JOHNSON COUNTY & GREATER KANSAS CITY CHIMNEY CLEANING REPAIR AND INSPECTIONS | CHIMNEY CLEANING DRYER VENT REAL ESTATE GUTTER CLEANING RELINING CHIMNEY REPAIR CHIMNEY INSPECTION HOME SERVICES COUPONS FAQ CONTACT SERVICE AREA CREDENTIALS APPOINTMENTS SAFETY TIPS |  | | | | | | | KANSAS CITY CHIMNEY & DRYER VENT SERVICE | | | | | | |
The History of Chimney
Sweeps
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
It
was understood even in the Georgian period of our history that
chimneys had to be brush cleaned. Way back to the 17th century the
Master Sweep of the day would employ small boys to climb and
scramble up chimneys. The task for these climbing boys was to brush
clean the inside of the flue with small hand-held brushes. They also
used metal scrapers to remove the harder tar deposits left by wood
or log fire smoke.
The boys were apprentices and were bound to the trade as
young as seven years old. A Master was paid a fee to clothe,
keep and teach the child his trade. Sweeps' Boys were
usually parish children or orphans, though others were sold
into the trade by their families. Some grew up to be
Journeymen (assistants to the Master), the remainder were
put out to various trades to try to learn a new occupation.
In London, there was a London Society of Master Sweeps with
its own set of rules, one of which included that boys were
not required to work on Sundays but had to attend Sunday
School to study, learn and read the Bible.
However, conditions for the
boys were harsh and often cruel. They slept in cellars on
bags of soot and were seldom washed. Years of accumulated
soot and grime often produced cancer of the testicles. It
was a dangerous and filthy job for the boys to undertake,
especially without the protection of safety clothing and
respirators. Sadly there are recorded instances where these
Climbing Boys choked and suffocated to death by dust
inhalation whilst attempting to clean chimneys. Casualties
were also frequent as boys became stuck in narrow flues or
fell from climbing rotten chimney stacks.
It took many years and campaigns before Acts of Parliament
finally approved by the House of Lords outlawed the use of
Climbing Boys. In 1864 Lord Shaftesbury brought in the "Act
for the Regulation of Chimney Sweepers" which established a
penalty of £10.00 for offenders.
|
| |
In
the early part of the 18th century various types of chimney
cleaning methods were being developed. An engineer from
Bristol, Mr. Joseph Glass, is widely recognized as the
inventor of chimney cleaning equipment, which has become
universal even to this day. This was the design and
introduction of canes and brushes, which could be pushed and
propelled up from the fireplace into the chimney above.
Early canes were made of malacca and imported from the East
Indies. Brushes were made of whale bones, no nylon or
polypropylene.
The other method of
cleaning flues that was developed originally came from the
Continent - Europe. This was the ball, brush and rope system
which was lowered down from the top of the chimney. The
weight of the lead or iron ball pulls the brush down, thus
cleaning the chimney. This procedure is still used widely in
Scotland even today. This is because of the historical
contacts Scotland had with Europe. With the Industrial
Revolution and ever greater demand for coal production,
chimney sweeps grew in numbers. In Victorian London, there
were over 1,000 chimney sweeps serving the area.
Scotland had with Europe. With the Industrial Revolution and
ever greater demand for coal production, chimney sweeps grew
in numbers. In Victorian London, there were over 1,000
chimney sweeps serving the area.
The continued expansion of
coal as the main fuel for domestic heating ensured that the
sweeping trade flourished. This was right up to the early
1960s when gas began to be installed and replace coal as a
source of domestic heating. The switch to gas continued in
the seventies and many of the old established family sweeps
retired or gave up the business. Until this period, sweeps
had traditionally cleaned only coal, wood and oil chimneys.
Public awareness of the need for clean, safe and clear
chimneys was almost non-existent.
Carbon monoxide poisonings
from blocked chimneys began to be noticed.
Above text copyright
Martin Glynn. Used without permission.
 |
Our certified chimney sweeps will be happy to assist you in safety
inspections, chimney repair, chimney reline questions or any
fireplace,
dryer venting needs.
