August 26, 1892

One of the many coal mining disasters in Britain occurred on this day 118 years ago. The Parc Slip explosion, near the village where I grew up, took the lives of 112 men and boys. My great-grandfather was one of the casualties. He was 21 years old and left a widow who was pregnant with my grandfather.

I was quite shocked when I first saw the rather morbid epitaph on great-grandpa's headstone:

Weep not dear wife but be content
For I to thee was only lent
The Lord has only claimed his due
And very soon may call on you

Great-grandma outlived two more husbands -- I wonder if the epitaph had anything to do with it?