Pit disaster killed 26 children
ROSEMARY Lee, a member of the Roggins History Group, is looking for help in tracing the descendants of the families of 26 children who were drowned in the Husker Pit disaster in Silkstone, near Barnsley.
The children, aged between 7 and 17, worked in the pit as trappers and hurriers.
On July 4, 1838, a flash storm caused a stream near the pit to flood, and water poured into the workings.
The men on the pit top shouted down the shaft to the miners to stay where they were as the water had flooded the steam engine and they would have to re-start it to lower the cage again.
Underground the miners were terrified – they didn't know it was a storm, they thought it was firedamp and some of them set off to walk up the drift. The water pouring into the pit trapped them against one of the doors and most of them drowned.
This disaster led to a Royal Commission and the Mines Act of 1842 which prohibited women and children from working underground.
This year the Roggins History Group commemorated the 170th anniversary of the disaster with a play and a memorial service.
Mrs Lee hopes readers may be able to help with information about Emma Garnett and her family.
Emma was the daughter of Francis Garnett and Mary Arthurs and was married to Charles Nichols in 1861, with the wedding registered at Huddersfield.
Charles was a millwright and the couple lived at Batley and Mirfield.
Their children were Henry, born 1861; Mary 1864; William 1868; Charlotte 1869; Betsy 1874; Frank 1877; and Sarah 1872. Emma died in 1897.
Anyone with information should contact Mrs Rosemary Lee, Park Horse Green, Silkstone, Barnsley, S75 4JT.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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