170th Aniversary of the Huskar Pit Disaster

On Friday 4th July we commemorated the 170th Anniversary of the Huskar Pit Disaster where 26 children were drowned.

My vision was to have children from all around the surrounding district involved in project work about the disaster and on the anniversary, to have them place time capsules in the walls we are repairing at Nabs Wood and have the children wall them in for posterity. Take up for this 'vision' was limited to say the least but at one school, Kirk Baulk of Hoyland, Barnsley shared my vision. Their teachers, Mr Wilson and Miss Linsley, spend some considerable time and effort with their classes producing projects about themselves and the disaster.



The result was that on Friday afternoon we had the pleasure of welcoming 6 pupils and their teachers to Nabs Wood. We were very fortunate in that Alan Gallop, author of Children of the Dark had very kindly offered to speak to us about what happened on that terrible day. His narration of events held us spellbound and I certainly had a lump in my throat as Alan told us the details of what happened. I think part of the atmosphere was that we were at the site of the day hole where the children were drowned just feet from where we were standing and almost 170 years to the minute when the disaster occurred.

Alan Gallop, author of Children of the Dark

Alan had brought along some flowers and he gave one to each of the children and a few of us adults. We let the flowers fall into the day hole as an act of remembrance to those poor children and their families, who must have been devastated.

This lady is a direct descendant of Sarah Newton who was killed 170 years ago

The serious side of the day over, we went to the walls and with a little bit of blurb and instruction from myself the youngsters were soon in full flow placing their time capsules into the wall and putting stone into the wall to bury their work for future generations to find. I had to ask Mr Wilson if he'd been giving these lads and lasses dry stone walling lessons on the side such was the standard of their work!









Unfortunately their day came swiftly to a close and all too soon we had to say goodbye.

L to R: Neil Wilson (Head of History), Joseph Bradley, Lucy Webster, Tom Slack, Rebecca Jones, Lauren Fletcher, Michael Barrow and Gemma Linsley (Class Teacher)

I would like to thank the pupils of Kirk Baulk School, those who were lucky enough to visit the woods and those who couldn't, for making my vision a reality and of course to their teachers Neil Wilson and Gemma Linsley without who's enthusiasm and hard work none of this would have happened. A really nice bunch of folk. Also to Barry and Chris Heeley of High Hoyland Dry Stone Walls who gave up their day to help us on this special day. Last but not least, a very special thanks to Alan Gallop who also gave his time to paint a picture in words of that terrible day.



P.S. I went to see 'Profit and Loss' a play performed by local people at Silkstone Paris Church on Friday evening which was about the Huskar Pit Disaster. It was an excellent performance very well acted, some of whom were relatives of those who died all those years ago. The evening came to a close with the children who played the 26 children who died laying flowers on the monument in the church graveyard. Very moving.