|
Legislation |
| In August 1842 the
Children's Employment Commission drew up an act of
Parliament which gave a minimum working age for boys in
mines, though the age varied between districts and even
between mines. The Mines and Collieries Act also
outlawed the employment of women and girls
in mines. In 1870 it became compulsory for
all children aged between five and thirteen
to go to school, ending much of the
hurrying. It was still a common profession
for school leavers well into the 1920s
|
Children as young as three or four were employed, with
both sexes contributing to the work.
The younger ones often worked in small teams,
with those pushing the corf from the rear being known as
thrusters. The thrusters often had to push the
corf using their heads, leading to the hair on their
crown being worn away and the child becoming bald.
Some children were employed as coal trappers, particularly those not yet strong enough to pull or push the corf. This job saw the child sit in a small cutting waiting for the hurriers to approach. They would then open the trapdoors to allow the hurrier and his cargo through. The trappers also opened the trapdoors to provide ventilation in some locations.
As mines grew larger the volume of coal extracted increased beyond the pulling capabilities of children. Instead horses guided by coal drivers were used to pull the corves. These drivers were usually older children between the ages of 10 and 14
This is one of the toughest
jobs for anybody, let alone a child, to carry
out. Hurriers are all about six to eight years
old. You'll be equipped with a wide leather 'gurl'
belt with a swivel chain attached. After
harnessing
yourself
into this, you'll attach the free end of the
chain to a sled. Then, for over a mile
underground, you'll make your way through the
small tight passages of the mine, so small that
you can't stand up. Once
you reach the coal face, you'll have to fend for
yourself among the adult miners as these tough
men load your sled with chunks and slabs of
coal. Then you'll have to scrabble and crawl
back to the surface pulling your load. This must
be completed many times during a 12-hour shift.
If you're lucky, you might get an even younger
child to act as your 'thruster' and shove the
sled from behind.
Danger waits around every corner in this sorry and thankless endeavou
