| Year | Month | Day | Name of Colliery | Where situated | Owners name | Person(s) killed | Occupation | Age if given | Category of Accident | Cause of death | Extra Details? |
| 1862 | July | 12 | Clydesdale Pit Wishaw | John Dunn | Not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages | |||||
| 1862 | July | 15 | Hillhead No 4 | Kilmarnock | John Gilmour & Co | Thomas Hattrick | Drawer | 17 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at the face | |
| 1862 | July | 15 | Rosehall No 5 | Coatbridge | Addie & Miller | Robert McAlpine | Oversman | 25 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | By attempting to step off the cage while in motion |
Occasioned by the oversman attempting to step off the cage while it was in motion. This shaft is of the form peculiar to the Scotch coal field, and is divided with boarding to suit the requirements of the mine. The winding machinery and shaft fittings are of the usual construction. The deceased at the time of the accident was engaged with an oversman, who had charge of another district of the mine, making an examination of the " rise" division of the shaft with the view of clearing away some loose or insecure material from the side of it. It would appear that they had just completed their examination, that is, the cage had been lowered with them slowly from the surface to the pit bottom, and without going off the cage, they had made the visual ascent signals to be raised again, but just as the signals were made, and the cage was about to be raised, some loose stuff fell on to the cover of the cage, and it is supposed that the deceased had got alarmed at it, and in attempting to get off, he got entangled with the cage, and was crushed between it and the side of the shaft. The bottomer, who was near to the signalling apparatus, gave the back signal to the engineman without delay, but unfortunately it was too late to prevent the accident. Newspaper report |
| 1862 | July | 18 | Arbuckle | Airdrie | William Black | James Laidlaw | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of stone at face | ||
| 1862 | July | 18 | Stevenson | Stevenson | Merry & Cunningham | Patrick Lennan | Borer | 58 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp at a bore hole |
This accident took place at a borehole which the deceased and
other workmen were in the act of putting down from the "
waste" of the " five-quarter" coal to prove the
position and quality of the seams underlying. The depth of the
bore from the pavement of this seam was about 11 fathoms. It would appear that, on the day of the accident, and a short time before it took place, a "cutter" or open rent in the strata, had been intersected by the bore, and a quantity of firedamp, evidently existing under considerable pressure, forced itself up through the bore-hole and the water which was in it, and lodged in a high part of the roof immediately adjoining. During this extra discharge the ventilation at that place was found insufficient, and though the borers had retired when the gas first made its appearance, they had afterwards returned, or ventured nearer to it, when it is supposed that the firedamp had ignited at an unprotected light, either belonging to one of the borers, or to the breaksman employed at a short distance to the " dip" of the borehole. |
| Peter Wood | Assist. Borer | 26 | |||||||||
| 1862 | July | 19 | Coathill | Coatbridge | Merry & Cunningham | Dennis Sweenie | Drawer | 25 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Crossing the cage after a signal had been made to raise it | |
| 1862 | July | 23 | Murdostoun | Wishaw | Robert Stewart | Wm Edgar | engineman | In shafts | Slipped off a bunton and fell down the pit while changing a bucket | This was purely accidental | |
| 1862 | July | 23 | Turf Dyke | Stevenson | Merry & Cunningham | James Raeside | Collier | 34 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while engaged securing it | |
| 1862 | July | 24 | Legbrannock | Airdrie | Monkland Iron Co | James Galloway | Contractor | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Fell off scaffold in sinking pit | ||
| 1862 | July | 31 | Overcroy No 1 | Kilsyth | W Baird & Co | William Hunter | Sinker | 30 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | While being raised on a cistern it was drawn against a beam at the pit mouth which snapped the bearing bolts, and the cistern fell to the bottom |
The deceased were engaged on the day of the accident removing
a small cistern, which had been employed as a temporary lodgement
in the shaft, for the purpose of enabling them to extend the
