Question

Mr. Matthew Crabtree, called in; and Examined. What age are you?-Twenty-two. What is your occupation?-A blanket manufacturer. Have you ever been employed in a factory?-Yes. At what age did you first go to work in one?-Eight. How long did you continue in that occupation?-Four years. Will you state the hours of labor at the period when you first went to the factory, in ordinary times?-From 6 in the morning to 8 at night. Fourteen hours?-Yes. With what intervals for refreshment and rest?-An hour at noon. When trade was brisk what were your hours?-From 5 in the morning to 9 in the evening.Sixteen hours?-Yes.. . . During those long hours of labor could you be punctual; how did you awake?-I seldom did awake spontaneously; I was most generally awoke or lifted out of bed, sometimes asleep, by my parents.Were you always in time?-No.What was the consequence if you had been too late?-I was most commonly beaten.. . . And if you had been too late you were under the apprehension of being cruelly beaten?-I generally was beaten when I happened to be too late; and when I got up in the morning the apprehension of that was so great, that I used to run, and cry all the way as I went to the mill.

Background information: In 1832, a man named Michael Sadler ordered a parliamentary investigation into working conditions in textile factories. This is testimony from that investigation.

At what age did Mr. Crabtree begin working at a factory?

A) five
B) eight
C) sixteen
D) twenty-two

Answer 1

in the passage, "What age did you first go to work in one? -eight-"
The answer should be B) eight.

Answer 2

Correct answer:

B) eight

Details:

The source you are examining is a primary source, direct testimony from an industrial worker named Matthew Crabtree during hearings held in Britain by the Sadler Commission. The reliability of the commission testimony comes from the first-hand experience of the witness, Mr. Crabtree.

The Sadler Commission testimony by Matthew Crabtree took place on May 18, 1832. Matthew Crabtree was 22 years old at the time, and is recalling factory work he did beginning at age 8 (as he stated in his testimony). His experience was very visceral and vivid, so it's likely these memories were etched firmly into his mind.

The purpose of the Sadler Commission and the witnesses called forward (such as Mr. Crabtree) was to get at the facts of what factory life was like. It was meant to inform the government of the truth about factory conditions and child labor.

The statements made are taken as reliable fact. Mr. Crabtree was testifying before a government commission, so adherence to the truth was expected, and facts were asked for.

The experiences of child labor in a factory could have provoked very emotional testimony, but Mr. Crabtree presented the facts of his working life in factory labor in a neutral way, giving matter-of-fact answers to questions he was asked.

The evidence Mr. Crabtree provided were detailed, personal examples from his own experience.