Complex sentence: Coal was got by hand, hewers using picks and shovels, the mines were lit by candles and children as young as five sat in complete darkness opening ventilation doors for women and older boys who hauled tubs of coal to the shaft bottom.
Split into simpler sentences: Coal was got by hand, hewers using picks and shovels in mines lit by candles. Children as young as five years of age sat in complete darkness opening ventilation doors for "hurriers", women and boys who hauled tubs of coal to the shaft bottom.