SWEEP HISTORY

History of Chimney Sweeping

17th Century – Master Sweeps employ small boys to climb chimneys. They would clean the flue using small brushes and metal scrapers to remove tar deposits. Children would taught the trade and would be housed by the Master Sweep. Hearth tax, this was based on the size of the house and the number of chimneys. To lower the tax people had to pay builders would make complex connections for new fireplace flues to an existing chimney. This resulted in narrow tunnels being built inside homes.

1840 – Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act 1840. This act prevented anyone under the age of 21 from being forced or knowingly go up or down a chimney to sweep or clean it.

1864 – Act for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers. This act is brought in to amend the Chimney Sweepers and Chimneys Regulation Act 1840 and established a £10 fine or imprisonment for anyone breaking the act.

1960’s – People began to use alternate methods of heating and so the Chimney Sweeping trade began to decline.

1970’s – Fossil fuel prices increased and so people started to use wood fires. Many of the fireplaces had not been cleaned properly for a long time and so many house fires started and due to blocked chimneys carbon monoxide poisoning also become common.

Since then fireplaces have become more popular and so their need of cleaning has grown. This has led to the Chimney Sweeping trade has begun to grow once again.