| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to amend and extend the Act for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 27 & 28 Vict. c. 37 |
| Introduced by | 8th Earl of Shaftesbury (Lords) |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 30 June 1864 |
| Commencement | 1 November 1864 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amends | Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act 1840 |
| Repealed by | Chimney Sweepers Acts (Repeal) Act 1938 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Chimney Sweepers Regulation Act 1864[1] (27 & 28 Vict. c. 37) was a British Act of Parliament that amended the Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act 1840 passed to try to stop child labour. Commissioners appointed in 1862 reported that several thousand children aged between five and fourteen years, including many girls, were working for sweeps. The bill was proposed by Lord Shaftesbury.
The 1840 Act prohibited any person under the age of 21 being compelled or knowingly allowed to ascend or descend a chimney or flue for sweeping, cleaning, or coring.[2] This was widely ignored by the Master Sweeps and the homeowners. This Act proposed stiff fines and imprisonment for non-compliant master sweeps. It gave the police power to arrest sweeps thought to be breaking the law, and gave Board of Health inspectors the authority to examine new or remodelled chimneys.[3]
