Sharing the Earth is a collection of justice-oriented environmental writings. In this lesson, we will read an excerpt from the speech of Lord Ashley which he delivered in 1842. We will read three testimonies collected by Lord Ashley’s commission that investigated a serious accident at Huskar Colliery, Yorkshire in 1838. During Iris investigation, he interviewed a large number of people working in Britain’s factories and mines. Through the interviews, inhuman working conditions in the collieries, severe exploitations, and a worrying number of child labourers were revealed. The working conditions of these children were inhumane. Lord Ashley found very young children working as long as eighteen hours a day in mines and collieries, some attached by chains to heavy carts that they had to drag.

Three testimonies gathered by Ashley’s Mines Commission are given below:

Sarah Goodler, Age: 8 years.

‘I’m a trapper* in the Gawber pit. It docs not tire me, but I have a trap without a light and I’m scared. I go at four and sometimes half past three in the morning, and I come out at five and half past. I never go to sleep. Sometimes I sing when I’ve light, but not in the dark; I dare not sing then. I don’t like being in the pit. I am very sleepy when I go sometimes in the morning.”

Hi there Let me

“I go to Sunday schools and read Reading made Easy.” She knows her letters, and can little words. They teach me to pray. She repeated the Lord’s Prayer, not very perfectly, ran on with the following addition: “God bless my father and mother, and sister and bro uncles and aunts and cousins, and everybody else, and God bless me and make me a good servant. Amen.” “I have heard tell of Jesus many a time. 1 don’t know why he came on earth, I’m sure, and I don’t know why he died, but he had stones for his head to rest on. I would like to be at school far better than in the pit.”

[‘Trapper- The trapper in the coal mine was often the youngest member of the family working underground. Their job was to open and close the wooden doors (trap doors) that allowed fresh air to flow through the mine. They would usually sit in total darkness for up to twelve hours at a time, waiting to let the coal tub through the door.]

Isabella Read, Age: 12 years.

I am wrought with sister and brother, it is very sore work: cannot say how many rake journeys I make from pit’s bot tom to wall face and back, it may about 30 or 25 on aver the distance varies from 100 to 250 fathom (1 fathom 1.8 meters).

1 carry about I ewt. (equivalent of 50kg) and a quarter on my back; have to stoop much and creep through water, which is frequently up to the calves of my legs. Once I get down. I frequently fall asleep while wailing for coal from heal and fatigue. I do not like the work, nor do the lassies, but (hey arc made to like it. When the weather is warm there is difficulty in breathing, and frequently the lights go out.

Man Barrett, Age: 14 years.

I have worked down in pit for five years; my father works in the next pit: I have 12 brothers and sisters-all of them but one live at home; they weave, and wind, and hurry, one of them can read, none of die rest, can, or write; they never went to the day-school, but three of them go to Sunday-school; I come down in the pit at seven in the morning; I do not like workin the pit, but I am obliged to get a living; 1 work always without stockings, or shoe trousers; 1 wear nothing but my chemise; I have to go up and work with the men. They al naked there; I have got well used to that, and don’t care much about it now; I was afraid at first, and did not like it; but they never behave rudely to me.

পৃথিবী ভাগাভাগি করা হলো ন্যায়বিচারভিত্তিক পরিবেশ বিষয়ক রচনাসমূহের একটি সংকলন। এই পাঠে আমরা লর্ড অ্যাশলির একটি বক্তৃতার অংশ পড়ব, যা তিনি ১৮৪২ সালে প্রদান করেছিলেন। আমরা আরও পড়ব লর্ড অ্যাশলির কমিশন কর্তৃক সংগৃহীত তিনটি সাক্ষ্য, যা ১৮৩৮ সালে ইয়র্কশায়ারের হাস্কার কোলিয়ারিতে সংঘটিত এক ভয়াবহ দুর্ঘটনার তদন্তে সংগ্রহ করা হয়েছিল। তাঁর তদন্তের সময়, তিনি ব্রিটেনের কারখানা ও খনিতে কর্মরত বিপুল সংখ্যক মানুষের সাক্ষাৎকার নিয়েছিলেন। এসব সাক্ষাৎকারের মাধ্যমে খনিশ্রমিকদের অমানবিক কর্মপরিবেশ, ভয়াবহ শোষণ এবং শিশু শ্রমিকদের উদ্বেগজনক সংখ্যা প্রকাশ পায়। শিশুদের কাজের পরিবেশ ছিল অমানবিক। লর্ড অ্যাশলি দেখেছিলেন খুব অল্পবয়সী শিশুদের প্রতিদিন আঠারো ঘণ্টা পর্যন্ত খনি ও কোলিয়ারিতে কাজ করতে বাধ্য করা হতো, কিছু শিশুদের শিকল দিয়ে ভারী গাড়ির সঙ্গে বেঁধে দেওয়া হতো যেগুলো তাদের টানতে হতো।

