 Child labor is still a major problem in many parts of the world, with millions of children working under unsafe and unhealthy conditions. In the 18th and 19th centuries, children were often taken out of workhouses and sent to work in rural mills in the north of England. This study used bioarchaeology to examine the remains of 154 children who worked in one such mill, providing the first direct evidence of their lives. The children had distinctive isotope signatures and showed signs of malnutrition, respiratory disease, and growth delays, indicating that they suffered from poor living conditions and early life adversities. This study serves as a reminder of the dangers of child labor and its lasting effects on the health and development of young people. This article was authored by Rebecca L. Gowland, N. W. C. Caffle, Leslie Quaid, and others.