Life During the Industrial Revolution

A historical fiction short story I wrote in year 9.
Although, Elsie, and the characters in this story didn't actually exist, many of the events did take place. In the time of the Industrial Revolution many poor children were subject to child labour and cruel working conditions. If a child were to be late to work, they would be punished brutally, and if they were to become sick or unable to work, they were fired and given no money. In the 19th century, there was a large factory called Bryant and May's which produced massive number of matchsticks; however, these came at a cost. They used a harmful element called white phosphorous (known as yellow phosphorous back then), on the tips of matchsticks. This proved fatal for many of the predominately women and children working at the factory. The workers were subject to 12 hours of work handling this substance and many developed what is known as phossy jaw. I loosely based the factory Elsie worked in on Bryant and May's, and mention the effects of what working with white phosphorous caused such as when I mention Elsie's 'remaining teeth', and how Maude's gums are 'glowing' an eerie 'green', which is said to have sometimes happened when workers were exposed to white phosphorous. In this text I mention physical abuse to children, dangerous environment and duties, worker exploitation, poverty, and overcrowding houses. This story is based on the happening of the Industrial Revolution, in particular the 1800s, in London.