| Year | Month | Day | Name of Colliery | Where situated | Owners name | Person(s) killed | Occupation | Age | Category (if given) | Cause of death and remarks | Extra details |
| 1865 | January | 9 | Auchinheath | Lanark | Duke of Hamilton | John Brown | Overseer | -- | Above ground | Injured by a pipe falling on him in December 1864 | |
| 1865 | January | 10 | Dalziel | Lanark | John P Kidston | William Connor | Drawer | 20 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp | There were four fatal explosions which resulted in the loss of five lives. The first of these, at Dalziel Colliery near Wishaw, caused the death of William Connor. The deceased, just before commencing his work, went into a place of common resort, off the roadside, and some fire-damp which had lodged there ignited at his lamp, and he died in consequence of the injuries received. Previously to this fire-damp had not been seen there. He could not have got more than 19 feet from the roadside, because of a wooden stopping which separated the road from an old waste. It was part of the ventilating arrangements to send a current of air through this old waste, but the air-courses were out of repair, and I found the ventilation had been deranged by the opening up, a week before, of a communication with a new pit which had been sunk for the statutory second outlet. The fire-damp had probably accumulated at some heavy falls which were in the waste referred to, and had oozed through the wooden stopping into the place where the deceased exploded it. After the accident the air-courses were enlarged and a new ventilating furnace erected, and on my next visit to the colliery, a month afterwards, the ventilation was much improved Lanarkshire accidents. |
| 1865 | January | 11 | Armadale | Linlithgow | Monkland Iron Co | Alexander Binnie | Collier | -- | Falls of roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1865 | January | 14 | Cambusnethan | Lanark | John Sneddon | John Hammond | Collier | 48 | Falls of roof | ||
| 1865 | January | 19 | Wemyss | Fife | Mr Wemyss | Alexander Murray | Collier | 17 | Falls of roof | A fall of coal knocked out a prop and the roof fell upon him | |
| 1865 | January | 30 | Gallowhill | Lanark | Dr Robertson | Thomas Cleland | Miner | 23 | Ironstone mines – falls of roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1865 | January | 30 | Newton | Cambuslang | J P Kidston | Robert Clark | Assistant | 25 | In shafts | By the crane rope slipping round the barrel while being lowered in the shaft |
This colliery is 120 fathoms deep. It appears that on the day
of the accident, after the workmen had been lowered to their
work, and the day's output had commenced, that an accident happened
to the winding machinery. Various parts of it were broken, and
for a time rendered unfit for use. Under the circumstances a
scaffold was constructed and attached to the crane rope for the
purpose of raising the workmen. I understand that the end of
the rope was lashed to the drum of the crane, or fastened to
it with white rope, so as to prevent it from slipping. After
the necessary operations had been completed, the deceased and
a neighbouring workman were lowered upon a scaffold by the crane
and rope. In this way they proceeded for 90 fathoms, or to within
30 fathoms of the bottom, or thereby, when suddenly the rope
upon the drum slipped, or began to revolve round it, and the
scaffold was precipitated down the shaft with considerable velocity.