column of pumps to the bottom. A pair of slings were connected to the end of the winding rope fitted with bolts and cotters for attaching to the cistern. After making the connexion, it appears that the cistern in being drawn up the shaft, caught against a beam at the pit mouth ; the bolts broke suddenly, and the deceased, with the cistern, were precipitated to the bottom. It did not appear to me that the connexion in this case had been arranged in a very judicious way, and a different application of the same materials might have been more effective. Nevertheless, if the unlooked for occurrence of the cistern getting entangled in the crossbeam at the pit mouth had not happened I believe the connexion would have been quite sufficient for the occasion. Newspaper Report - Dunbartonshire accidents NB Date actually 26 July |
| Matthew McKinnon | Sinker | 30 | |||||||||
| 1862 | August | 2 | Overtown | Wishaw | Waddel & Lowden | William Lyle | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of coal in Ell coal seam | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages | |
| 1862 | August | 4 | Cowdenbeath | Lochgelly | Forth Iron Co | George Roney | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of head coal | ||
| 1862 | August | 7 | Rochsolloch | Airdrie | William Cowan | Pat Sweeny | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of coal in Kiltongue seam | ||
| 1862 | August | 8 | Minivie No 3 | Dalmellington | Dalmellington Iron Co | Daniel McInalty | roadsman | 40 | In shafts | Was struck by a stone in the shaft whilst standing on the top of the cover of the cage |
In this case the sufferer was a roadsman, who at the time of
the accident was engaged taking bratticing wood down the shaft.
The cage by which he was being lowered was fitted with a good
substantial cover; of course the wood could not be placed under
the cover, but there would have been no difficulty in placing
it so as to rest upon the cage, leaving ample room for standage
to those who required to go along with it, if necessary. The accident took place while the deceased was standing upon the cover of the cage at the pit bottom, by a fall of stone supposed from the side of the shaft. The strata through which this shaft is sunk is comparatively soft. I directed attention to the 6th general rule, which provides that " Every working and pumping pit or shaft where the natural strata, under ordinary circumstances, are not safe, shall be securely cased or lined or otherwise made secure." Independent of the secure state of a shaft or otherwise, I think a covered cage is indispensable as a means of protection to persons while being lowered or raised. I invariably advise that at least one covered cage shall be used at every working or winding pit; and that where only one is covered the workmen shall be restricted to ride upon it. The arrangement of working with only one of the cages covered is suggested in consequence of the inconvenience of taking down long lengths of wood upon a cage with a cover on it. |
| 1862 | August | 11 | Kenmuirhill | Tollcross | John Horne | George Wyper | Collier | 30 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1862 | August | 14 | Milnwood | Holytown | John Christie | Mic. Clarke | Fireman | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
The accident occurred at Milnwood colliery, under nearly similar
circumstances with the first [May 13 1862, Merryton]. The pit had been standing for two days for the purpose of making repairs on the machinery and the furnace had not been kept on. The two firemen of the pit were lowered down by an auxiliary engine to kindle the furnace and examine the workings. One of them had a Davy lamp and the other a naked light. A small quantity of firedamp which had accumulated in a road in consequence of the suspension of the furnace, kindled at the naked light and burned them both ; one of them died. The accident was caused by their own negligence. |
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| 1862 | August | 23 | Drumpeller No 1 | Coatbridge | John Wilson's Trustees | John Gary | Collier | 18 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1862 | August | 27 | Springfield No 2 | Bishopbriggs | W Dixon & Co | Robert Davidson | Miner | 27 | Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | By the cage descending upon him while unnecessarily exposing himself in the bottom of the shaft | In this case the sufferer was employed as a drawer to run the empty hutches from the pit bottom into a "horse lye." and to push back the full ones. He had, on the day of the accident, contrary to all practice, and without cause, gone in to the bottom of the shaft while a return cage was in the act of being lowered to it, and remained there, after having been warned of his danger by the bottomer, till the descending cage was partly lowered upon him. His leg, which was caught between the cage and the plates at the cage seat, was badly bruised, and from that and other injuries, he died in a few days after. |
