It all depended on their family…

Children from working class

families

ate poor food

worked long hours

lived in terrible conditions

died of diseases.

Children from richfamilies

ate healthy food

had clean andgood clothes

didn’t need towork

went on holidays

had expensivetoys

At the age of 5 or 6,

children started to

work.

They worked long

hours with little

breaks and no fresh

air.

They often worked in

dangerous conditions.

They were paid very

little.

In factories

As chimney

sweepers

In coal mines

In the streets

In workhouses

In farms

Schools were not

free until 1891.

Children from rich

families were

taught at home by

a governess until

they were 10 years

old.

The boys went

away to public

schools like Eton

and Harrow.

Charles Dickens wanted to

send the optimistic message

‘everyone can change and

help the poor’.

The story of A Christmas Carol

established the idea of

Christmas charity towards those

less fortunate.