Internet users sent a vintage newsreel of two chimney sweepers viral. But does the footage actually show what it claims? We breakdown this viral piece of "e-history."
I am a chimney sweep for 40 years. The boy was most likely a servant of the chimney sweep which was the standard practice in those days. We don't know the exact date/year this was filmed. It was common for the sweep to say "This is my son" in order to bypass any stigmas, guidelines or laws. The boy is VERY comfortable on the roof and in what he is doing, which gives further credence to the reality of these "chimney sweep boys". We should ASK ourselves "What is the TRUE history", ASK ourselves "Is the poster of this RU-vid video also capitalizing the same tugs-of-the-heart that he is speaking about"
The thing is, if that practice had to be outlawed, then there would surely had been quite a few chimney sweepers who employed kids for such work. The fact that this used to be the case, and that this video is successful in drawing our attention to the fact of existence of such practices, i believe, is good enough reason for it to exist and circulate...even if the prople depicted are only actors.
Though all of that is pure conjecture, not actual evidence. There are many laws being made based on pure rhetorical questions and assumptions. Though one can always assume that children were doing dangerous jobs, we’re not really sure are they? How old were these "Children" 4-9 yrs or 12-17 yrs old. Do they really rely children doing dangerous jobs or just doing secondary job like assisting and some mild cleaning, while it’s the adult do the heavy lifting (as seen in 3rd world factories) Make no mistake. I’m glad we have these laws and regulations that protect children. I just don’t want a skewed look on history without getting the real picture and context , whether it’s rosey or dirty.
Many of these boys lived very short lives due to the obvious hazards (breathing soot, working at heights, not being fed ample enough food to keep them small for this type of internal chimney cleaning and climbing) If they survived past the age of being useful to the "Master Chimney Sweep" often they were discarded and left to fend for themselves. Most were orphans or sold/given into servitude.
Your comments make sense. Wondering if this 3 year old was actually more likely older too but as he looks to be coordinated and more mature than what you could expect a 3 year old to be like. He’s too confident to be an actor imho. If he’s an actor, then he’s a little person/an adult because you can’t make a small child act this well. How were you a chimney sweep in this day and age?
You’re thinking of the sweep’s boys who were actually sent up chimneys to clean them. This was made illegal in England and Wales in 1870, following decades of ineffective legislation intended to discourage it.
I heard this theories, n... classed abouts a individ... and makes a films, abouts a chimney being cleaned by a lil child, that's so 😔 terribly,😢 maybe the father's had told his son, I knews you's a lil lad...I needed too taught you's, and needed too started now, becuz... I not able too showed you's again, becuz... m... life's spans it's shutting down, also makes shilling too also it's purchased foods,
