The working day could range from 10 to 16 hours six days a week in horrendous conditions and the use of child labour was common, as was child mortality.
The first use of the slogan Eight Hours Labour, Eight Hours Recreation, Eight Hours Rest is most often attributed to British socialist Robert Owen, circa 1817, and the International Workingmen’s Association - often called the First International - made the eight hour day a principle objective at its first meeting in in Geneva in 1866.
As was the case with recognising voting rights for women, Australia and New Zealand were significantly ahead of Europe and the US when it came to widespread enactment of the Eight Hour Day.