The deceased appears to have lost his balance, as it is understood
that he fell to the pit-bottom before the scaffold reached it. The cause of accident was the rope slipping upon the drum. There was a "gland" for the special purpose of securing the rope to the drum, instead of lashing it with rope as above described, but unfortunately it was not used in this case. In practice, such a fastening with white rope is sometimes made, but it is not a safe one. |
| 1865 | January | 31 | Warrickhill | Kilmarnock | Merry & Cunningham | Daniel Raffarty | Collier | 53 | Miscellaneous | By falling among a train of loaded hutches, upon a horse road, when riding upon them, contrary to the colliery rules | |
| 1865 | February | 2 | Garthamloch | Baillieston | James Panton | John Letham | Collier | 16 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | Lanarkshire accidents |
| 1865 | February | 4 | Jerviston | Lanark | Summerlee Iron Co | David Adamson | Driver | 14 | Miscellaneous | Crushed by tubs. It was his first day and he had not put in snibbles at the proper time | |
| 1865 | February | 9 | Carfin | Lanark | William Dixon | John Brown | Labourer | 50 | In shafts | He ran an empty tub into the pit at the surface and fell after it, while the cage was at the upper scaffold | |
| 1865 | February | 13 | Bradley | Dalry | Merry & Cunningham | Stewart Boyd | Miner | 24 | Ironstone mines – explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
The deceased was a miner, and the place where he worked was being
pushed forward by two shifts in the 24 hours. It appears that
on the morning of the accident he had descended with the fireman
to commence upon the first shift. The fireman had proceeded to examine a place in the immediate vicinity of the deceased's wall, at least not far distant from it. There was a place defined where the deceased should have remained till after the fireman had completed his examination, but instead of doing this he had gone in during the fireman's absence to his working place, and ignited some fire-damp which had collected in it. Had the precaution of preventing the descent of workmen till after the fireman had made his examination, and signalled to the surface to that effect, been observed, this unfortunate occurrence would have been prevented. |
| 1865 | February | 15 | Boghead | Linlithgow | James Russell & Son | Charles Barclay | Contractor | 30 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Engineman allowed his engine to go the wrong way and took him over the pulleys | |
| 1865 | February | 16 | Barleith No 5 Pit | Hurlford | John Galloway & Co | Robert Raeside | Collier | 41 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of stones | Ayrshire accidents |
| 1865 | February | 17 | Gavieside | Edinburgh | West Calder Oil Co | Pat Campbell | Bottomer | 25 | Miscellaneous | He was ascending the pit and attempted to jump off the cage at the surface before the engine stopped and was squeezed between the cage and the scaffold | |
| 1865 | February | 21 | Coltness | Lanark | A G Simpson | Archd Fisher | Collier | 22 | Falls of roof | Coal fell on him while holing | |
| 1865 | February | 23 | Maidenbank | Muirkirk | Eglinton Iron Co | James Derroch | Pony driver | 16 | Miscellaneous | Fell off a race of loaded hutches, and was run over by them | |
| 1865 | February | 27 | Hurlford No 15 | Hurlford | Allan Gilmour & Co | Hugh Kears | Collier | 30 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1865 | March | 4 | Cambuslang | Cambuslang | Archibald Russell | William Gibb | Drawer | 19 | Miscellaneous | Was run over by his hutch upon a “rise” road | |
| 1865 | March | 9 | Milnwood | Lanark | John Christie | John Shaw | Engineman | 17 | Miscellaneous | He fell among pumping machinery | |
| 1865 | March | 10 | Springbank | Lanark | Springbank Coal Co | John Swan | Collier | 24 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof at his working face | |
| 1865 | March | 15 | Aitkenhead | Lanark | Provanhall Coal Co | John Lawson | Fireman | 34 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof. He was taking out props to drop the stone between the pyotshaw and main coals | |
| 1865 | March | 15 | Oxenford | Edinburgh | John Christie | Charles Good | Drawer | 12 | Miscellaneous | He got entangled with incline chain and was crushed to death on drum. There was no “brakesman” | |
