Huskar Pit Memorial

Details

When walking or cycling along the TPT through Silkstone Common, many people will be unaware that they are very close to the site of the Huskar Pit Disaster of 1838.

The stream running through Nabs Wood turned into a raging torrent during a thunderstorm which poured into the bottom of the Huskar Pit (or House Carr Colliery), trapping and drowning 26 children. The disaster is said to have shocked the nation, and led to a bill being put through parliament in 1842 that prevented women and children working down mines.

To mark the 150th anniversary of this disaster the people of Silkstone erected a memorial in the wood (pictured here) close to the site of where the tragedy happened. It shows stone figures of a boy and a girl on their hands and knees crawling through the narrow tunnels. They would usually work in total darkness as candles cost too much money. Children did the work because they cost a lot less than adults.

They were buried in the churchyard at Silkstone, where a large memorial stone lists all their names. An inquest was held at the Red Lion Inn at Silkstone. Stand and read the dire warning on the memorial.

A stained glass window was recently installed in Silkstone Church in remembrance(detail above).

A map of the walk (detail above) which includes the memorial can be downloaded from the website.

NB - the map below is of silkstone village itself.

View larger version at Google Maps