The Sad Death of 26 Children at Huskar Pit 1838

[tomkin]

No.77. Isaac Beaver. Examined March 1st., at Rawmarsh.
I am going on 12. I work in Barber’s thin coal pit. I hurry. The gates are almost 20 inches, We
pull the corves with a great and belt from the bank faces down to the tram way and then we thrust
them along. I work at night every alternate week. I like it well enough. They use me well and they
never leather us. It does not tire me at all. I’d rather be in the pit than at school. I go to Sunday
School always. I read “Reading Made Easy”. I have learnt religion pretty well. I don’t know who
Jesus Christ was. I never heard of him. I’ve learnt the Church Catechism but I don’t know it all. I
don’t know what is the largest town in England. Three times ten is twenty. I know God made the
world. I often hear a good deal of swearing and bad words in the pit. There is one man that leathers
me.

No.86. Ann Mallender. Examined March 13th,.
I am 15 years old. I went into the pit when I was nine years old. I trapped a door for about three
years. I have been hurrying since then. I always dress as you saw me to day, naked down to the waist
and with trousers on. I hurry with another girl. I don’t hurry the corves full up hill and it does not tire
me very much but sometimes it does. I have never been poorly with the work. I work with James
Martin who is no relation but he is the getter that employs me. They use me pretty well in the pit. I
have not been a good deal at school but I was at a day school when I was a little girl before I began
going into the pit. I have to riddle and help to fill always. All the girls and boys have to do this. I
cannot read. I go to Sunday School at St. George’s. I learn my letters. I don’t often go to Church or
Chapel. God made the worlds. I don’t know who Jesus Christ was, I am sure I don’t know. My
father and mother never tell me about such things but they have taught me to pray.
[This girl scarcely knows her letters.]

    The above are two of the children who were examined by the Commission and these are
     their actual replies. Unfortunately the questions are not quoted but it is not hard
     to guess what they were.

   Tomkin

[Cathymjp]

I have been profoundly moved reading about this disaster and the statements made by these children.  Many times in the past I have heard about the 'good old days' and have thought for many people they were not 'good old days' at all.

As has been mentioned in earlier postings on this thread, the sad thing is there are still children in this world suffering conditions like these poor young children, and quite often they work to provide goods for the West at pitifull wages and awful conditions, their parents being so poor that they have no choice but to get their children to work to help with the home finances.

You only have to read the books by Charles Dickens to give an insight into the life in Victorian England, life was considered cheap and a child's age did not seem to matter in the slightest when it came to work or a conviction for a minor  supposedly criminal act.

It is essential that tragedies like this one are kept in the public domain so that the following generations can understand and learn from previous mistakes.

Thank you for posting this Tomkin.

Cathy

[tomkin]

At This Juncture, I would like to thank Ian Winstanley & others
  for the permission to publish the extracts from the Draft Copy
 of The 1842 report which you have been reading.
 ( See Attachment)
   
  No.93. William Beaver. Examined March 13th.
I am going 16. I hurry in Mr. Porter’s Pit. It is hard where I work. We hurry at the far end with
my brother. Sometimes we hurry 15 and sometimes 20 corves a day. There used to be girls there but
not now, because the pit is nearly worked out. I have been at a Sunday School I can read “Reading
Made Easy.” The Lord made the world. He sent Adam and Eve on earth to save sinners. I heard my
grandfather tell about it. He’s a great reader but he can’t see. I have heard of the Saviour. He was a
good man, but he did not die here. He is in Heaven. We must pray to be saved. There is but one God
and he does not die like men. Jesus Christ was nailed on a cross but there is all I have heard about it.
I have not begun to learn to write.
I get bread to eat or dinner and we get to sup out of the beer bottles when the men let us. There is
water but there is ochre among it. We get potatoes and meat, and a bit of bread when we come out of
the pit. We get as much as we can eat. I am never poorly. London is the largest town in England. I
never heard mention of France. I never heard mention of Wales or of Scotland but I know people
that come from Ireland. I think Ireland is a town as big as Barnsley where there is plenty of potatoes,
and lots of bullocks. 20 pence is 1 shilling and 8 pence, 32 pence is 2 shillings and 8 pence, 7 times
3 is 32, no it’s 22. I have learnt the Lord’s Prayer.
[Though this child can repeat the Lord’s Prayer but he has no comprehension what it means

[dennford]

One thing is evident from these interviews is that the childs moral standing as evidenced from his/her knowledge of the bible was of the utmost importance - ahead of thier physical well being.

Denn

[Jalkatz]

       Nowhere
       is there any blame on the Mine Owner or Society at Large for
        allowing children to work at such a tender age and in such atrocious
       conditions.
              Tomkin

In fact, during the investigation which followed, the kids themselves were blamed and it was 'suggested' that they were climbing up to skive off work.
Jalkatz

[Carol22]

I have read through all the messages about the huskar children, I live just around the corner from the monument in the wood (Silkstone Common) there is a book written by Alan Gallop called Children of the Dark which tells the tale of the disaster and the mine owners too. I have read it 4 times, it breaks your heart every time.
In 1996 a mechanical digger( in a nearby field to the monument) was removing topsoil and the earth began to fall into  a large hollow cavern. it was investigated and found to be the same Huskar day hole where the 26 dhildren had perished.
It also tells in the book:- in 2002 a local man made a find when he discovered a death certificate in his neighbour's front garden. The certificate related to Catherine Garnett who died at the Husker Drift in 1838

Caz

[tomkin]

Hi Caz,

       

book written by Alan Gallop called Children of the Dark which tells the tale of the disaster and the mine owners too.

                     I've seen references to this book before. I'll have to get a copy if I can.
   
  Thank you,

                 Tomkin

       

[tomkin]

    The Commission didn't only look at the conditions in Coal Mines but also
        Iron mines and other industries such as weaving. Although a lot of weaving
       was done in family groups in weaving cottages any that was done in the large
        Factories must have been horrendous for children.
              As usual there are conflicting opinions from the Medical people and the
        "Worthies of the time". It would appear though that many were of the opinion
         that Miners and their familys were healthier and better fed than the weavers.

           As well as looking into the working conditons, religious understanding,morals etc.
         the commision also looked at the living conditions of some of the workers.

        These are the deatails of one family, although I am puzzled at the sizes of the rooms
          or how these measurements were obtained:-

                John and Anna Charlesworth and 4 children. The oldest 9 years who works
           with his father at the Pit.
          Total family income   19shillings.
           Rent of house            9 1/2 d
           Number of rooms----      House and Bedroom
           Size of house                 6ft by 4ft
           Size of bedroom             5ft by  3 1/2 ft
           Beds                                2 decent.
           Furniture                        Clock, Chairs, 2or 3 tables, Cradle, Drawers, Delf Case
                                                  8 Cages of Birds.
            Books                           Bilble, Testament.

            A small but neat Garden.
       Remarks.        This person is a good and regular worker, but extremely negligent of
                              his religious duties, spending the Sabbath in smoking and feeding
                              his birds.

                                  This man is one of the most regular workers in the Colliery. His
                             house is rather close, the light and air being much impeded by the
                              cages of six Larks being hung in the small window. He as worked with one
                              master 12 years.
 
             Now I know what it means when they talk about " Not enough room to swing a cat."

              Tomkin

[Polldoll]

Gosh Tk That makes very sober reading ...    thanks  for directing me here
 Poll