History Mystery Tour

Year 5 and 6 visited the National Coal Mining Museum on Monday 23^rd January to find out about life at work for children in Victorian Britain.  When they got back, they imagined being the inspectors they heard about; listening to stories from the children who worked underground.  Here’s what they heard...

Written by inspector Blake

When you’re down the mine, if you don’t keep your feet in, a coal cart could come and chop off your foot!  My step dad always brought a candle, but he took it with him, and it’s so dark you cannot see a thing. If you sang like I did, and missed the coal cart you would get beaten, or worse you would die!  While you're down there, you could even hear the the rats scattering about.

If you die, the people who own the mine don’t care, they just hire some more people for the job. The worst thing would have to be going down into the mine, because it was only a piece of rope and a stick and if you fell off it you were DEAD!  You even had to work naked because it was so hot. Also if you fell asleep you would more likely to have your legs sliced off!

After interviewing the poor Sam who worked in the mines at just the age of five I went home.