| 1865 | March | 18 | Stonelaw | Rutherglen | J R Reid | John Cardow | redsman | 32 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | March | 20 | Bantone | Kilsyth | James McGregor | Matthew Chapman | Collier | 28 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | March | 29 | Milnwood | Lanark | John Christie | James Scott | Collier | 28 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp | The second fatal explosion was at Milnwood Colliery, within three miles of the last-mentioned place, and which resulted in the death of James Scott and Patrick Slemman. A blind pit had been sunk from the main coal to the splint coal for a second outlet. The mine in the latter coal did not reach the pit for three days afterwards; meanwhile, owing to defective air-courses, fire-damp had accumulated in a mine in the main coal leading to the blind pit, and when the communication was effected this fire-damp flowed down the blind pit, ignited at the lights of the deceased, who were working in the splint coal, and both of them were fatally injured. This fire-damp should have been removed, when the colliers were not in the pit. |
| Pat Slimman | Collier | 35 | |||||||||
| 1865 | March | 31 | Cambusnethan | Lanark | John Sneddon | Andrew Hamilton | Sinker | 35 | In shafts | The windlass rope being too short, with the consent of the manager they took it off, and put on an old “tackle fall”, which broke as they were descending, the first trip | see below |
| Andrew Wilson | Sinker | 29 | In shafts | The windlass rope being too short, with the consent of the manager they took it off, and put on an old “tackle fall”, which broke as they were descending, the first trip |
Mrs. Wilson, widow of Andrew Wilson, who was killed at Cambusnethan
Colliery, in May last, sued the proprietors for damages before
Lord Jerviswoode and a jury. The issue which went to trial was
as follows:- "It being admitted that the defenders are proprietors or lessees of the pit known as No. 6 pit on the Cambusnethan estates near Wishaw : Whether on or about the 31st day of March 1865 the deceased, Andrew Wilson, the husband of the pursuer, Mrs. Agnes Russel or Wilson, and the father of the other pursuers (children), while employed by the defenders on the shaft of said pit was precipitated to the bottom and killed, in consequence of the breaking of the rope used for raising the workmen to the surface, from defect or insufficiency thereof, through the fault of the defenders, to the loss, injury, and damage of the pursuers." The jury awarded damages to the extent of £176 to Mrs. Wilson, and £50 to each of the four children. The Defendant will also require to pay Mrs. Wilson's law expenses. NB A New trial has been granted in this case |
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| 1865 | April | 1 | Glenlogan | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | William Brown | Miner | 16 | Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of roof right along the face of the wall |
This is one of the most painful accidents that has taken place
throughout the mines of this district for a number of years.
The deceased (three of them) were young lads about 16 years of
age each, and they worked with their parents in one of the usual
working places of the pit. |
| Edward Pillen | Miner | 16 | |||||||||
| William Wallace | Miner | 16 | |||||||||
| 1865 | April | 4 | Drumpeller | Coatbridge | Trustees of the late John Wilson | Patrick McCarnie | Collier | 23 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | April | 16 | Rodinghead | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | James Tosh | Bottomer | 30 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | By the cage getting out of the guide rods while ascending |
This pit is of the form peculiar to Scotland; there are two divisions
separated by a partition of wood, and these are fitted with guide
rods and cages for winding purposes. On the day of the accident, and a short time before it took place, I understand that the guide rods in the dip end of the shaft had got partly displaced, so much so that work was wholly suspended in that division. It appears that as soon as the winding apparatus had been got disconnected from the cage in the dip end that the necessary preparations were made for the workmen to ascend in the " rise" division. The contractor, who was in the pit at the time, ascended first with one of the workmen, it is alleged, for the purpose of examining the "rise" end, so as to make sure that the displacement or derangement in the dip end did not extend to it also. It does not appear that they discovered any defect; they were safely raised, and the cage was returned in the usual way for the workmen to ascend. Eight " loads" of men were drawn up after the manager made his examination, and the bottomer and his two companions were the last of the workmen requiring to be raised. The accident happened while they were in the act of being drawn up, about 18 or 20 fathoms from the bottom, by the cage being drawn partly out of the guides. The person who descended