Kirkheaton

This is perhaps one of the saddest monuments you're ever likely to see. Lying in the quaint churchyard at Kirkheaton, Huddersfield, are the remains of 17 children, all girls, the youngest being just 9 years old. These poor souls met a most horrible death in 1818.

It was on the 14th February that a ten year old boy accidentally set fire to some cotton with a lit candle. A fierce fire soon erupted at Mr Atkinson's mill at Colne Bridge - ending in tragedy. To make matters worse most of the doors were locked because the children were working on the night shift. One story tells that the person in charge (overlooker) ordered those trying to escape back in to the mill. Another story says that the overlooker had in fact gone home to bed and locked the girls inside. It was perhaps a miracle that nine children did survive.

Names of the girls:

MARTHA HEY, AGED 9
MARY HEY, 9
ELIZABETH DRAKE, 9
ABIGAIL BOTTOM, 10
ELIZABETH STAFFORD, 11
FRANCES SELLER, 12
ELLEN HAYTACK, 12
ELIZABETH ELY, 13
MARY MOODY, 13
ELLEN STOCKS, 13
MARY DENTON, 14
MARY DUTTON, 14
SARAH SHEARD, 14
MARY LAYCOCK, 14
NANCY CARTER, 16
ELIZABETH MOODY, 17
SARAH NORTH, 18

Thank goodness for men like Richard Oastler. He was almost a tragic hero. He was a humanitarian, inspired to help factory children from working cruelly long hours for small wages, but did so in the face of massive opposition from the exploitative factory owners and to the detriment of his own health. He was known as the 'Factory King.' Oastler had a chance meeting with Bradford worsted manufacturer John Wood in 1830 that pointed the way forward. 'John Wood turned towards me and reaching out his hand in the most impressive manner, pressed my hand in his and said: 'I have had no sleep tonight. I have been reading the Bible and in every page I have read my own condemnation. I cannot allow you to leave me without a pledge that you will use all your influence in trying to remove from our factory system the cruelties which are practised in our mills.' I promised I would do all I could. I felt that we were each of us in the presence of the Highest and I know that that vow was recorded in heaven.'

These poor children are not forgotten. I was pleased to see some fresh flowers and wreaths laid by those commemorating Workers Memorial Day - April 28th.

STRANGER! IF E'ER
A MOTHER'S TENDER FEARS.
HAVE WATCHED THY STEPS
FROM DAWN TO RIPER YEARS.
IF E'ER SOFT PITY FOR
ANOTHER'S WOE
HAS SWELLED THY BREAST
AND CAUSED A TEAR TO FLOW.
OH THEN! WILL NATURE
SPEAK IN ACCENTS MILD.
A PARENTS ANGUISH FOR A
SUFFERING CHILD.
THEN WILL A SIGH
ESCAPE THE PENSIVE HEAD.
A PASSING TRIBUTE
TO THE UNTIMELY DEATH.

The Monument