We
service all of Johnson County, Kansas City Missouri, Northland KCMO,
Lee´s Summit, Blue Springs, Desoto, Shawnee Mission, Lenexa and
everywhere in Between.
|
| | | |
|
| |
Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to CHIMNEY SOLUTIONS
Designed by: www.web-artdesign.com Avondale, Missouri Basehor, Kansas Belton, Missouri Birmingham, Missouri Blue Springs, Missouri Bonner Springs, Kansas Buckner, Missouri Claycomo, Missouri Countryside, Kansas De Soto, Kansas Edgerton, Kansas Edwardsville, Kansas Excelsior Springs, Missouri Fairway, Kansas Gardner, Kansas Gladstone, Missouri Glenaire, Missouri Grain Valley, Missouri Grandview, Missouri Greenwood, Missouri Harrisonville, Missouri Houston Lake, Missouri Independence, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri (Major airport: Kansas City International Airport) Kansas City, Kansas Kearney, Missouri Lake Lotawana, Missouri Lake Quivira, Kansas Lake Tapawingo, Missouri Lake Waukomis, Missouri Lake Winnebago, Missouri Lansing, Kansas Leavenworth, Kansas Leawood, Kansas Lee's Summit, Missouri Lenexa, Kansas Levasy, Missouri Liberty, Missouri Linwood, Kansas Lone Jack, Missouri Merriam, Kansas Mission, Kansas Mission Hills, Kansas Mission Woods, Kansas Missouri City, Missouri North Kansas City, Missouri Northmoor, Missouri Oak Grove, Missouri Oaks, Missouri Oakview, Missouri Oakwood, Missouri Oakwood Park, Missouri Odessa, Missouri Olathe, Kansas Ottawa, Kansas Overland Park, Kansas Parkville, Missouri Peculiar, Missouri Platte City, Missouri Platte Woods, Missouri Pleasant Hill, Missouri Pleasant Valley, Missouri Prairie Village, Kansas Randolph, Missouri Raymore, Missouri Raytown, Missouri River Bend, Missouri Riverside, Missouri Roeland Park, Kansas Shawnee, Kansas Sibley, Missouri Smithville, Missouri Spring Hill, Kansas Sugar Creek, Missouri Tonganoxie, Kansas Unity Village, Missouri Weatherby Lake, Missouri Westwood, Kansas Westwood Hills, Kansas Cass County, Missouri Clay County, Missouri Jackson County, Missouri Platte County, Missouri Johnson County, Kansas Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Lenexa, Overland Park, Overland Park Kansas, Lenexa Kansas, Shawnee Mission, Kansas Linn County, Kansas Miami County, Kansas Bates County, Missouri Caldwell County, Missouri Clinton County, Missouri Lafayette County, Missouri Ray County, Missouri 66062 Overland Park 66085 Overland Park 66202 Overland Park 66203 Overland Park 66204 Overland Park 66206 Overland Park 66207 Overland Park 66208 Overland Park 66209 Overland Park 66210 Overland Park 66211 Overland Park 66212 Overland Park 66213 Overland Park 66214 Overland Park 66215 Overland Park 66221 Overland Park 66223 Overland Park 66224 Overland Park 66225 Overland Park 66251 Overland Park 66282 Overland Park 66283 Overland Park, 66206 Leawood 66207 Leawood 66209 Leawood 66211 Leawood 66224 Leawood 66201 Shawnee Mission 66202 Shawnee Mission 66203 Shawnee Mission 66204 Shawnee Mission 66205 Shawnee Mission 66206 Shawnee Mission 66207 Shawnee Mission 66208 Shawnee Mission 66209 Shawnee Mission 66210 Shawnee Mission 66211 Shawnee Mission 66212 Shawnee Mission 66213 Shawnee Mission 66214 Shawnee Mission 66215 Shawnee Mission 66216 Shawnee Mission 66217 Shawnee Mission 66218 Shawnee Mission 66219 Shawnee Mission 66220 Shawnee Mission 66221 Shawnee Mission 66222 Shawnee Mission 66223 Shawnee Mission 66224 Shawnee Mission 66225 Shawnee Mission 66226 Shawnee Mission 66227 Shawnee Mission 66250 Shawnee Mission 66251 Shawnee Mission 66276 Shawnee Mission 66279 Shawnee Mission 66282 Shawnee Mission 66283 Shawnee Mission 66285 Shawnee Mission 66286 Shawnee Mission 66210 Lenexa 66213 Lenexa 66214 Lenexa 66215 Lenexa 66216 Lenexa 66217 Lenexa 66219 Lenexa 66220 Lenexa 66227 Lenexa 66251 Lenexa 66285 Lenexa 66286 Lenexa |
