Children
The Factories Acts. As a member of Parliament, Ashley championed measures to protect children working in factories. In 1833 he successfully steered the first Factories Act through Parliament. This landmark act limited working hours for children under 18 to nine a day, and for children under 13 to eight a day. It also prohibited children under nine from working in factories. The act was a major step forward in protecting the health and welfare of child workers.
The Mines Act. In 1842, Ashley also helped pass the Mines Act, which prohibited the employment of women and children under 10 years of age in mines. The act also required that mines be properly ventilated and that safety measures be taken to protect workers.
The Ragged Schools Union. In 1844, Ashley founded the Ragged Schools Union, which provided education and support to homeless and impoverished children. The union established schools in poor neighborhoods throughout London, and it provided food, clothing, and shelter to children in need.
Street Children. Ashley also worked to improve the lives of street children. He helped establish refuges for homeless children, and he worked to provide them with education and job training.
Ashley's work to protect children was a major force for good in the Victorian era. He was a tireless advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable members of society, and he helped to improve the lives of millions of children.
Additional reforms
* In 1851 he got passed the Lunacy Act which set up a Commission in Lunacy to oversee county asylums and asylums run by the church and independent charities.
* In 1855 he pushed for the Public Health Act which aimed to improve the sanitary conditions of the working classes. It set up a central Board of Health and also allowed local authorities to set up their own local boards so people could start demanding better housing and cleaner streets.
* In 1857 the Matrimonial Causes Act allowed women to sue their husbands for separation or divorce.