"I have read this book and found it not only informative and interesting, but also relevant to my own family history research. It is thought provoking and very emotive, giving us a taste of the lives of men, women and children working in the mines and their families, including living and working conditions, and what support was, or was not provided for the families of the victims who lost their lives."

Barnsley Family History Journal

As featured in Barnsley Tales: Dave Cherry takes a look back at The Barnsley Oaks Colliery disaster of 1847

Dave Cherry, Best of Barnsley

"However, Jane Ainsworth has been able in several cases to go further, we learn of those resorting to crime,
remarriages and cohabitations, all of which add up to a backcloth illuminating the lives of the poor, and as a resource, this
book extends beyond that of family reconstitution, providing the potential base for additional research into mining
communities, and removing the seemingly endless slog of poring through the records. As such, it should be a well-thumbed
work for community historians, especially those investigating the lives of miners and their families."

Family & Community Historical Research Society Newsletter, June 2022

“Delighted to see this largely forgotten Barnsley tragedy from 175 years ago thoroughly researched and described by Jane. Overshadowed by the later Oaks Disaster of 1866, the loss of life in this earlier disaster was still very large and devastated so many local families. Jane’s skills as a researcher, historian and author shine through once again as she explores the events of 1847 and the families involved.”

Paul Stebbing, Archives and Local Studies Manager Barnsley MBC

'About the Author' feature in:

Who Do You Think You Are