Domestic System In The 19th Century

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The 19th century saw the introduction of a new working system – the factory system – which replaced the old and ineffective domestic system. This change brought a new age in working that changed the lives of the average worker for good. Whether this was for better or for worse, will be explored in this essay.

The domestic system was a work system where people took on jobs and worked from their homes. The pay was mediocre at best and maybe non-existent at worst, but the people had to make a living somehow. Once Richard Arkwright, former wig maker worth £5 turned owner of factories all across the country with a mansion worth £20,000, created his first factory however, everything changed.

With the introduction of factories people had a steady albeit small source of income and a secure job. Despite this the workers still missed some aspects of the domestic system, as quoted by one worker: “...Mind you, I miss the freedom. When you are your own boss you work when you like. Now it's all clock, clock, clock.” The workers could decide for themselves when they worked in the domestic system but not anymore! They worked in day and night shifts and rarely had any breaks. Perhaps the small income was not worth the trouble, considering how simple the domestic system was in comparison.

Despite all …show more content…
If any time was wasted throughout the day we had to work to 9 o' clock and so on every night till it was all made up.” His statement shows people were worked hard and for long hours with only a meagre hour of breaks in total for 15 hours and 30 minutes of work, and that's without overtime. Lack of breaks proved to be a cause of many accidents like when a boy crushed his hand in the machinery due to lack of

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