This is a rare live recording of the song with piano accompaniment, which was later developed into the string quartet arrangement on the album. This song, originally written by English blues singer and guitarist Frank Higgins in 1969, tells the story of a 17-year-old girl’s life working in the mines. The lyrics are based on the actual testimony that Patience Kershaw of Halifax gave to the Children’s Employment Commission in 1842, by which time she had been working in the mines for over 6 years.
See The Unthanks perform in person at The Unthanks All-Dayer on Sun 10 Sep, which includes concerts, participatory events and a Q&A.
