Sep 17 ‘The Pits’ (by Colin Ross)

Tour Day - The 'Pits'

Today we had a rest from song 
Some tours our guide did cater,
The AM tour 'Fort Louisburg',
Miners Museum was later.

That is the one that I did go
And what an awesome time,
How fuel was discovered
To how 'twas built, - the mine.

We donned a cape and safety hat
Then listened to our guide
Describe hardships experienced,
To how, many had died.

Our guide had been a miner
For many lingering years,
His knowledge was impeccable,
The tales, could bring some tears.

We learned how families toiled so sore
Their British boss - repressed,
Kept them at work for little pay,
Which made the men depressed.

The children also were 'employed'
Education, it was second,
And how far out, under the sea,
The coal, the miners, beckoned.

We started up in brightness,
Then as we journeyed low,
'Twas mostly blackness all around
Though some lights, they did glow.

Experienced how they crouched way down,
Some hours they worked for nought,
Got paid for only coal brought out,
No Union, for them, fought.

Then how the horses that they used,
The smallest breed they had,
For months remained b'low the sea,
Their lives were really sad.



Though on the whole, 'twas excellent,
Their life was NOT the 'Ritz'
And while 'twas educational,
'Twas literally,  'the pits'.