Sweep...

The Chimney Sweep

A chimney uses the pressure difference caused by a hot column of gas to create a draught and draw air over the hot coals or wood enabling continued combustion. Chimneys may be straight or contain many changes of direction. During normal operation, a layer of creosote builds up on the inside of the chimney restricting the flow. The creosote can also catch fire, setting the chimney and the building alight. The chimney must be swept to remove the soot. This was done by the master sweep and his apprentices.

Wellerschimneysweeps.com

With the increased urban population that came with the Age of Industrialization, the number of houses with chimneys grew apace. Buildings were higher and the new chimneys tops were grouped together.  The routes of flues from individual grates could involve two or more right angles, horizontal angled and vertical sections, They were narrow to create a better draught- 14in by 9in being a common standard.  Chimney sweeping was one of the most difficult, hazardous, and low-paying occupations of the era, and consequently has been derided in verse, ballad and pantomime.

Wikipedia.org

 



Climbing Boys

The climbing boys, and sometimes girls, were technically called chimney sweeps apprentices, and were apprenticed to a master sweep, who being an adult, was too large to fit into a chimney or flue. The children became the property of the master sweeps and were virtually always cruelly treated, essentially living the life of slaves in some of the worst conditions imaginable.

The master sweep would be paid by the parish to teach orphans or paupers the craft. They were totally reliant on him - they or their guardians had signed Papers of Indenture, in front of a magistrate, which bound them to him until they were adults. It was the duty of the Poor Law guardians to apprentice as many children of the workhouse in their care as possible, so as to reduce costs to the parish. The master sweep had duties: to teach the craft and its mysteries, to provide the apprentice with a second suit of clothes, to have him cleaned once a week, allow him to attend church, and not send him up chimneys that were on fire. An apprentice agreed to obey his master. Once his seven year long apprenticeship was completed he would become a journeyman sweep, and would continue to work for a master sweep of his choice. Other apprentices were sold on to the sweep, or sold by their parents. Prices ranged from 7 shillings to 4 guineas.

tombwithaview.org.uk

It was generally agreed that six was a good age to train a boy. Though Lord Shaftesbury once encountered one of the age of four, they were considered to be too weak. A master sweep would have many apprentices, they would start the morning by roaming the streets calling out "Soot -Oh, Sweep" or another cry to let the house-owners know they were around - this would remind the owners of the dangers of un-swept chimneys. When engaged, the master sweep would fix a cloth over the fireplace, and the climbing boy would take off his boots and any excess clothes, then get behind it. The flue would be as tall as the house and twist several times, and its dimensions would be 14in by 9in. He would pull his cap down over his face and hold a large flat brush over his head, and wedge his body diagonally in the flue. Using his back, elbows and knees, he would shimmy up the flue in the manner of a caterpillar and use the brush to dislodge loose soot, which would fall over him and down to the bottom, and a scraper to chip away the solid bits, as a smooth chimney was a safe chimney. Having reached the top he would slide back down at speed back to the floor and the soot pile. It was now his job to bag up the soot and carry it back to the master sweep's cart or yard.

 Soot was valuable and could be sold for 9d a bushel in 1840. An apprentice would do four or five chimneys a day. When they first started they scraped their knees and elbows, so the master would harden up their skin by standing them close to a hot fire and rubbing in strong brine using a brush. This was done each evening until the skin hardened. The boys received no wages but lived with the master who fed them. They slept together on the floor or in the cellar under the sacks and the cloth used during the day to catch the soot. This was known as "sleeping black" The boy would be washed by the mistress in a tub in the yard, this may happen as often as once a week, but rarely did.

Sometimes, a boy would need to be persuaded to climb faster or higher up the chimney Many masters used a dangerous punishment: the child was forced up the flue then a fire was lit.  Since he couldn't come down, they had no choice but to climb up the flue. This may be where the term "light a fire under your butt" originated. Another method which also helped stop them from "going off" was to send another boy up behind him to prick pins into the soles of his feet or buttocks.

 literarylondon.org

Chimneys varied in size. The common flue was designed to be one and a half bricks long by one brick wide, though the often narrowed to one brick square, that is 9 inches (230 mm) by 9 inches (230 mm) or less. Often the chimney would still be hot from the fire, occasionally it would actually be on fire. Careless climbing boys could get stuck with their knees jammed against their chins. The harder they struggled the tighter they became wedged. They could remain in this position for many hours until they were pushed out from below or pulled out with a rope. If their struggling caused a fall of soot they would suffocate. Dead or alive the boy had to be removed and this would be done by removing bricks from the side of the chimney. If the chimney was particularly narrow the boys would be told to "buff it", that is to do it naked, otherwise they just wore trousers, and a shirt made from thick rough cotton cloth.

These however were not the only occupational hazards that chimney sweeps suffered. In the 1817 report to Parliament witnesses reported that climbing boys suffered from general neglect, In addition they exhibited stunted growth and deformity of the spine, legs and arms, that, in the 1810s, was put down to being required to remain in abnormal positions for long periods of time before their bones had hardened.. The knees and ankle joints were the most affected. Sores and inflammation of the eyelids that could lead to loss of sight were slow in healing because the boy kept rubbing them. Bruises and burns were obvious hazards of having to work in an overheated environment. Cancer of the scrotum was only found in Chimneys sweeps so was referred to as Chimney Sweep Cancer in the teaching hospitals. Asthma and inflammation of the chest was attributed to the fact that the boys were out in all weather. Chimney sweeps cancer which the sweeps called soot wart didn't occur until the sweep was in his late teens or twenties.

