170th ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUSKER PIT DISASTER

Early day motion 1827, tabled 17 June 2008 by Michael Clapham (Labour). Signed by 79 members.

That this House welcomes the Awards for All Grant and all other contributions that have made possible the staging of a play by local children at All Saints Church in Silkstone village to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the Husker Colliery disaster which happened on 4th July 1838 when 26 children were drowned, causing Victorian society to examine its laissez-faire attitude, leading to a national enquiry by the Children's Employment Commission of 1840 and to the first Mines Act of 1842 which prohibited females and boys under 10 years of age from working underground.

Signatures by party: Labour 69, Liberal Democrat 5, Conservative 2, Independent 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.