লর্ড অ্যাশলির মাইন কমিশন কর্তৃক সংগৃহীত তিনটি সাক্ষ্য নিচে দেওয়া হলো:

সারা গুডলার, বয়স: ৮ বছর

“আমি গাওবার খনিতে ট্র্যাপার* হিসেবে কাজ করি। এতে আমার খুব ক্লান্তি আসে না, কিন্তু আমার ফাঁদে (দরজায়) আলো নেই বলে আমি ভয় পাই। আমি সকাল চারটায় কখনও সাড়ে তিনটায় নামি এবং বিকেল পাঁচটা বা সাড়ে পাঁচটায় বের হই। আমি কখনও ঘুমাই না। আলো থাকলে মাঝে মাঝে গান গাই, কিন্তু অন্ধকারে নয়; তখন গাইতে সাহস করি না। আমার খনিতে ভালো লাগে না। মাঝে মাঝে সকালে নামার সময় আমি খুব ঘুমন্ত থাকি।”

“আমি সানডে স্কুলে যাই এবং Reading Made Easy বই পড়ি।” সে তার অক্ষর জানে এবং ছোট শব্দ পড়তে পারে। তারা আমাকে প্রার্থনা শিখিয়েছে। সে প্রভুর প্রার্থনা আবৃত্তি করেছিল, তবে খুব নিখুঁতভাবে নয়, এরপর যোগ করেছিল: ‘হে ঈশ্বর, আমার বাবা–মা, বোন, ভাই, চাচা–মামা, ফুপু–খালা, কাজিন এবং অন্য সবার মঙ্গল করো, আর আমারও মঙ্গল করো এবং আমাকে একজন ভালো সেবিকা বানাও। আমিন।’ “আমি যীশুর কথা বহুবার শুনেছি। তিনি কেন পৃথিবীতে এসেছিলেন জানি না, এবং কেন মারা গিয়েছিলেন তাও জানি না, তবে আমি শুনেছি তাঁর মাথা রাখার জন্য পাথর ছিল। আমি খনিতে থাকার চেয়ে স্কুলে যেতে অনেক বেশি পছন্দ করব।”

[ট্র্যাপার — খনিতে ট্র্যাপার সাধারণত পরিবারের সবচেয়ে ছোট সদস্য হতো। তাদের কাজ ছিল কাঠের দরজা (ট্র্যাপ ডোর) খোলা–বন্ধ করা, যাতে খনিতে তাজা বাতাস প্রবাহিত হতে পারে। তারা সাধারণত টানা বারো ঘণ্টা পর্যন্ত সম্পূর্ণ অন্ধকারে বসে থাকত, শুধু কয়লার ট্রলি দরজা দিয়ে পার করানোর জন্য অপেক্ষা করত।]

ইসাবেলা রিড, বয়স: ১২ বছর

“আমি আমার বোন ও ভাইয়ের সঙ্গে কাজ করি। এটা খুব কঠিন কাজ। আমি গড়ে প্রায় ২৫ থেকে ৩০ বার যাতায়াত করি খনির নিচ থেকে দেওয়ালের মুখ পর্যন্ত, দূরত্ব ভিন্ন ভিন্ন হয়—কখনও ১০০ ফ্যাদম (১৮০ মিটার) থেকে ২৫০ ফ্যাদম (৪৫০ মিটার)। আমি প্রায় এক কুইন্টাল (৫০ কেজি) ওজন পিঠে বহন করি; আমাকে অনেক ঝুঁকতে হয় এবং পানির মধ্য দিয়ে হামাগুড়ি দিতে হয়, যা প্রায়শই পায়ের পাতা পর্যন্ত উঠে যায়। একবার নেমে গেলে আমি প্রায়ই মাথা ঘোরা ও ক্লান্তিতে কয়লা আসার অপেক্ষায় ঘুমিয়ে পড়ি। আমার এই কাজ ভালো লাগে না, মেয়েদেরও লাগে না, কিন্তু তাদের এ কাজ ভালোবাসতে বাধ্য করা হয়। আবহাওয়া গরম হলে শ্বাস নিতে কষ্ট হয় এবং প্রায়ই বাতি নিভে যায়।”

