When I'm focusing on my Scottish (New Cumnock Ayrshire) coal mining ancestors and their families, yes, I do get quite emotional. Many of them died in mining accidents, some of them not much more than children. I have an old book about the Knochshinnoch Mining disaster in 1950, that many of my relatives were lost in, that was sent to my mother. On the fly sheet, she has written that her "grandfather was working in the mines from the time he was 8 years old"! It's just so hard to imagine a wee lad working underground in those conditions. It was outlawed by that time, but it still happened, the money was needed to feed and clothe their big families!
It also makes me sad to know so that many of my older maternal relatives were injured or lost their lives in the mines, and that he and other young people were working in coal mines (and other dangerous places) at such a young age!
Also the thought that the wives were widowed, with big families to keep on little or no income! Although I was told that they did get a little help from the Union, and the Church! Pretty sad though! 😥
Modified to add...... I can't believe how many of my ancestor's children were born out of "wedlock" and how young the parents were! Particularly as they were all very devout Baptists! 😃
My paternal 2xGreatgrandfather died at sea bound for Australia, the cause of his death was Sunstroke, date of death was only 10 days out from his departure from London! Recently widowed, he was going to visit (or maybe live with) his daughter and son-in-law who lived in Melbourne! As this death was in February, I can't fathom how he got sunstroke, when it was probably still the English Winter!
A very kind Rootschatter who was following my Scavenger hunt at the time, found him for me on the Deaths At Sea Marine Register!