| 1862 | August | 28 | Wellwood No 1 | Muirkirk | W Baird & Co | James Stevenson | Collier | 16 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal |
This accident forms a striking illustration of the hazardous
nature of a miner's employment, and shows how, from various and
unforeseen causes, his life is daily imperilled. The deceased was a young man, and at the time of the accident it would appear that he was engaged at the face of the coal, undermining and preparing to take it down, when it is supposed that a portion of the coal which was being undermined, in falling, came in contact with the point of his pick in such a way as to cause it to enter the back of his ear, and produced injuries which in a few minutes after proved fatal. |
| 1862 | September | 1 | Pather | Wishaw | Boyd & Spencer | James Young | Drawer | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
The accident occurred at Pather colliery. The workings were five feet high, and were worked by stoop and room; stoops 12 yards square, rooms 13 feet wide. Firedamp occasionally gathered in the rooms, but instead of carrying up a brattice and sending a current of air into the place to dispel the firedamp, it was "waffed out" with a fan by the fireman every morning. When the rooms were driven up 12 yards they were stopped and fenced off until an end was driven over. So imperfectly was this done that a putter stumbled by mistake into a standing room one day and exploded the firedamp in it. He died in consequence of the injuries he received. When I examined the colliery three days afterwards I found this room up 31 feet, and 21 feet of it was filled with firedamp. |
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| 1862 | September | 9 | Jerviston | Holytown | Summerlee Iron Co | A Coffie | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of stone in Pyotshaw coal | ||
| 1862 | September | 12 | Gartshore No 3 | Kilsyth | William Baird & Co | Wm Abercrombie | Sinker | 29 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Fell off the kettle while ascending the shaft | |
| 1862 | September | 12 | Hurlford Colliery | Hurlford | John Howie | Hugh Thompson | Collier | 36 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1862 | September | 24 | Cadder No 2 | Bishopbriggs | Carron Iron Co | William Jollie | Miner | 60 | Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of roof while engaged securing it |
The deceased were miners, and at the time of the accident they
were engaged forming a level mine, cross cutting to the rise,
from the main seam of ironstone to one which underlay it about
5 fathoms. They had extended it only a short distance, but not far enough to admit of the natural strata being left on as a roof. The accident was occasioned by a mass of the roof near to the face, partially supported, falling unexpectedly. |
| William Hunter | Miner | 45 | |||||||||
| 1862 | September | 24 | Warrickhill No 3 | Kilmarnock | Merry & Cunningham | William Vernon | Boy | 12 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at the face | |
| 1862 | September | 24 | Whifflat No 14 | Coatbridge | Trustees of the late J Wilson | John McCourt | Windlassman | 36 | Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | Struck by the handle of the windlass while lowering a hutch | |
| 1862 | September | 26 | Milnwood | Holytown | John Christie | John Shields | Sinker | In shafts | Fell out of kettle while ascending pit | At Milnwood a sinker was ascending by a windlass ; the hook by which the bucket was attached to the rope was of the simplest kind. The bow of the bucket was intended to be secured by a cutter passing through the hook above it, but this had been neglected ; the bucket slipped off, and the man fell to the bottom. Recommended spring hooks to be used, which has been done. | |
| 1862 | September | 30 | Capeldrae | Kirkcaldy | Robert Aytoun | James Crombie | Contractor | Falls of roof | Fall of stone | ||
| 1862 | October | 4 | Westmuir | Glasgow | Robert Gray & Co | Michael McLachlan | Brusher | 33 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while blasting | |
| 1862 | October | 10 | Bartonholm No 2 | Kilwinning | W Baird & Co | Robert Thomson | Collier | 26 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1862 | October | 11 | Govan | Glasgow | W Dixon & Co | Thomas Robertson | roadsman | 39 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
This accident happened in the lower or splint coal seam of the
colliery, and was occasioned by one of the miners taking his
unprotected light in contact with a small quantity of firedamp
which had collected in a high part of the roof of his roadway.
