1870 Accidents July to December

1870 Fatal Accidents - July to December

Notes - The information in this page is mainly compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries - William Alexander for the Western District of Scotland and Robert Williams for the Eastern District of Scotland. Unless stated otherwise, the extra details are from the main body of the report. Many accidents are not listed in these reports and additional names have been added from newspaper reports and other sources - these are indicated by a shaded gray background.

Go to January to June deaths

Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report											Extra details
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
1870	July	1	Broomfield	Airdrie	James Adam	John Queen	Fireman	32	Explosions	He was going his rounds on a Monday morning, and came on gas with his naked light. The “cube” had been out for 30 hours	On the 1st of July an explosion of firedamp at Broomfield Pit resulted in the death of the fireman of the pit. He was in the act of going round the workings in the morning, and came upon some firedamp, which ignited at the naked light he had burning. The pit was ventilated by a furnace, but the fire had been out from Saturday night till Monday morning, when the accident occurred. I considered that the man was to blame for not using a safety lamp; but it was the duty of the owner and manager to have seen that the furnace was kept burning on Sundays, and also to see that the Special Rules were enforced, which state that the fireman's examination shall be made with a safety lamp.
1870	July	3	Carnwath			Archibald Annan					Newspaper report - Carnwath page
1870	July	3	Carnwath			Agnes Annan					Newspaper report - Carnwath page
1870	July	6	Inzievar	Dunfermline	Merry & Cunningham	John Harrower	Miner	--	In Ironstone mines – falls, coal and roof	Fall of ironstone
1870	July	6	Woodhall			Thomas Baird			Not listed		Newspaper report
1870	July	13	Craigstone	Cumnock	Eglinton Iron Co	Thomas Gaffney	Drawer	40	In Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof
1870	July	14	Longlee	Hamilton	Longlee Coal Co	Alex Abercrombie	Sinker	25	In shafts	A “muzzle” fell off the rope when at the surface, and struck him on the head	Newspaper report - Dalserf pages
1870	July	14	Quarter	Hamilton	Colin, Dunlop & Co	John Watson	Collier	--	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	On the 14th July an explosion of firedamp at Quarter Colliery resulted in the death of four persons. At the time when the explosion occurred there were five men in the pit; three of them were sitting at A ; one at B, filling a tub of coals ; and one was at C, in the act of going into the face B, it was supposed. All were working with open lights. The firedamp ignited at the lamp of the man working at B and the flame went from him on to A, burning the men there, thence out to C, and to the shaft. The man at C was killed, but the others, though more or less burned, reached the shaft without assistance. The man at B, was least burnt of any, and soon recovered, but two of the others died. The pit had been newly sunk, and did not give off much gas. The shaft was divided by a wooden mid-wall, and brattice, as shown on the sketch by a dotted line, led the air to the face of the level. The current was created by a steam jet, and everyone seemed to be satisfied with the ventilation. The effect of the blast was most extraordinary. The survivors felt no shock ; a can with four pounds of gunpowder in it was unharmed and the contents untouched at A. The brattice from D to E was blown over, but not removed ; but from D to the shaft, where the force was confined to the one drift, the whole bratticing was blown into splinters, the props broken and blown out, the greater part of the midwall was destroyed, and a portion of solid strata forced into the shaft. (see main site for more info.)
						Gavin Williamson	Sinker	--	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp. Severely burned and died a week afterwards
						James Ward	Sinker	--	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp. Severely burned and died a week afterwards
						Will Moore	Pit head man	--	In shafts	Explosion of fire damp. Fell down the pit from the surface while getting away from the debris thrown up the pit by the explosion
1870	July	17	Allanton	Hamilton	Austine & Co	Robert Barr	Collier	19	Explosions	Went down the pit on a holiday when all the officials were on an excursion and off duty	On the 17th of July an explosion of firedamp occurred at Allanton Colliery, which resulted in the death of two colliers. The accident happened on the annual holiday of the colliery, when all the officials and all the workmen were away on an excursion, excepting a man attending the horses, and the engine-man. One of the deceased had been drinking all the previous night, and in the morning had taken a fancy to go to work, persuading other two companions to accompany him. When they reached the place it was ; found that some stones had fallen, and damaged the ventilation, and that gas had accumulated in it. The gas ignited at their open lights, and burned them. Two of them died.(see main site for more info.)
1870	July	17	Allanton	Hamilton	Austine & Co	Alexr. Dick	Collier	19	Explosions