ম্যান ব্যারেট, বয়স: ১৪ বছর

“আমি পাঁচ বছর ধরে খনিতে কাজ করছি; আমার বাবা পাশের খনিতে কাজ করেন; আমার ১২ জন ভাইবোন আছে—তাদের মধ্যে এক ছাড়া সবাই বাড়িতে থাকে; তারা বুনন করে, দড়ি পাকায় এবং গাড়ি ঠেলে; তাদের মধ্যে একজন পড়তে জানে, বাকি কেউ পড়তে বা লিখতে জানে না; তারা কখনও ডে-স্কুলে যায়নি, তবে তাদের মধ্যে তিনজন সানডে স্কুলে যায়; আমি সকাল সাতটায় খনিতে নামি; আমার খনিতে কাজ করতে ভালো লাগে না, কিন্তু জীবিকা অর্জনের জন্য বাধ্য; আমি সবসময় মোজা, জুতো বা প্যান্ট ছাড়া কাজ করি; শুধু একটি শার্ট (কেমিজ) পরে থাকি; আমাকে পুরুষদের সঙ্গে কাজ করতে হয়। ওরা সবাই সেখানে নগ্ন থাকে; আমি এখন এতে অভ্যস্ত হয়ে গেছি এবং তেমন কিছু মনে হয় না; তবে প্রথমে আমি ভয় পেতাম এবং ভালো লাগত না; কিন্তু তারা আমার সঙ্গে কখনও অশোভন আচরণ করেনি।”

MCQs on the Introduction

1. What is Sharing the Earth a collection of?
   a) Travel writings
   b) Justice-oriented environmental writings
   c) Historical novels
   d) Religious sermons
2. Whose speech excerpt is included in the lesson?
   a) Lord Byron
   b) Lord Ashley
   c) Charles Kingsley
   d) William Davies
3. When did Lord Ashley deliver his speech?
   a) 1838
   b) 1840
   c) 1842
   d) 1850
4. What accident was investigated by Lord Ashley’s commission in 1838?
   a) A factory fire in Manchester
   b) A shipwreck near Liverpool
   c) An accident at Huskar Colliery
   d) A flood in Yorkshire
5. Where was Huskar Colliery located?
   a) Scotland
   b) Wales
   c) Yorkshire
   d) London
6. Who were interviewed during Lord Ashley’s investigation?
   a) Politicians
   b) Priests
   c) Factory and mine workers
   d) Soldiers
7. What did the interviews reveal?
   a) Rising wages of workers
   b) Inhuman working conditions
   c) Freedom from child labour
   d) Better housing facilities
8. How many hours did some children work per day?
   a) 6
   b) 10
   c) 12
   d) 18
9. What were some children attached to while working?
   a) Horses
   b) Heavy carts with chains
   c) Water pumps
   d) Steam engines
10. Who collected the testimonies included in the passage?
    a) The government of Britain
    b) Lord Ashley’s Mines Commission
    c) Factory owners
    d) School inspectors

MCQs on Sarah Goodler’s Testimony

11. How old was Sarah Goodler?
    a) 7
    b) 8
    c) 9
    d) 10
12. What was Sarah’s job in the mine?
    a) Hewer
    b) Trapper
    c) Drawer
    d) Loader
13. In which pit did Sarah work?
    a) Huskar pit
    b) Gawber pit
    c) London pit
    d) Manchester pit
14. What scared Sarah while working?
    a) Rats
    b) Lack of light
    c) Falling rocks
    d) Water
15. At what time did Sarah usually start her work?
    a) 2 a.m.
    b) 3 a.m.
    c) 3:30 or 4 a.m.
    d) 5 a.m.
16. At what time did Sarah usually leave the pit?
    a) 3 p.m.
    b) 4 p.m.
    c) 5 or 5:30 p.m.
    d) 6 p.m.
17. What did Sarah sometimes do when she had light?
    a) Sleep
    b) Sing
    c) Write
    d) Play
18. Why did Sarah not sing in the dark?
    a) She was tired
    b) She dared not
    c) She forgot songs
    d) She had no permission
19. Where did Sarah go on Sundays?
    a) To church only
    b) To market
    c) To Sunday school
    d) To her relatives’ house
20. What book did Sarah mention reading?
    a) Reading Made Easy
    b) English for Beginners
    c) Child’s Storybook
    d) Holy Bible
21. What did Sunday school teach Sarah?
    a) Mathematics
    b) Geography
    c) Prayers
    d) Cooking
22. How did Sarah recite the Lord’s Prayer?
    a) Perfectly
    b) Not very perfectly
    c) She could not say it
    d) In Latin
23. Whom did Sarah include in her prayer besides her parents?
    a) Only her sister
    b) Only her cousins
    c) Sister, brother, uncles, aunts, cousins, everybody else
    d) Only her teachers
24. What did Sarah not know about Jesus?
    a) Why he came on earth
    b) Why he died
    c) Both a and b
    d) His name
25. What did Sarah hear about Jesus’s life?
    a) He lived in a palace
    b) He rested on stones
    c) He worked as a miner
    d) He studied in school
26. What did Sarah prefer over working in the pit?
    a) Sleeping at home
    b) Playing outside
    c) Going to school
    d) Working in a shop

