not work for more than 12 hours a day or 48 hours a week. Children aged 13 to 18 must not work for more than 69 hours a week. Furthermore nobody under 18 was allowed to work at night (from 8.30 pm to 5.30 am). Children aged 9 to 13 were to be given 2 hours education a day.Conditions in coal mines were often terrible. Children as young as 5 worked underground. In 1842 a law banned children under 10 and all females from working underground. In 1844 a law banned all children under 8 from working. Then the 1847 Factory Act said that women and children could only work 10 hours a day in textile factories that was extended in 1867 to all factories.