first after the accident to get at the cage found it entire, but out of the guides; he put it into its place and was drawn up with it to the surface. The cage being very little out of place, not more than four inches at the extreme point, it is difficult to understand how three persons could fall away from it. I am inclined to think that under the excitement they must either have been attempting to get off the cage by the end of the pit by stepping on to the "buntons," or that one of them had stumbled and got entangled with his fellows and drawn them with him. It is possible that by a more minute examination the defect that led to the accident might have been detected. I am not prepared, however, to state that the examination was either hurried or incomplete, and it is no doubt a fact deserving of consideration that the manager was one of the first to face the danger, and that the eight "loads" of men which followed him were drawn safely to the surface. Newspaper report |
| Peter Folley | Miner | 22 | |||||||||
| William Kerrichan | Miner | 18 | |||||||||
| 1865 | April | 18 | Espieside No 3 | Coatbridge | William Baird & Co | Joseph Eaglesham | Collier | 43 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
The deceased was a collier. His "plane'' had been driven
up the length of the "stoop;" it had been standing
for about four weeks; occasionally a small quantity of fire-damp
gathered along the extreme "rise" of it, and at the
time of the accident he was engaged putting over an "end"
upon it. No doubt the deceased was acquainted with the state
of the "plane;" he had gone into it for the purpose
of obtaining an idea of the extent of coal to cut, when in some
way his light, which he had left at some distance behind him,
ignited the fire-damp, and he was burned. The " plane " was not at the time in the act of extension, and under the circumstances it was the duty of the fireman to place a fence across the entrance leading into it, or to properly ventilate and dispel the gas. |
| 1865 | April | 18 | Raw | Coatbridge | William Baird & Co | James Reid | Firesman | 35 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
The deceased was the regular fireman for the pit, and it was
his duty to examine the workings in the morning before allowing
the workmen to enter them. It is supposed that he made an examination
of a limited division of the pit on the morning of the accident,
and after reporting regarding the state of it, passed on to examine
places situated to the " rise" of that division, but
disconnected by a dislocation. From the evidence of the workmen, it appears that he had with him at the time an unprotected light and a Davy lamp both burning. It is very likely that he had been in the habit of carrying an unprotected light along with him while travelling along the main roadways and other openings considered safe, and using the safety lamp only as he approached the faces, or places where fire-damp was likely to be met with. It is almost certain that on the present occasion he had used an unprotected light imprudently, and from some derangement of the ventilation, by broken brattice or otherwise, he had unexpectedly met with a body of fire-damp. A fireman while making his round of examination in the morning should constantly suspect danger, and as directed by the Special Rules, all such examinations should be carefully made with a safety lamp, and there is no other safe way. |
| 1865 | April | 20 | Greenfield | Shettleston | G B McNair & Co | Alexander Gowans | Drawer | 13 | Miscellaneous | Crushed between hutch and the roof of the mine | Lanarkshire accidents |
| 1865 | April | 25 | Annbank No 4 | Ayr | T T Gordon | Alexander O'Hara | Drawer | 13 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | May | 2 | Cambusnethan | Lanark | John Sneddon | William Smith | Collier | 22 | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1865 | May | 2 | Inkerman | Johnstone | Merry & Cunningham | William Gebbie | Miner | 48 | Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | Explosion of gunpowder while “stemming” a shot | |
| Daniel Dillon | Miner | 33 | |||||||||
| 1865 | May | 4 | Maidenbank | Muirkirk | Eglinton Iron Co | John Bell | Collier | 45 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1865 | May | 8 | Drumgrange | Dalmellington | Dalmellington Iron Co | George McMath | Miner | 40 | Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Got crushed by a piece of ironstone against a “tree” or support | |
| 1865 | May | 9 | Garscube | Maryhill | James Barclay | John Craig | Collier | 60 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | May | 13 | Annbank No 4 | Ayr | T T Gordon | James Reid | Labourer | 23 | Above ground | By one of the guide rods being driven out of the shaft and falling upon him | |