MCQs on Isabella Read’s Testimony

27. How old was Isabella Read?
    a) 10
    b) 11
    c) 12
    d) 13
28. With whom did Isabella work?
    a) Her parents
    b) Her sister and brother
    c) Her friends
    d) Alone
29. How many journeys did Isabella make on average from pit bottom to wall face?
    a) 10–15
    b) 20–25
    c) 25–30
    d) 30–40
30. What was the approximate distance she had to cover?
    a) 50–100 fathoms
    b) 100–250 fathoms
    c) 250–300 fathoms
    d) 300–350 fathoms
31. How much weight did Isabella carry?
    a) 20 kg
    b) 30 kg
    c) 50 kg
    d) 70 kg
32. On which part of her body did she carry the load?
    a) Head
    b) Shoulder
    c) Back
    d) Hands
33. What physical posture did Isabella often have to take?
    a) Sit and wait
    b) Stoop and creep
    c) Stand straight
    d) Jump and climb
34. How deep did the water often reach?
    a) To her knees
    b) To her calves
    c) To her waist
    d) To her chest
35. What sometimes happened while waiting for coal?
    a) She played with others
    b) She read books
    c) She fell asleep
    d) She sang songs
36. Did Isabella like the work?
    a) Yes
    b) No
    c) Sometimes
    d) She did not say
37. What happened to breathing in warm weather?
    a) It became easier
    b) It became difficult
    c) It was normal
    d) It was fun
38. What frequently went out in warm weather?
    a) Candles
    b) Lights
    c) Lanterns
    d) Torches

MCQs on Man Barrett’s Testimony

39. How old was Man Barrett?
    a) 12
    b) 13
    c) 14
    d) 15
40. For how many years had Man Barrett worked in the pit?
    a) 2
    b) 3
    c) 4
    d) 5
41. Where did Man’s father work?
    a) Same pit
    b) Next pit
    c) Factory
    d) Workshop
42. How many brothers and sisters did Man have?
    a) 10
    b) 11
    c) 12
    d) 13
43. How many of them lived at home?
    a) All except one
    b) Only five
    c) Only two
    d) All
44. What kind of jobs did Man’s siblings do?
    a) Farming
    b) Weaving, winding, and hurrying
    c) Teaching
    d) Fishing
45. How many of Man’s siblings could read?
    a) None
    b) One
    c) Two
    d) Three
46. Could Man’s siblings write?
    a) All of them
    b) Half of them
    c) None of them
    d) Only one
47. Did Man’s siblings ever attend day-school?
    a) Yes, all of them
    b) Yes, some of them
    c) No, never
    d) Only Man did
48. How many of them went to Sunday school?
    a) None
    b) One
    c) Three
    d) Five
49. At what time did Man go down to the pit?
    a) 6 a.m.
    b) 7 a.m.
    c) 8 a.m.
    d) 9 a.m.
50. Did Man like working in the pit?
    a) Yes
    b) No
    c) Sometimes
    d) Never said
51. Why did Man continue to work in the pit?
    a) For fun
    b) To get a living
    c) To learn a skill
    d) To help his father
52. What clothing did Man not wear while working?
    a) Shoes
    b) Stockings
    c) Trousers
    d) All of the above
53. What clothing did Man wear?
    a) Pants and shoes
    b) Shirt and trousers
    c) Chemise only
    d) Coat
54. With whom did Man have to work in the pit?
    a) Only women
    b) Only children
    c) Men
    d) Animals
55. How were the men dressed in the pit?
    a) Fully clothed
    b) Half clothed
    c) Naked
    d) In uniforms
56. How did Man feel at first seeing men in such a condition?
    a) Afraid and uneasy
    b) Happy
    c) Confident
    d) Excited
57. What was Man’s feeling later about it?
    a) Still afraid
    b) Got used to it
    c) Left work
    d) Complained
58. How did the men behave with Man?
    a) Rudely
    b) Politely
    c) Indifferently
    d) They never behaved rudely

MCQs on General Themes

59. What do all three testimonies reveal?
    a) Joyful childhood
    b) Inhuman child labour conditions
    c) Good education
    d) Freedom at work
60. What age range were the children in the testimonies?
    a) 5–7 years
    b) 8–14 years
    c) 15–18 years
    d) 18–20 years
61. What kind of work did Sarah do?
    a) Watching doors
    b) Carrying loads
    c) Reading books
    d) Cooking
62. What was Isabella’s main struggle?
    a) Reading lessons
    b) Heavy loads and fatigue
    c) Playing with friends
    d) Going to school
63. What was Man Barrett’s struggle?
    a) Clothing and living conditions
    b) Going to school
    c) Family quarrels
    d) Playing outside
64. Which testimony mentions prayers and Jesus?
    a) Sarah’s
    b) Isabella’s
    c) Man’s
    d) None
65. Which testimony mentions carrying 50 kg weight?
    a) Sarah’s
    b) Isabella’s
    c) Man’s
    d) None
66. Which testimony mentions working among naked men?
    a) Sarah’s
    b) Isabella’s
    c) Man’s
    d) None
67. What did all three children express about their work?
    a) They enjoyed it
    b) They disliked it
    c) They never commented
    d) They wanted to do more
68. Which child clearly preferred school over pit work?
    a) Sarah
    b) Isabella
    c) Man
    d) All of them
69. What does the passage overall highlight?
    a) Progress in industry
    b) Exploitation of children in mines
    c) Success stories of child labourers
    d) Benefits of Sunday schools

MCQs on Context and Details

70. Who first organized the investigation of Huskar Colliery?
    a) Factory owners
    b) Lord Ashley
    c) Trade union leaders
    d) Teachers
71. What year did the Huskar Colliery accident take place?
    a) 1835
    b) 1836
    c) 1837
    d) 1838
72. What year was Lord Ashley’s speech delivered?
    a) 1838
    b) 1840
    c) 1842
    d) 1845
73. What was the job of a “trapper” in mines?
    a) Carrying coal
    b) Opening and closing doors
    c) Weaving baskets
    d) Collecting water
74. Why were trap doors important in mines?
    a) To stop children from escaping
    b) To allow fresh air to flow
    c) To control flooding
    d) To let animals enter
75. How long could trappers sit in darkness?
    a) 3–4 hours
    b) 6–8 hours
    c) 10–12 hours
    d) 15 hours
76. Which pit did Sarah mention by name?
    a) Gawber pit
    b) Huskar pit
    c) Sheffield pit
    d) Colliery pit
77. What time did Sarah sometimes have to go to work?
    a) 5 a.m.
    b) 4 a.m.
    c) 3:30 a.m.
    d) 2 a.m.
78. What did Sarah say about being sleepy?
    a) She never felt sleepy
    b) She was very sleepy in the morning
    c) She slept during work
    d) She only slept in the afternoon
79. What prayer did Sarah attempt to recite?
    a) The Lord’s Prayer
    b) Hail Mary
    c) The Apostles’ Creed
    d) Glory Be
80. What was the weight Isabella carried?
    a) Half a cwt.
    b) 1 cwt. and a quarter
    c) 2 cwts.
    d) 3 cwts.
81. What does 1 fathom equal?
    a) 1.5 meters
    b) 1.8 meters
    c) 2 meters
    d) 2.5 meters
82. How far did Isabella sometimes have to travel?
    a) 100–250 fathoms
    b) 200–300 fathoms
    c) 50–100 fathoms
    d) 250–400 fathoms
83. What natural condition made Isabella’s work harder?
    a) Snow
    b) Heat
    c) Storm
    d) Cold
84. What happened to the lamps in warm weather?
    a) They burned brighter
    b) They went out
    c) They turned blue
    d) They exploded
85. What did Isabella sometimes do because of fatigue?
    a) Faint
    b) Fall asleep
    c) Cry
    d) Leave the pit

MCQs on Man Barrett’s Testimony (continued)

86. How long had Man Barrett been working when he was 14?
    a) 3 years
    b) 4 years
    c) 5 years
    d) 6 years
87. How many siblings of Man Barrett went to Sunday school?
    a) None
    b) One
    c) Two
    d) Three
88. What did Man say he wore while working?
    a) Shoes and trousers
    b) Stockings and jacket
    c) Chemise only
    d) Apron and boots
89. What did Man Barrett say about the men in the pit?
    a) They were naked
    b) They wore uniforms
    c) They had boots
    d) They wore coats
90. What was Man’s initial reaction to the men’s condition?
    a) Joy
    b) Fear
    c) Anger
    d) Indifference
91. What did Man say about the men’s behavior toward him?
    a) They behaved rudely
    b) They ignored him
    c) They were kind and never rude
    d) They punished him
92. Why did Man keep working in the pit despite disliking it?
    a) To buy books
    b) To help friends
    c) To earn a living
    d) To please his parents

Vocabulary and Term-based MCQs

93. What does “colliery” mean in the passage?
    a) A school
    b) A coal mine and its buildings
    c) A farm
    d) A church
94. What does “trap” mean in Sarah’s testimony?
    a) A cage for animals
    b) A wooden door in the mine
    c) A rope used for pulling
    d) A type of lantern
95. How many kilograms are in one cwt. (hundredweight) approximately?
    a) 25 kg
    b) 50 kg
    c) 75 kg
    d) 100 kg
96. What does “stoop” mean in Isabella’s testimony?
    a) To crawl
    b) To bend down
    c) To jump
    d) To fall
97. What does “fatigue” mean in Isabella’s words?
    a) Happiness
    b) Tiredness
    c) Excitement
    d) Hunger
98. What does “obliged” mean in Man’s words?
    a) Forced by need
    b) Allowed freely
    c) Encouraged politely
    d) Paid highly
99. What does “chemise” mean in the passage?
    a) A woolen trouser
    b) A shirt-like garment
    c) A mining helmet
    d) A leather boot
100. What is the overall tone of the three testimonies?
     a) Joyful and hopeful
     b) Sad and exploitative
     c) Neutral and factual
     d) Proud and encouraging

