Cookie Policy

Our website uses cookies to understand content and feature usage to drive site improvements over time. To learn more, review our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

The Life of Nailers

The Life of Nailers

The life of nailers in Victorian England can tell us a great deal about how industrialists treated the working classes.

Key Ideas

As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.

Key Ideas

Think about the following questions as you watch the video


  1. 00:57 Why did such young children start working as nailers?
  2. 02:20 How many nails did an eight-year-old girl make per hour, and how long did she work?
  3. 04:18 How did nail masters cheat workers? How much were nailers paid?
  4. 06:07 Who was Mary-Ann Bird, and why is her story important?