40 Historical Photos of Chimney Sweeps From Between the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

In the history of chimney sweeping, there isn’t a chapter that honestly resembles the depiction of the joyful sweep played by Dick Van Dyke in the classic movie Mary Poppins. Sadly, for centuries chimney sweeping was not an enviable or safe profession, though it was always very much needed. Honorable chimney sweeps of today are respected professionals. Present-day experiences are very different from those of chimney sweeps down through history.

Chimneys started becoming common in Europe around the 12th century, but it wasn’t until the 16th and 17th centuries that narrow flues became widespread, especially in England. These narrow chimneys needed regular cleaning to prevent dangerous fires and to keep the air flowing.

The Tudors in England had established the risk of chimneys and an ordinance was created in 1582 both controlling materials (brick and stone rather than plastered timber) and requiring chimneys to be swept four times per year to prevent the build-up of soot (which is highly flammable). Any chimney fire could result in the owner being fined 3 shillings and 4 pence.

With the increased urban population that came with the age of industrialization, the number of houses with chimneys grew apace and the services of the chimney sweep became much sought-after.

Buildings were higher than before and the new chimneys’ tops were grouped together. The routes of flues from individual grates could involve two or more right angles and horizontal angled and vertical sections. The flues were made narrow to create a better draught, 14in by 9in (36 × 23 cm) being a common standard. Buckingham Palace had one flue with 15 angles, with the flue narrowing to 9in by 9in (23 × 23 cm). Chimney sweeping was one of the more difficult, hazardous, and low-paying occupations of the era, and consequently has been derided in verse, ballad, and pantomime.

At first, adult men did the sweeping. They would climb inside the flues and scrape off soot. As chimneys became narrower (sometimes as small as 9 inches wide), small boys were increasingly used. These boys, called “climbing boys,” were often orphans or sold by poor parents into apprenticeships.

Public outrage grew during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Chimney Sweepers Act of 1788 in Britain attempted to regulate the practice, but enforcement was weak. Later acts (especially the Chimney Sweepers Act of 1875) made it illegal to use child sweeps and required licensing of master sweeps. New inventions like the mechanical chimney brush (invented around 1803 by Joseph Glass) helped replace the need for child labor.

Here’s a gallery of 40 vintage photos of chimney sweeps from between the late 19th and early 20th centuries: