15. Chimney Sweeps and ‘Climbing Boys’
In the Victorian era, children as young as five were employed as chimney sweeps, navigating narrow, soot-filled flues to clean chimneys. This hazardous work led to severe health issues, including respiratory diseases and physical deformities. The practice persisted due to high demand and lack of labor regulation. For a deeper exploration of this grim reality, BBC History delves into the lives of climbing boys (bbc.co.uk).
