Question

In accordance with the 1842 Mines Act, how many paid inspectors were appointed?

• A. One
• B. Two
• C. Three
• D. Four

Answer 1

The correct option is A One

Mines and Collieries Act 1842 (c. 99), commonly known as the Mines Act 1842, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act prohibited female labour as well as the employment of boys under ten years old in coal mines. It was a response to the working conditions of children revealed in the Children's Employment Commission (Mines) 1842 report. The Commission was headed by Lord Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury. An inspector of mines was first appointed in 1843 under an Act of 1842. This Act prohibited payment by truck and the employment of women and girls and regulated the employment of boys in mines and collieries. The inspector had no powers to inspect the construction or safety of mines until the passage of the Coal Mines Inspection Act 1850. The 1842 Mines Act had not dealt specifically with safety in mines, and only one Inspector (H.S. Tremenheere) had been appointed as a result, with only limited powers under the Act. Hence, Option A is correct. Four inspectors were appointed by The 1850 Coal Mines Inspection Act. The rest of the numbers are not mentioned in the acts, hence, incorrect.