A Chimney Sweep's Job Is Not Easy
The chimney sweep profession came into being during the early years of the Industrial Revolution
, which ran from 1750 until 1914, when chimneys were made large enough for a man to crawl inside. During the 16th through the 18th century, the rooftops in Western Europe were very close together, allowing chimney sweeps access to crow-stepped gables, which led to roof lines of one chimney after another. The urban population increased, as did the number of chimneys, and the chimney sweep became a much sought after and respected trade.
During the Victorian era in the United Kingdom, the use of coal as a fuel for heating led to soot coating almost everything in sight. The chimney sweep profession grew rapidly, as the flues of chimney had to be cleaned often by orders issued from Queen Victoria herself. With the expansion of coal as a fuel source in domestic homes, the trade did very well. An interesting point to mention is many chimney sweeps during this time did not make money by charging for their services; rather, they sold the soot to farmers for a fertilizer mixing agent.
Young boys were often used to clean chimneys because of their small size. Because many British family were poor, parents encouraged their boys to go out and earn a living to contribute to household expenses, even though they knew it was a dirty and dangerous task. The Act for Better Regulation of Chimney Sweeps and Apprentices was passed in 1788, in order to reduce the number of apprentices a sweep could have and to limit the age of a sweep to eight. This Act was not well received and basically ignored.
It was Lord Shaftesbury's legislation that brought an end to this practice. It was called the "Act for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers" in 1864. The Act fined any offenders with a 10.00 penalty. This, along with the gas heating and mechanical tools to clean chimneys reduced and eventually eliminated the use of young boys as chimney sweeps.
As the early 1960s approached, more forms of heating like electric and gas began replacing coal as a fuel source, and the chimney sweep profession almost died completely. Then came the 1970s oil crisis, and prices for fossil fuels hit the roof. This encouraged many people to dust out their fireplaces and burn wood. Of course these fireplaces were in dire need of a proper cleaning.
To reduce the chance of carbon monoxide build up or fires, the chimney sweep professional once again emerged. Their services are still growing as they perform maintenance on furnaces, fireplaces, gas and wood burning stoves. In the United States, chimney sweeps must be regulated and licensed by the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA). They not only clean chimneys, but can spot problems and carry out repairs and maintenance.
They are trained and skilled laborers, who do work that is still dirty and grueling and somewhat unhealthy. From the early days, the English knew that a chimney sweep was exposed to substances that could cause cancer. As young chimney sweep boys grew into adults, many developed scrotal cancers that could be linked back to their trade as sweeps and exposure to soot.
Modern sweeps are still vulnerable to chemicals and substances which are dangerous. These include carcinogenic elements, including metals, asbestos, bird droppings and carbon. Cancer of the esophagus, lungs and asbestos related illnesses seem to be the leading illnesses of today. Sweeping is still somewhat risky, but no as much as in the old days.
On the other hand, sweeps have all sorts of good things related to them. Long ago, having a chimney sweep at your wedding was considered a good luck charm for British brides. Passing a chimney sweep on the street and rubbing a button on your shirt or jacket was also considered good luck. To this very day, many still believe in the luck of the chimney sweep.
by: Nick Messe
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