All Rights Reserved. 4 Common Problems with Basement Fireplaces, Schedule Chimney Sweeping Early to Beat the Fall Rush. Sometimes they became trapped and died in the chimneys. When the poem was published, it was the time of the great industrial revolution … The early Romans first made the switch from a single fire in the center of a room to an isolated fireplace to heat buildings and cook indoors, but it was not until 16th century England that the trend of fireplaces and chimneys really caught on. Above text copyright Martin Glynn. A Master was paid a fee to clothe, keep and teach the child his trade. In this poem, he tells us about his new fellow sweeper and the dream that he had while sleeping at his workplace. The weight of the lead or iron ball pulls the brush down, thus cleaning the chimney. If an apprentice wasn't climbing high enough or moving as fast as the master wanted, the master sweep would light a fire or send up another boy to prick pins into the apprentice's feet or other areas. The task for these climbing boys was to brush clean the inside of the flue with small hand-held brushes. Rather than being coated with soot, the chimney professionals of today are educated in the science of fireplaces and chimneys; and they are also familiar with applicable building codes. Upon exit from the chimney, he would then have to bag up the soot (which was valuable at the time) and carry it back to the master sweep's means of transportation. Chimney sweeps during this time were called master sweeps, and would teach the craft to young boys (and sometimes girls) who were called "apprentices" or "climbing boys." We help to ensure that your fireplace and chimney are safe to use. (608) 929-4887 Originally, only the ruling class in England had chimneys, and chimney sweeps had the filthy job of keeping them clean. Honorable chimney sweeps of today are respected professionals. They also used metal scrapers to remove the harder tar deposits left by wood or log fire smoke. © 2020 EzineArticlesAll Rights Reserved Worldwide, A Quick and Simple Guide on Choosing Septic Companies Near Me, Tips on Cleaning Your Office Common Areas, 5 Effective Tips to Picking the Right Landscape and Gardening Service Provider, 6 Carpet Cleaning Hacks That Work Wonders, 5 Things to Consider Before Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Company. Article Source: Pitch Black, Claustrophobic Spaces There were many dangers with the profession at this time. Among the notable improvements in equipment used by chimney sweeps are cameras which can be lowered into flues in order to detect whether there is any damage to the lining. As a result, chimneys became narrow, pitch black, complex mazes which chimney sweeps had to clean. England began charging a hefty hearth tax in the 17th century, and it was based on how many chimneys a home had. The continued expansion of coal as the main fuel for domestic heating ensured that the sweeping trade flourished. Years of accumulated soot and grime often produced cancer of the testicles. Why is Debris Falling from My Chimney Into My Fireplace? Enterprising chimney sweeps also had special boxes to compress the soot into bricks which they also sold for additional income. It wasn't always like this. Thom Casey independently author's articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. SEM clients like Bergen County chimney sweeps [http://www.guardianchimney.com/chimney_flues_bergen_county_paramus_nj.html] Guardian Chimney. For your Fireplace, Stove, Patio or Chimney needs | The children suffered from soot inhalation, which many believe is why child chimney sweeps rarely lived past middle age. He was a politically motivated social critic and his ideas still resonate strongly with social and political egalitarians today. In 1875, regulation was passed that required chimney sweepers to be authorized by the police after the death of a 12-year-old boy and the imprisonment of his master. Platinum Author Some of the worst abuses happened during the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian Era when thousands flocked to the city seeking job opportunities. Chimney Fires and 3 More Pathways To Chimney Damage, Reasons to Add a Fireplace to Your Home Interior this Summer. With the Industrial Revolution and ever greater demand for coal production, chimney sweeps grew in numbers. Carbon monoxide poisonings from blocked chimneys began to be noticed. Chimneys were hot from fires, or still on fire in some cases. The profession came about with the Industrial Revolution, when more and more buildings became home to chimneys. Contact our chimney technicians for all of your venting needs. Dubuque Fireplace & Patio Several pieces of literature helped with the effort, including a poem by William Blake entitled “The Chimney Sweeper.”. Boys could get stuck, and if they struggled, they became wedged tighter. Sadly, for centuries chimney sweeping was not an enviable or safe profession, though it was always very much needed. Thom E Casey. The first such attempt, the Chimney Sweepers Act 1788, lacked enforcement, but the Chimney Sweeps Act 1834 fixed many of the needed issues, including not allowing apprentices under 14 years of age, no more than six apprentices per master sweep, and climbing boys were not allow to be used to climb flues to extinguish flues. 