The explosion, though of trifling extent, had the effect of displacing a trap door; which, coming violently in contact with one of the roadsmen, who was sitting near to it at the time, caused his death. It was supposed, though not proved, that a main trap door, leading into a certain part of the district, had been left open for a short time by one of the drawers, which had the effect of diverting the ventilation from the roadway in question, and causing a partial stagnation. |
| 1862 | October | 19 | Abercorn No 2 | Paisley | Merry & Cunningham | Murty Bable | Drawer | 27 | Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | By being run over by a full hutch on a drawing road | |
| 1862 | October | 21 | Kennet | Alloa | Thomas Greer | John Paterson | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of stone | NB No death certificate for a John Paterson can be found to fit this accident. A Malcolm Mitchell, age 11 did die in Kennet on 21 October 1862. Clackmannan pages | |
| 1862 | November | 16 | Morningside | Wishaw | Shotts Iron Co | Robert Carson | Pumper | In shafts | Crushed by cage while ascending pit | At Morningside the pit-head man was absent on a Fast day, and no proper signal was made from the pit-head to the pit-bottom, when a man engaged pumping water was about to ascend. Some misunderstanding took place, and the man was carried up before being properly stationed on the cage, and he was crushed at the door-heads. A cord is now carried into the engine-house, so that the engineman can make the signal. | |
| 1862 | November | 26 | Bleeze No 1 | Dalry | Merry & Cunningham | Charles Robertson | Assistant pitheadsman | 53 | Ironstone mines – above ground | Fell off the platform at the pithead when running out a hutch |
This accident happened to an assistant pit headman, who had been
accustomed for a number of years to work as such at ironstone
pits. On the day of the accident he was in the act of pushing a loaded hutch from the pitmouth along the scaffold leading to the ironstone bing when from some cause he missed his footing, and fell from the scaffold to the ground, a distance of 19 feet or thereby. The erections at this pit are similar to those in general use throughout the district. I suggested to the general manager, with the view of, in future, preventing a similar occurrence, that a light railing, at a proper height, should be placed along the sides of high platforms leading out to ironstone or rubbish bings ; this he agreed to do, and I think it is such an arrangement as should be carried out at all ironstone pits. |
| 1862 | November | 26 | Meadowfield | James Black | Newspaper report | ||||||
| 1862 | November | 29 | Springfield No 4 | Bishopbriggs | W Dickson & Co | Robert Douris | Miner | 20 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Caught between the cage and the struts when being raised | Newspaper Report - Dunbartonshire accidents |
| 1862 | November | 29 | Wellwood | Dunfermline | Thos. Spowart & Co | J Russel | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | ||
| 1862 | December | 10 | Bantaskine | Falkirk | John Wilson | Dd. Davidson | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of stone at face | ||
| 1862 | December | 10 | Myles | Tranent | Sir George Suttie, Bart | Edward Ford | Labourer | In shafts | Fell out of kettle while ascending pit | A sinker came in contact with a bunton while ascending a sinking pit and fell to the bottom. The buntons were afterwards clad with sliding deals and a similar accident could not happen. | |
| 1862 | December | 18 | Balgreggie | Lochgelly | Crombie & Anderson | J Stevenson | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | ||
| 1862 | December | 19 | Priestrigg | Airdrie | Dundas Simpson | Wm Gray | Pitheadman | In shafts | Blown into pit by gust of wind | Recommended sliding gates, which the owner has promised to put on | |
| 1862 | December | 20 | Sunnyside | Wishaw | Archd. Russell | James Milloy | Labourer | In shafts | Fell down pit from surface | A labourer was sending up loaded hutches of dross onto a higher scaffold, by means of the cage. He ran forward a loaded hutch into the pit when there was no cage to receive it, fell down the pit and he followed it. There was some mistake about signals. A special signal is now placed in the engine-house for this service. Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages | |
| 1862 | December | 30 | Balgreggie | Lochgelly | Crombie & Anderson | Dd Anderson | Collier | In shafts | Jumped off cage at pit head and fell down pit | The engineman lifted the cage up instead of lowering it down ; a young lad who was on the cage descending took fright, leaped off, and fell back into the pit. There was a boat-gate and a stair-pit, and the engineman had orders not to allow the men to descend by the cage. | |
| 1862 | December | 30 | Cambusnethan | Wishaw | D & J Sneddon | Charles Boyd | Collier | Falls of roof | Fall of Pyotshaw coal | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |