Blue plaque for Fulbourn child sweep whose death changed law

The inquest into George’s death was reported in the national press and prompted the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury to push for a new law in 1875, stopping children from being used as “climbing boys” in England.

According to Ms Hudson, from Pampisford, Cambridgeshire, his death was also part of a much greater transformation of British industrial society that saw the end of all child labour practices in other industries such as farming, mining and in factories.

Just a year later, in 1876, it was recommended that education be made compulsory in the UK for all children , before being fully enforced in 1880.

James Littlewood, of heritage group Cambridge Past Present Future, external said: “Usually, we receive applications for people who have done amazing things in their lives.

“George’s story is different and special, he didn’t get the opportunity to do amazing things in his life, but his death was the spark for a change in British law that improved the working conditions for all children. We believe that George’s story deserves a blue plaque, so we granted Joanna’s application.”