There were many deaths caused by accidents, frequently caused by the boy becoming jammed in the flue of a heated chimney, where they could suffocate or be burned to death. Sometimes a second boy would be sent to help, and on occasions would suffer the same fate. Although hardly common, there were several cases where children got stuck without anyone being aware. Naturally, they started a blaze and the result was the literal roasting of a young boy to death. It was tragedies like these that led to awareness of the dangers of this situation and several laws were passed to address it. Most of these were not enforced.  It would not be until the Chimney Sweeper Act of 1875 that any serious overhaul of the world of child chimney sweeps would be enacted.

This practice of sending small boys up and down chimneys in order to ensure that they were free of harmful creosote deposits was the norm in England for approximately 200 years. A child who worked as a chimney sweep rarely grew to live past middle age. Efforts were made through the years to put an end to the cruel practice of using child chimney sweeps, but they failed until 1875.  The death of 12-year-old chimney sweep George Brewster became the catalyst which finally pushed through legislation that outlawed the cruel practice.

George Brewster became stuck in one of the chimneys in Fulbourn Hospital.  His master, William Wyer, had sent George into that situation.  A wall had to be torn down to free George from his narrow prison.  He died a short time later.  Wyer was charged and found guilty of manslaughter.  George Brewster was the last child chimney sweep in England to die in a chimney.

Sources:

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-true-story-hard-life-child-chimney-sweeps-1670947.html

http://www.cchimney.com/Sweepers.html

sourcehttp://www.ctsweep.com/blog/top-sweep-stories/child-chimney-sweeps/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimney_sweep



Sweep Attire

Why the Top hat?



In order to raise their status in the community, it is said that the sweeps would get cast-offs from the local funeral director. These clothes consisted of a black top hat, and a coat with tails, which was very fashionable for the times.  The outfit was always a very practical black in color, and gave an air of distinction to a dirty, though necessary, job. Chimney sweeps often served double duty as the town's "night man", whose job it was to clean out the privy. It is said that chimney sweeps wore slippers because they could be more easily removed, freeing the toes to aid their climbing grip.

 Sources:http://www.chimneysweepandmore.com/,http://www.cchimney.com/Sweepers.html

Chimney Sweeping…not just for boys

Men and women have been practicing the chimney sweep trade for hundreds of years. The job was dirty, but necessary, and anything but glamorous.



Photograph by Horace Nicholls of a woman chimney sweep in wartime Kent, undated.

Horace Nicholls was one of two professional photographers who were commissioned in 1917 by the Women’s Work Committee of the newly founded Imperial War Museum to take photographs of women at work during the First World War. This photograph shows a woman chimney sweep in Kent, ‘carrying on the business of her husband who was a sweep before the war’ – one of the many examples of women stepping into previously male-dominated professions during the period between 1914 and 1918.

Chimneynews.net

Mrs. Rosanna Forster from Kent is a chimney sweep, carrying on her husband’s business while he serves abroad.

Photo property of Imperial War Museum

 Sweeping is a perfectly legitimate profession for women in today’s world.  Go get em girls…sky’s the limit;)

Sweep Glam

Butter London “chimney sweep”

                     

                    It’s all about the hat…

            Lady Gaga

“This outfit looks like she spent the afternoon cleaning my chimney. On her way out of my chimney, apparently her pants got snagged on a brick and ripped off. I don’t exactly know how to explain her bra being on the outside of her clothes.  Is this girl for real?”chimneynews.net

OK…this commentary gave me a fit of giggles.  Personally, I think it’s kind of weirdly beautiful…but I am not known for my fashion savvy..

        

Chimney Sweeps are Lucky!



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 Lucky Love

Did you know that it’s good luck to see a chimney sweep on your wedding day, and most especially to shake his hand or be kissed by him? Many chimney sweeps today are still invited to weddings to help assure a good start to a happy marriage. The tradition goes back, so it is said, to a chimney sweep who lost his footing and fell from a roof. He was caught on the gutter and hanging by his foot when a young lass, whose hand was intended for another, reached through the window and pulled him in, saving his life. They fell in love and the two were later married.

The King’s Luck

 A Chimney Sweep is a sign of good luck, wealth and happiness. There are several legends why a Chimney Sweep is said to be “The” harbinger of good luck. One version of the legend has its origins in old England, where King George was riding horseback in a royal procession. A dog ran from the crowd, barking and nipping at the King’s horse. The horse reared, and to the horror of the crowd, almost threw the King! A lone figure, shabbily dressed and filthy, stepped into the road. He caught the horse’s halter and calmed the animal.

As quickly as he appeared, the man faded back into crowd. The King, wanting to reward the man, asked his name. No-one knew the man’s name, but many told the King that he is just a Chimney Sweep. The King declared that from that day that chimney sweeps should be regarded as Lucky!

 Photo: postcardcollector.org

Pigs and chimney sweeps are linked together in tradition as good luck charms. It once was customary for the town chimney sweep to tote a pig through the streets on New Year's Day; people paid a small sum to make a wish while pulling a hair from the pig. You don't see us doing that any more, and I'm sure the pigs are pretty happy about that; they probably weren't so enthusiastic about the custom, despite how they are depicted here.

Photo: polyvore.com

 http://www.cchimney.com/Sweepers.html/

 http://www.chimneynews.net