68 Articles, By This was the design and introduction of canes and brushes, which could be pushed and propelled up from the fireplace into the chimney above. Several pieces of literature helped with the effort, including a poem by William Blake entitled “The Chimney Sweeper.” The “Act for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers” was finally passed by the English Parliament in 1864, and it put an end to child chimney sweeps in that country. Nowadays, you expect your chimney cleaner to be an adult that carries a broom or brush, along with other equipment, like vacuums, cameras and other special tools. Apprentices were indentured to the master sweep for seven years, and after the end of his apprenticeship, he would become a journeyman sweep and work for a master of his choice. The story of chimney sweeps includes the first recorded case of an industrial cancer and the birth of a familiar phrase, to “light a fire under someone.” This was right up to the early 1960s when gas began to be installed and replace coal as a source of domestic heating. Some grew up to be Journeymen (assistants to the Master), the remainder were put out to various trades to try to learn a new occupation. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those solely of the author, and not of any other person, company, or organization. https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Thom_E_Casey/951358, Home Improvement: Cleaning-Tips-and-Tools Necessity being the mother of invention, another method was required to clean chimneys. (563) 582-5156, United Fireplace & Stove Member Top Hearth Stores offering Fireplaces, Stoves & Inserts / Gas - Wood Pellet - Fireplace Stores in US & Canada, Questions to Ask Before Entrusting a Chimney Sweep, How to Stay Ahead of Your Fireplace and Chimney Maintenance, What You Need to Know About Chimney Cracks. They would scrape the coal deposits from the flue linings. How Does Disinfectant Cleaning Work in the Fight Against Covid-19? ChimneySweeps.net is about chimney sweeps on the internet. The importance of chimney sweeps became even more important when most people began using coal instead of firewood. The children were either orphan boys chosen to be chimney sweeps or were sold by destitute parents to a chimney master. For narrow chimneys, the boys would have to sweep naked. This was the ball, brush and rope system which was lowered down from the top of the chimney. The speaker of the poem is unnamed, however, he is one of the young chimney sweepers. Joseph Glass invented brushes and canes for cleaning chimneys in the 18th century, and his basic designs are still in use today. Adolescent chimney sweeps suffered from the first recorded industrial cancer. Chimney sweeps during this time were called master sweeps, and would teach the craft to young boys (and sometimes girls) who were called "apprentices" or "climbing boys." Used without permission. In Victorian London, there were over 1,000 chimney sweeps serving the area. Submitted On May 15, 2012. It was understood even in the Georgian period of our history that chimneys had to be brush cleaned. They slept in cellars on bags of soot and were seldom washed. Until this period, sweeps had traditionally cleaned only coal, wood and oil chimneys. Tragically, the way chimney sweeps accomplished getting the maze-like chimneys cleaned was by using small boys to do the work. The “Act for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers” was finally passed by the English Parliament in 1864, and it put an end to child chimney sweeps in that country. Thom E Casey | Blake focused on the plight of the working classes who lived and worked in inhumane conditions during the Industrial Revolution. Chimney Specialists, Inc Casualties were also frequent as boys became stuck in narrow flues or fell from climbing rotten chimney stacks. Early canes were made of malacca and imported from the East Indies. Chimney Rebuilding vs. Re-Pointing: What’s the Difference? Sweeps’ Boys were usually parish children or orphans, though others were sold into the trade by their families. Popular culture has depicted chimney sweeps as skinny characters that are covered in soot and push around a broom. Chimney Sweeps – A Brief History. It took many years and campaigns before Acts of Parliament finally approved by the House of Lords outlawed the use of Climbing Boys. In London, there was a London Society of Master Sweeps with its own set of rules, one of which included that boys were not required to work on Sundays but had to attend Sunday School to study, learn and read the Bible. If a child was hesitant to climb, oftentimes the chimney master would light a small fire in the fireplace as motivation; this is where the phrase “to light a fire under someone” originated. Chimney Sweeps: Chimney Sweeps During the Industrial Age, https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Thom_E_Casey/951358, http://ezinearticles.com/?Chimney-Sweeps:-Chimney-Sweeps-During-the-Industrial-Age&id=7064071. The boy would pull his hat down over his face, and hold a large brush over his head, and put himself into the flue. 925 Century Drive, Dubuque, IA 52002 The earliest signs of chimneys go as far back as the 13th century in Italy, though it still took centuries for chimneys to really catch on. The young sweeps, who were usually between the ages of 5 and 11 years old, suffered many perils. In the early part of the 18th century various types of chimney cleaning methods were being developed. © 2007-2020 Chimney Sweeps World Network. Many people recognized the cruel treatment suffered by the young children used to clean chimneys, and efforts were made over the years to put an end to it. The chimney sweep has been around for hundreds of years and still today is a necessary and important profession. This provided a good source of income for the chimney sweep that lasted until the late 1800’s when chemical fertilizers became available.
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