William
Whatton
was a doctor
in Manchester. His work involved examining
the workers at Peter Appleton's factory. Dr. Whatton was interviewed
by Lord Kenyon's House of Lords Committee
on 25th May, 1818.
Child
Labour Debate Activity (International School of Toulouse)
Child
Labour Simulation (Spartacus Educational)
(1)
William Whatton was interviewed by Lord
Kenyon's House of Lords Committee on 25th
May, 1818.
Question:
How long have you been a surgeon in Manchester?
Answer: Three years.
Question: Have you had,
generally, an opportunity of observing whether you work of the children
tends to produce bad health among them? Have you observed any particular
symptoms of disease about the children.
Answer: No; I cannot say that I did.
Question: If a child was
of a delicate constitution, would you think twelve hours was too long
to keep him at work?
Answer: The labour is so moderate it can scarecely be called labour
at all; and under those circumstances I should not think there would
be any injury from it.
Question: Do you happen
to know whether or not any particular effect is produced upon a child's
frame that is kept standing longer than his strenth will permit, or
rather, than he ought to be subjected to?
Answer: I am not aware of any effect.
Question: If a child is
kept standing longer than his strength will permit, it will produce
a diseased affection of the sinews of the knee?
Answer: I have never seen that?
Question: Take the instance of a young person of eight years of age;
would not the instance of a young person of eight years old, kept
standing for twelve hours during the day, be likely to produce a ricketty
appearance?
Answer: No.
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