posted on 17 Nov 2022

A Candle in the Night by Robert Swindells

Robert Swindell’s 1974 novel for younger readers pulls no punches. The story of two young boys who go on the run because they can longer bear the horrors of working down a coal mine in the 19th century is, in fact, broadly based on the true story of  Jimmy and Joe whose case was cited in evidence in the pioneering research printed as Reports of the Royal Commission on Child Labour.

Orphan, Jimmy Booth can’t imagine that life could be worse that what he experiences in the Union workhouse – until, that is, he’s chosen to be an apprentice to collier, Charlie Padgett. Padgett is a brutal and unforgiving man and Jimmy discovers there are fates much worse even than the workhouse.

Swindell describes the truly dreadful conditions that young boys were expected to work in down the coal mines – conditions that explain why so many were prematurely maimed or killed. In the pitch black he’s expected to work as a ‘trammer’ who physically pulls full trucks of coal along the subterranean railways. Down in the Stygian dark he makes friends with Trapper Joe, another young boy who sits for untold hours in the dark opening and closing gates to the different roads in the mine.

Jimmy discovers that Joe knows a sinister secret about one of the roads that is kept closed – someone is being held a prisoner in the mine. But why and who?

But up in the outside world things may be beginning to change. Campaigns against child labour in the mines are beginning to take root and the injustices of the apprentice system are finally being challenged. But, of course, mine owners and their friends with vested interests have no intension of allowing these brave campaigners to take away their exploitative trade and they will do anything to discredit them in the public eye. Joseph Croft is one such campaigner but just as he seems to be making progress he’s hit by scandal – his brother has disappeared and seems to have taken with him money intended for the struggle to change the laws on child labour. Croft knows his brother is innocent but has no idea where to find him and so he heads for London to try and reassure his backers.

At this point Jimmy and Joe decide they have nothing to lose by running away from Charlie Padgett’s tyrannical grasp and they head for London to try and find Croft and tell him about the man held prisoner in the mine. Could this be the missing brother?

But the boys face a perilous journey and are hunted and tracked at every turn. Danger is around every corner and Jimmy is recaptured and returned to the mine where he’s imprisoned with the man being held in the closed road. Joe continues his journey to London and, against all the odds, finally finds Croft.

Will they get back to Yorkshire in time to save his brother? Will they be able to clear the good name of the anti-child labour campaign? What will happen to Jimmy and Joe?

Well, I’m not telling you more – you’ll have to find out for yourself. What I can say is that not all stories have an entirely happy ending…..

Unfortunately, copies of the book are quite hard to find and I think the book is currently out-of-print – I’m not even sure it ever made it to paperback. A few copies of the hardback are available on second hand sites and you’ll pay around £20 for a decent copy.

 

Terry Potter

November 2022