TUESDAY, March 12, 1878, remains the darkest day in Kearsley’s history ­— and until recently largely forgotten.

Last Tuesday, people including schoolchildren, gathered to remember the men and boys who lost their lives when an explosion ripped through the Unity Brook Colliery. And will be continued to remembered in the community they lived and worked in ­— and laid the foundations of.

In June last year, the first memorial service in modern times, took place to remember the 43 who lost their lives.

On Tuesday, a service took place near to the site where the disaster took place, which today is marked by a poignant memorial of a replica coal truck.

Plans to remember those who died in the disaster started last year by a small group of people including Stephen Tonge and Billy Kelly. They grew to including the siting of a memorial.

Accidents and fatalities in the mines were common placed but the explosion at Unity Brook devastated a community, with many of those killed buried in the grounds of local churches.

The Unicorn Pub, which no longer exists, was used as a makeshift chapel of rest as bodies were pulled out of the rubble.

Mr Tonge said: “We will continue to hold a memorial service every year to those who lost their lives in the disaster.

“I think all local communities need to know the history of where they live.

“The coal and cotton industry are the foundations of this country.

“It is very important to have involved children in this because they will inherit the community.

“Before we planned the memorial service, Sarah Kinsey at St Stephen’s CE Primary has been taking children to the church every year on the day of the disaster to remember those who died. The children have been learning about it and we have built on that work.”

Mr Tonge said that the disaster would have helped bring about change, particularly in child labour.

Future plans for Kearsley include a wider project to record and commemorate the town’s history.