My daughter Hannah knows about me going underground and likes to
look at photographs and often asks about what I do or have done when I have
been away. Fast approaching four years of age, it was high time to have her
introduced to going underground. Pete also has a daughter, but she is quite a
bit younger at only ten months old, but he was up for taking her down as well.
So a date was planned, wives informed and coerced into going underground as
well, a nice place to stay booked and a family trip down Carr's Show Mine took
place.
On Sunday morning we obtained the keys from Peter and all made
our way to the adit. Lots of excitement and in we went. Lucy just took it in
her stride as did Hannah. Asking questions about things she saw and noticing
the cold and dark. She saw some water, and rather than walking between the
rails, it was more fun to walk in the running water. We went to a side passage
and cavity first, looked at a set of points, tubs and some galena. We then
climbed up a series of wooden ladders, which Hannah managed without difficulty.
The ladders led into a stope, and here we stopped for some biscuits and cake
courtesy of Sal. Meanwhile Lucy had found it all so interesting that she fell
asleep. Sal had also brought some tallow candles from Moorlands Candles and we
lit these in the stope explaining to Hannah that the old miners only had
candles for light, and not our powerful lights. Some more photos were taken and
then we exited the mine by the waterfall. Not a long trip but very promising
for future exploits. Hannah also had brought along the pre-school teddy, Mr
Tigtog, hence him appearing in many of the photos. The teachers had jumped on
the idea of him going underground - a first.
Lucy did not seem bothered
at all, so that bodes well for the future, as for Hannah, on Monday morning she
asked me if we can go mining again.... The women folk, however were not so
enthusiastic. I left with a bone to pick with Sal, as she had reminded Sarah,
that I had made a deal with her, that if she came unerground, I would go to a
spa with her. Bahhh. Photos mostly by Sal and the odd few by Karli.
We
would like to thank Peter Jackson for letting us have free reign in the show
mine. |
