The Victorians saw child labour as a normal part of working life and some as young as five years old would work underground, often as a “Trapper”. The trapper’s job was to open and close the wooden swing trap doors that allowed fresh air to flow through and any gases to be cleared from the mine. Mine owners, with little or no concern for their workforce, cynically believed that a system involving a series of these doors throughout the mine would also contain the blast of any explosion.
Conditions were appalling. The “Trapper” would work in a tight space for up to 18 hours at a time, six days per week, in total darkness and often in at least knee deep dirty cold water. If a “Trapper” fell asleep the safety of the whole mine could be endangered. Many trappers were killed or maimed in accidents, and/or died very young. As a result of accidents or as a result breathing in coal dust (‘black lung disease’).
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6 сен 2024
