How old did you have to be to sweep a chimney?

Answer 1

In the past, children as young as five or six years old were often employed to sweep chimneys, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries in England. This practice was largely due to their small size, which allowed them to access narrow chimney flues. However, it was also dangerous and led to numerous health issues and accidents. Eventually, laws were enacted to prohibit child chimney sweeping and establish minimum age requirements for such labor.