Legal Definitions - half-timer

Definition: A term used in England to refer to a child who was excused from full-time attendance at school under the Factory and Workshop Act of 1908 so that the child could work part-time in a factory or workshop.

Example: In the early 1900s, many children in England were half-timers. They would attend school for half of the day and work in a factory or workshop for the other half.

Explanation: The Factory and Workshop Act of 1908 allowed children to work part-time in factories and workshops, as long as they also attended school for a certain number of hours each week. These children were known as half-timers because they only attended school for half of the day. This practice was eventually abolished by later acts, such as the Factories Act of 1937.