THEY STRUGGLED IN PANIC

From age as young as five they were sent down the mine. The darkness struck terror but they dare not complain. In the dust, grit and wet of that black evil place they grub around in filth to work at the coalface. If a new seam was cut the air became toxic. They coughed and they choked and struggled in panic. When the coalface collapsed, alive they were buried. Some were never dug out but just left there as dead. When a child died like that, parents offered some pence, which the coalmine owner thought was fair recompense. In that meanest mine-shaft, with each child a cheap slave there were many young deaths and the pit was their grave.