Between 1819 and 1853 the government passed laws to help improve working conditions in cotton factories. Factory workers worked long hours, often at night and had few meal breaks. The children working in cotton mills also had little or no education.

The Factory Act of 1819 was the first set of laws, which tried to stop young children under nine years old working in the cotton industry. It also attempted to limit the hours older children worked to 12 hours a day. There were no inspectors to enforce the law passed in 1819. People could easily lie about the age of children working in the mills. Mill owners also argued that parents wanted their children to work.

The 1833 Factory Act appointed 4 full-time inspectors to try to enforce the laws. It also forbade nightwork for children under 18 years of age. The government also wanted working children to go to school, at first for 2 hours a day, then 3 hours in 1844. These children became known as 'half-timers'.

In 1844 the working day of 8-13 year olds was limited to 6 ½ day to allow them time to go to school. The 1844 Act also established a 10 ½ hour day for women and children (aged 13-18). By 1850 the standard working day for all cotton workers was 6am-6pm (2pm on Saturdays) and 1 ½ hours a day was allowed for meal breaks. Child labour in cotton factories however continued until the half-time system was phased out after 1918.