The answers are: 1-b, 2-b, 3-c, 4-c, 5-c, 6-c, 7-b, 8-d, 9-b, 10-b, 11-b, 12-b, 13-b, 14-b, 15-c, 16-c, 17-b, 18-b, 19-c, 20-a, 21-c, 22-b, 23-c, 24-c, 25-b, 26-c, 27-c, 28-b, 29-c, 30-b, 31-c, 32-c, 33-b, 34-b, 35-c, 36-b, 37-b, 38-b, 39-c, 40-d, 41-b, 42-c, 43-a, 44-b, 45-b, 46-c, 47-c, 48-c, 49-b, 50-b, 51-b, 52-d, 53-c, 54-c, 55-c, 56-a, 57-b, 58-d, 59-b, 60-b, 61-a, 62-b, 63-a, 64-a, 65-b, 66-c, 67-b, 68-a, 69-b, 70-b, 71-d, 72-c, 73-b, 74-b, 75-c, 76-a, 77-c, 78-b, 79-a, 80-b, 81-b, 82-a, 83-b, 84-b, 85-b, 86-c, 87-d, 88-c, 89-a, 90-b, 91-c, 92-c, 93-b, 94-b, 95-b, 96-b, 97-b, 98-a, 99-b, and 100-b.

Introductory Context Questions

1. What was the main focus of Sharing the Earth?
2. Who delivered the speech excerpted in this lesson?
3. When did Lord Ashley deliver his speech?
4. Why was Lord Ashley’s commission formed?
5. What happened at Huskar Colliery in 1838?
6. Where was Huskar Colliery located?
7. Who were interviewed during Lord Ashley’s investigation?
8. What conditions were revealed in the interviews?
9. How many hours did some children work in mines?
10. Why were some children chained to heavy carts?

Questions on Sarah Goodler’s Testimony

11. Who was Sarah Goodler?
12. How old was Sarah when she gave her testimony?
13. Where did Sarah work?
14. What was Sarah’s role in the mine?
15. Why was Sarah afraid during her work?
16. When did Sarah usually start her work?
17. At what time did Sarah usually finish her work?
18. Why did Sarah sometimes sing while working?
19. Why did she avoid singing in the dark?
20. What did Sarah say about her feelings toward the pit?
21. Why was Sarah often sleepy in the morning?
22. Where did Sarah go on Sundays?
23. What book did Sarah read at Sunday school?
24. What skill did Sarah gain from Sunday school?
25. What prayer did Sarah attempt to recite?
26. Why did Sarah’s prayer sound imperfect?
27. Whom did Sarah include in her extended prayer?
28. What did Sarah know about Jesus?
29. What things about Jesus did Sarah not understand?
30. Why did Sarah prefer school to pit work?

Questions on Isabella Read’s Testimony

31. Who was Isabella Read?
32. How old was Isabella at the time of her testimony?
33. With whom did Isabella work?
34. What kind of journeys did Isabella describe?
35. How many journeys did she make on average daily?
36. What was the approximate distance she traveled each journey?
37. How much weight did Isabella carry on her back?
38. Why did Isabella have to stoop while working?
39. How high did the water rise when she crept through it?
40. What happened to Isabella while waiting for coal?
41. Why did she sometimes fall asleep at work?
42. What did Isabella say about liking her work?
43. Why were girls “made to like” the work, according to her?
44. What difficulty did she face in warm weather?
45. What frequently happened to the lights in the pit?

Questions on Man Barrett’s Testimony

46. Who was Man Barrett?
47. How old was he during his testimony?
48. For how many years had he worked in the pit?
49. Where did his father work?
50. How many brothers and sisters did Man have?
51. How many of them lived at home?
52. What kinds of work did his siblings do?
53. How many of his siblings could read?
54. Could his siblings write?
55. Why had none of his siblings attended day school?
56. How many of them attended Sunday school?
57. At what time did Man usually go down into the pit?
58. What was his feeling about working in the pit?
59. Why did he continue working there despite disliking it?
60. What clothing did Man not wear while working?
61. What clothing did he wear instead?
62. With whom did he work in the pit?
63. How were the men dressed in the pit?
64. What was his first reaction to the men’s condition?
65. How did he later feel about the situation?
66. What did Man say about the men’s behavior toward him?

Comparative Questions

67. How was Sarah’s work different from Isabella’s?
68. In what way was Isabella’s work physically harder than Sarah’s?
69. How was Man’s work environment different from Sarah’s?
70. What similarities existed between Sarah and Isabella’s experiences?
71. Why did Sarah and Man both dislike pit work?
72. How did education play a role in Sarah’s and Man’s testimonies?
73. Why might Isabella’s fatigue be considered more severe than Sarah’s?
74. What similarities can be found in all three testimonies?
75. How did each child describe their feelings about work?

Critical Thinking Questions

76. Why were such young children employed in mines?
77. How might the absence of light affect Sarah’s mental health?
78. Why was singing important to Sarah when she had light?
79. How does Sarah’s prayer reveal her innocence?
80. What does Isabella’s testimony suggest about the physical toll of child labour?
81. Why did Isabella mention difficulty breathing in warm weather?
82. What dangers are implied by lights going out in mines?
83. Why did Man mention the men’s nakedness in his testimony?
84. How did poverty force children like Man into dangerous work?
85. Why was schooling not accessible to children like Sarah and Man?
86. How do the testimonies reveal the lack of worker protections?
87. Why did Lord Ashley include children’s voices in his report?
88. How might the testimonies have influenced lawmakers in 1842?
89. Why is it significant that Sarah wanted to go to school?
90. How does Isabella’s work reflect gender-based exploitation?
91. Why did Man normalize the men’s behavior over time?
92. What does Man’s lack of clothing suggest about working conditions?
93. How might child labour have affected family structures in mining communities?
94. Why was Sunday school important for these children?
95. How does religion appear in Sarah’s testimony?
96. Why did Isabella say girls were “made to like” the work?
97. How do these testimonies show both physical and psychological harm?
98. What larger social issues are reflected in these children’s stories?
99. Why might Lord Ashley’s commission be considered an early step in labor reform?
100. How does the passage highlight the clash between industrial progress and human rights?

Answers:

1. The main focus was on child labour during the Industrial Revolution. It highlighted the struggles of young workers in coal mines.
2. The speech was delivered by Lord Ashley. He was a British politician who fought against child labour.
3. He delivered it in 1842. This was during debates on child labour in Parliament.
4. The commission was formed to investigate child labour conditions. It especially examined children working in coal mines.
5. In 1838, a tragedy killed 26 children at Huskar Colliery. They died while trying to escape from a flooded mine.
6. It was in Silkstone, England. The mine employed many young children.
7. The commission interviewed child workers. It also spoke to mine owners and families.
8. The interviews revealed long hours, dangerous work, and cruelty. Children were often chained and overworked.
9. Some children worked up to 12–14 hours daily. They had very little rest.
10. They were chained to drag heavy loads of coal. It was cheaper for owners than using animals.
11. Sarah Goodler was only eight years old. She worked as a trapper in the Gawber pit.
12. She worked in total darkness without a light. This made her frightened during her duty.
13. She often began her work at 3:30 or 4 in the morning. She usually finished around 5 in the evening.
14. To pass time in the pit, she sometimes sang songs. But she never dared to sing in complete darkness.
15. She disliked working in the pit. She longed to attend school instead.
16. Sarah attended Sunday school. There she learned letters, small words, and prayers.
17. She prayed for her parents, siblings, and relatives. She also prayed to be a good servant.
18. Sarah had heard of Jesus. However, she did not understand why he came to earth or why he died.
19. Isabella Read was twelve years old. She worked in the mines with her brother and sister.
20. She carried heavy loads of coal on her back. Sometimes the weight was about 50 kilograms.
21. Isabella often made 25 to 30 trips from the pit bottom to the coal face. Each trip covered long distances underground.
22. She had to stoop and crawl through water. Sometimes the water reached her calves.
23. Isabella frequently fell asleep underground. She was exhausted from the heat and fatigue.
24. She admitted she disliked mine work. Still, girls were forced to accept it as normal.
25. Warm weather made breathing very difficult. Sometimes the lamps would go out.
26. Mary Barrett was fourteen years old. She had already worked in the pit for five years.
27. Her father worked in a nearby pit. She also had twelve siblings.
28. Most of Mary’s siblings worked too. They weaved, wound, or hurried coal.
29. Only one of her siblings could read. A few of them attended Sunday school.
30. Mary went into the pit at seven in the morning. She worked long hours every day.
31. She disliked pit work. Yet she had no other way to earn a living.
32. She worked without stockings or shoes. Her only clothing was a chemise.
33. Mary worked alongside men. They labored almost naked in the pit.
34. At first she was frightened by the men’s presence. Later she became used to it.
35. She said the men never treated her rudely. She gradually stopped worrying about their behavior.
36. The testimonies revealed children faced extreme exploitation. They endured physical and mental suffering daily.
37. They showed how poverty forced children to work. Families depended on their meager earnings.
38. The interviews exposed unsafe working conditions. Darkness, flooding, and suffocation were common dangers.
39. Education was almost absent for these children. Sunday schools provided their only learning.
40. Religion played a small role in their lives. Most knew prayers but little about Christian teachings.
41. Children worked up to 18 hours. They barely had time for rest or sleep.
42. Some children dragged coal carts with chains. Others opened trap doors for ventilation.
43. Young children felt lonely and scared. Working in darkness isolated them for hours.
44. Many children longed for school. They preferred learning over mine labor.
45. The mine work damaged their health. They faced injuries, exhaustion, and breathing problems.
46. The testimonies influenced public opinion. They showed the cruelty of child labour.
47. They helped Lord Ashley’s campaign. His speech demanded reforms for children.
48. The evidence shocked Parliament members. It revealed harsh realities hidden underground.
49. The testimonies strengthened laws against child labour. Eventually, they limited children’s working hours.
50. They also raised awareness in society. People began questioning the morality of child exploitation.
51. The accounts revealed loss of childhood. Children worked instead of playing or learning.
52. They showed how industrialization harmed families. Poverty trapped parents and children alike.
53. Testimonies like Sarah’s exposed fear in darkness. She prayed for courage in the pit.
54. Isabella’s account highlighted heavy physical strain. She carried unbearable coal loads daily.
55. Mary’s words revealed humiliation. She worked half-dressed beside adult men.
56. Together the testimonies created a human picture. They gave voices to the voiceless.
57. The accounts revealed systemic injustice. Employers valued profit over human dignity.
58. They proved child labour was unsafe. Many children faced accidents and deaths.
59. Testimonies demonstrated long working hours. Sleep and leisure were almost impossible.
60. They also showed emotional suffering. Loneliness, fear, and shame haunted young workers.
61. Lord Ashley used these stories in Parliament. He called for immediate reforms.
62. His advocacy exposed industrial cruelty. It forced the government to respond.
63. The commission gave children a voice. Their suffering reached national attention.
64. These testimonies changed social attitudes. Public sympathy grew for child workers.
65. They helped establish child labour laws. These laws reduced working hours for children.
66. They also banned very young children from mines. It was a step toward justice.
67. Education gained importance after the reports. More children were encouraged to attend school.
68. The testimonies revealed child labour’s impact on morality. Children grew without innocence or joy.
69. They also showed the impact on health. Malnutrition and exhaustion were widespread.
70. Family poverty forced parents to send children to work. Economic hardship shaped their fate.
71. Employers exploited this poverty. They paid children little and overworked them.
72. The testimonies reflected gender issues too. Girls faced both labour and modesty struggles.
73. Boys suffered harsh conditions as well. They worked alongside adults in danger.
74. The commission shed light on hidden realities. The underground world became visible to the public.
75. It exposed inequality between rich and poor. Children of the poor carried the burden.
76. The testimonies became historical evidence. They documented industrial child labour in detail.
77. They influenced future labour rights movements. Campaigners used them to argue for change.
78. They reminded society of human cost. Industrial growth relied on child suffering.
79. They also revealed the resilience of children. Despite fear, they endured harsh work.
80. Their simple prayers showed innocence. They clung to faith amid suffering.
81. The stories inspired empathy. Readers felt the pain of child workers.
82. They provided moral lessons. Exploitation of the weak must never be repeated.
83. The testimonies shaped modern views on labour. They made child labour unacceptable.
84. They highlighted the role of reformers. Ashley and others pushed for justice.
85. They revealed gaps in education. Children longed for literacy and learning.
86. Religion appeared in their lives as comfort. But deeper understanding was missing.
87. The testimonies showed the silence of children. They rarely protested for fear of punishment.
88. They demonstrated how children accepted suffering. Many believed they had no choice.
89. The commission helped bring awareness of hidden labour. It uncovered truths from underground pits.
90. It revealed the link between poverty and exploitation. Poor children suffered the worst.
91. The testimonies challenged industrial pride. They asked whether progress justified cruelty.
92. They remain powerful documents today. They still move readers to compassion.
93. The stories help students understand history. They show realities beyond textbooks.
94. They also teach about justice. Every child deserves safety and education.
95. They emphasize human dignity. Labour should never strip children of respect.
96. They connect to modern labour issues. Child exploitation still exists in some countries.
97. The testimonies warn against greed. Profit should never outweigh humanity.
98. They show the importance of social reformers. Without them, injustice would continue.
99. The lessons apply to environmental justice too. Exploitation of people and nature are linked.

100. In the end, the testimonies remind us of compassion. Sharing the earth requires protecting the weak.