TESTIMONY

Government Inspectors came to Lymm in 1863 to see for themselves the appalling conditions in the fustian cutting trade, in particular for children as young as 7.  Their visit to Lymm and their   subsequent report contributed directly to the 1867 Workshop Regulation Act which extended earlier factory legislation to workshops.  It specified for the first time that children between the ages of 8 and 13 should have a minimum of 10 hours education a week, (though 8 year olds would still be able to go to work. )

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In the attached document you will find the   testimony of twenty-five fustian cutters and masters together with a little background to their personal story.