| 1865 | May | 21 | Fauldhouse | Lanark | Thomas Thorburn | Thomas Munro | Miner | 66 | Ironstone mines – falls of roof | Fall of ironstone balls | |
| 1865 | May | 26 | Victoria Pit, Wishaw | Lanark | Wishaw Iron Co | George Lindsay | Collier | 25 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp | The third accident occurred at the Victoria Pit, Wishaw, the property of the Wishaw Iron Company. The accident happened in the splint coal workings, which were newly opened up, and within a hundred yards of the shaft. There were not 12 men in the seam, and they were all on the opposite side of the pit from that on which the deceased was. It was evident that the explosion had come from the place where he had been working, and had been kindled by him, although in what way is somewhat doubtful. His body was found at his working place, and his Davy lamp was also found there unlocked and broken. |
| 1865 | May | 27 | Bathville | Linlithgow | John Watson & Sons | William Taylor | Miner | -- | Ironstone mines – falls of roof | Fall of coal and ironstone at face | |
| 1865 | May | 29 | Opencast | Coatbridge | William Baird & Co | John Johnstone | Collier | 36 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | June | 6 | Annbank No 4 | Ayr | T T Gordon | Archibald Malonay | Pony driver | 16 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1865 | June | 6 | Solesgirth | Kirkintilloch | James Gairdner | William McLachlan | Oversman | 50 | In shafts | Fell from the cage while being drawn up the shaft |
Solesgirth Colliery is 50 fathoms deep. The shaft arrangements
are of the usual description. It is fitted with cages and conductors,
and the machinery is arranged to pump water and wind materials.
McLachlan, who was the reputed oversman, had, on the day of the
accident, been cleaning the "sump'' (the bottom of the shaft),
and after having finished it he had requested the "bottomer"
to make the necessary signals to the engineman to draw him to
the surface. Love, who happened to be near the pit-bottom at
the time, waiting to be taken up, went on to the cage along with
him, and it was raised accordingly. It did not appear that any derangement from breakage of guides or otherwise had taken place in the shaft, and the deceased were drawn up to within a few feet of the surface before anything unusual occurred, when a noise was heard as if those on the cage wished the engine stopped, which was done, and in a few moments after the deceased fell to the pit-bottom, a distance of 45 fathoms or thereby. I made a careful examination of the shaft and fittings, but could not discover the cause of accident. It is an unusual thing for two men to fall away from a cage while being drawn up in a shaft, apparently without any cause, as the cage and winding apparatus remained entire and in working order. Of course there must have been some cause, and probably the most likely was, one of the sufferers got caught by a "bunton," and his neighbour, in attempting to assist him, had in some way got entangled with the shaft fittings, and was dragged off the cage with him. |
| Oliver Love | Collier | 35 | |||||||||
| 1865 | June | 14 | Victoria Pit, Wishaw | Lanark | Wishaw Iron Co | William Scott | Collier | -- | Miscellaneous | Premature explosion of gunpowder | |
| 1865 | June | 17 | Hillhead | Kilmarnock | John Gilmour & Co | Andrew Robertson | Boy | 12 | In shafts | By attempting to step on to the cage at the pit mouth, when in motion, and fell down the shaft | Robertson, the deceased, was a young lad, and worked along with his father, who was a collier. It appears that on the day of the accident, about 3 o'clock, p.m., that he and his father, along with a number of the workmen, had left off work and were drawn to the surface. One of the drawers had been requested by the hillman to return to the pit-bottom to send up a few more loaded hutches, which were required for some particular orders. Robertson proposed to accompany him ; the drawer got on to the cage and gave the descent signal. On the engine being set in motion to lower the cage, the deceased, who was standing near to the pit-mouth, suddenly attempted to get on to it, but, either by stumbling or missing his footing, fell on the cage and past the side of it before he could be rescued. |
| 1865 | June | 27 | Rochsolloch | Lanark | George Cowie | David Blair | Sinker | 30 | In shafts | Fell down sinking pit. The kettle cuaght the bottom of the mid wall while he was ascending and he was pitched out | |
| 1865 | June | 28 | Braehead | Lanark | Charles Tennant & Co | John Strahan | Roadman | 60 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof |