End of the Line

Chapter Three. The Yellow Earl

               Hugh Lowther, the 5th Earl of Lonsdale, known by some as the Yellow Earl, but as "Lordy" by his tenants, received the first news of the disaster on the Thursday afternoon. He and his entourage were in London for the funeral of King Edward VII. The news came in the form of a telegram from Bill Little, his head agent at the Lowther estate, and simply announced that the agent was going to Whitehaven to investigate reports of an explosion in the Wellington Mine. The following day, just as he was leaving Westminster Abbey he learned of the decision to seal the pit. Immediately he organized a special train to transport him to the disaster site. 

               The train pulled into Whitehaven early on the Saturday morning just as the sun rose over the West Cumberland hills. The streets of the town were deserted. Most of the inhabitants were still in bed, striving to recover from the exhaustion brought on by many hours of sleep deprivation. Driven by the urgent need for information he hurried to the offices of his mining company where he brushed aside the formal greetings with a curt ," never mind that. What's being done to get the men out?"

            After discussions with miners and safety experts, and despite warnings  he even descended into the pit for a personal inspection. This finally convinced him that nothing else could have been done to save the miners. 

                Grim faced, the Earl picked up his walking stick, donned his hat, and made his solitary way into the evil smelling lanes and back streets of the Ginns, the rat infested slum that had been home to most of the miners who had perished. Not one door in those long closely packed rows of cottages did Lordy ignore. 

              Annie was the first to spot the unmistakeable figure of the Earl making his way from house to house along their street. By the time he reached their humble abode, her four remaining children and a reluctant husband were lined up in the front parlour, all dressed in their Sunday best. Pop responded to the sound of cane on door. He ushered in the Earl with a deferential "Welcome your grace." As he entered ,Mary and her sister Belle curtsied as instructed, and the boys George and Dan bowed. 

               Lonsdale took the opportunity to scan his information sheet. "So you must be the Bens...." he stopped in mid sentence. Annie was on the verge of tears. Unexpectedly the lord of the realm approached her and placed his arm around her trembling shoulders in an attempt to console the grieving mother. 

         "I'm so sorry Mrs. Benson. We did everything humanly possible to save your son. Nothing more could be done." 

             "Are you sure there are no survivors my Lord?" she whimpered. 

              "Positive, absolutely positive. We had no choice. To put out the fire we had to seal the mine." 

             Annie gave a wail of anguish. Lonsdale released her and Mary rushed to her side. Lonsdale turned to face Pop. 

             "I see from my list that your son was only fourteen years of age. Is that true?" 

              "Yes my lord." 

              "Isn't that far too young for the mines?" 

               "Not really my lord. He was a bigun. Would have been a great hewer one day." 

              "But did he have to work?" 

              "Look around you Sir. There's far too many mouths to feed on one miserable miner's wage." 

              Lonsdale nodded. It was an all too familiar story, but not one to which one of the wealthiest men in England could really relate. In this case, however the mine manager had persuaded him to offer some assistance. 

              "Mr. Benson, I know it is impossible for me to compensate you for the loss of a son but I feel I am greatly in your debt. Not only for your fifteen years of exceptional service in the mine but also for your brave actions during the rescue attempts. The mine manager suggested that I nominate you for the King Edward Medal and give you a monetary reward. I have wholeheartedly agreed to this, but I feel you deserve much more." 

           He withdrew a document from his greatcoat pocket and handed it to the father. It was a sealed piece of parchment emblazoned with the Lonsdale crest. 

             "Take this promissory note. If you or any of your offspring are ever in need of employment just bring this sealed letter to my agent Mr. Little, and he will arrange for one of you to join my household. 

                The seal remained unbroken for four years.

Author's Note:-

This novel is a fictional family history. Realize however that many of the incidents described (such as the Wellington Pit Disaster) actually occurred. It also should be noted that the Yellow Earl is not a figment of my imagination, but a well researched real character.

In the first draft of this novel I opened with a lengthy first chapter combining Chapters 1,2 and 3. Would this be preferable? I am looking for constructive criticism to help me in the inevitable rewrite.