Everywhere in Wigan one may meet with the widows and orphans of men who have been killed in the mines; and there are no few men more or less disabled by colliery accidents, and, therefore, dependent either upon the kindness of their employers, or upon the labour of their families in the cotton factories.

This last failing them, the result may be easily guessed.

The widows and orphans of coal miners almost always fall back upon factory labour for a living; and, in the present state of things, this class of people forms a very helpless element of the general distress.

These things I learnt during my brief visit to the town a few days ago.

Hereafter, I shall try to acquaint myself more deeply and widely with the relations of life amongst the working people there.
I had not seen Wigan during many years before that fine August afternoon.