In 1840, an investigation was launched to inspect conditions in Britain’s coalmines. But what the inspectors found down the mines would soon become a national scandal. In this first series of History’s Greatest Scandals, Professor Rosalind Crone and Ellie Cawthorne uncover some of the most infamous episodes of the Victorian age. In this episode, they descend into Britain’s dark and dangerous coalpits to explore what this case can reveal about dire working conditions and child labour in 19th-century Britain.

History’s Greatest Scandals is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. For more fascinating stories from the past, head to HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. There you can find other feeds including History’s Greatest Cities, History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, History’s Greatest Battles and HistoryExtra LongReads. Find out more at historyextra.com/podcast.

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This episode was hosted by Ellie Cawthorne and produced by Jack Bateman.

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Corruption down the coalmines