Victorian Era Orphanages

By: Halle Talcott

Orphans

In the Victorian Era a lot of children were becoming orphans. Orphanages were so full that they had to have waiting lists. The waiting lists were full. There were many reasons that children were becoming orphans. Some of them were, abandoned, neglected, and even runaways.

By: Halle Talcott

Orphanages

Food, clothing, shelter, and education (sometimes) were provided until they turned 17. When a child turned 17 they were expected to make their own money and live on their own. In some unregulated orphanages children were abused and neglected. Some orphanages were so awful that the children would rather be criminals than to suffer in an orphanage. Orphans who were not adopted or sent to higher education usually became criminals. Most of the orphans who lived on the street teamed together and helped each other out. An estimate of 60% of the criminal population was orphans. Orphans did not earn a status in the society, but they were prevalent in the Victorian literatures as respectable but troubled heroes and heroines.

By: Halle Talcott

Adoption

There were no adoption laws, so most adoptions were informal. Orphans who were usually adopted were usually adopted by a family or neighbors. Sometimes strangers would adopt wishing to raise the child themselves. Children who were adopted into their own class were usually treated well, but when they were adopted into a higher class were treated unfairly and were servants.

By: Halle Talcott

Sources

• http://www.victorianweb.org/genre/childlit/childhood4.html

• http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/agunn/teaching/enl3251_spring2005/omf/greig.htm

Industrial Revolution

• William Samuel Godwin

Industrial Revolution• One industry that was

popular during this time was the textile and iron industry.

• The industry revolution made several industries famous like banking and transportation.

• Although the industrial revolution brought a lot of good things it also brought lots of bad things like pollution, smog, and slums.

Industrial Revolution

• Many people say this was the saddest time in England during the Victorian era.

• One reason is because the Industrial Revolution was during the 27 years of mourning and because of the smog and pollution all of the city looked depressing.

creditshttp://www.english.uwosh.edu/roth/images/victoria.jpghttp://www.history.com/industrialrevolutionAll information for this PowerPoint were notes taken from History. COM

• Jobs• Only about 28% of women were in the

workforce or worked for wages. Most of the women were housewives.

• Some of the women’s jobs were being a maid, nurse, laundress, teacher, psychiatrist, seamstress or social worker.

• Before the Mine and Collieries Act was passed in 1842, women worked underground as “hurriers”. They carted tubs of coal through the narrow mine shafts. They worked the same as men but were still not paid equal wages.

• Some women stayed at home and earned money by farming. They sold butter, milk, and other products.

• Social Classes• Wealthy women in

society had a very easy life. Their day consisted of sewing, writing letters, visiting people, and dancing. They changed clothes up to six times daily.

•The lower class women were not treated fairly, they wore fifth hand clothes and ate the leftover food of the higher class. The jobs for the lower class women were barmaids, waitress, and working in the factories.

The middle class women would go help the lower class in their free time. They were paid a certain amount of money to go help the other women with their necessities.

• Rights• Women in the Victorian era

had very few rights. The first act passed to help them was the Matrimonial Causes Act in 1857. This helped them get divorced without having to get an Act of Parliament. The Custody of Infant Act in 1839 allowed them to have custody over their children.

•Until 1874 when the London School of Medicine was created for women, women were not allowed to go to college for a further education. It wasn’t until 1878 that women were allowed to go to the same schools as men and were offered the same education. This made women more successful.

•Women also couldn’t vote for parliament. They were given the right to vote until 1928.