1870	July	18	Grangemouth	Grangemouth	Grangemouth Coal Co	James Gillespie	Bottomer	30	In shafts	Fell down from a mid working. There was a gate but he forgot to shut it, and he ran a tub into the pit when there was no cage there
James Dempster age 53, killed 18 July 1870 at Poneil - see Newspaper Report
1870	July	19	Fernigare	Hamilton	Archd Russell	John Wilson	Drawer	17	Miscellaneous	His neighbour suddenly tilted up the end of the tub they were drawing	Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1870	July	19	Perceton	Dreghorn	Merry & Cunningham	John McVenie	Roadsman	29	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	July	25	Swineridgemuir	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	David Gordon	Collier	44	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1870	July	28	Kennet Pans	Clackmannan	Frank Greer	William Hunter	Roadsman	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	July	29	Benhav	Whitburn	George Simpson	Peter McGill	Collier	30	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1870	August	4	Carnbroe	Coatbridge	Merry & Cunningham	W Crow	Miner	--	In Ironstone mines – falls, coal and roof	Fall of ironstone
1870	August	4	Garriongill	Wishaw	Coltness Iron Co.	J Jamieson	Waggon trimmer	13	Above ground	Squeezed by waggons
1870	August	5	Boig	Cumnock	Lanemark Coal Co	William McMath	Boy	14	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1870	August	5	Kirkwood	Coatbridge	Wilsons & Co	Edward Stewart	Bottomer	58	In shafts	Fell from a “mid-working”	The deceased was "bottomer" at a "mid-working," situated about 112 fathoms from the surface. On the day of the accident, I understand that he had placed a loaded hutch upon the cage, and signalled it away; they were winding with a single cage at the time, and before the cage was returned he pushed another full hutch forward into the shaft, and fell to the bottom with it, a distance of 22 fathoms.
1870	August	6	Craigneuk	Wishaw	Merry & Cunningham	G Roy	Collier	25	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1870	August	9	Muirhouse	Wishaw	Archd Russell	James Smith	Waggon boy	14	Above ground	Killed by waggons
1870	August	11	Wilsontoun	Wilsonton	Grey & Paul	J McVicar	Collier	30	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	August	12	Shields	Wishaw	Jno MacAndrew	P McGavin	Bottomer	30	Miscellaneous	Crushed by cage. Mistake of signals
1870	August	13	Tigethaugh	Denny	Wm Baird & Co	James Currans	Miner	50	In Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof
1870	August	19	Summerlee	Coatbridge	Wilsons & Co	Samuel McMahon	Collier	60	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	August	23	Kipps	Airdrie	Robertson & Eddie	W Nugent	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	August	23	Nackerty	Baillieston	Provanhall Coal Co	Jno Kennedy	Driver	15	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	On the 23rd August an explosion of firedamp in Nackerty Pit resulted in the death of two boys. The boys were coming out from the faces towards the shaft, when their lights came in contact with some firedamp on the level road. It was suspected that the fireman had neglected to examine the place properly in the morning.
1870	August	23	Nackerty	Baillieston	Provanhall Coal Co	Allan Wilkie	Driver	--	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp
1870	August	23	Parkhead	Motherwell	Jno Wilson	A Brown	Driver	13	Miscellaneous	Found dead in pit. No apparent cause
1870	August	24	Grange	Kilmarnock	Robert Yeats &Co	James Shankland	Fireman	30	In shafts	Fell down the shaft while disengaging a cage which had stuck in it	On the day of the accident, and while the pit was in full working order, one of the cages got partly displaced in the guides, and was jammed in the shaft, about 27 fathoms from the bottom. As the winding ropes coiled both upon one drum, to obtain the free use of the machinery it was necessary to disconnect and secure the rope which was attached to the cage suspended or jammed in the shaft, and this was accomplished by a snatch block kept for such purposes. The oversman and the deceased were then lowered upon the cage which worked in the other division of the shaft, and after ascertaining the cause of derangement, I understand that they obtained the necessary materials for placing the cage into the guides, and in due time had it in a state for being raised or lowered as required. In making the alterations, they had occasion to go frequently on to the cage suspended by the snatch block described, and just as they were about to be raised, having completed what was considered necessary, the deceased, while standing upon it (the cage), was suddenly lowered, by the rope slipping through the snatch block, and as the cage was placed in the guides it had freedom to descend, and fell to the bottom, a distance of 27 fathoms. Means were taken, immediately after the occurrence, to reach the sufferer, when he was found lying dreadfully mangled amongst the coils of the rope, and his head severed from his body.
1870	September	12	Haywood	Wilsontoun	Haywood Coal Co	T Hutcheson	Collier	30	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	September	14	Southfield	Lesmahagow	Longlee Coal Co	Alex Craig	Sinker	--	In Ironstone mines – falls, coal and roof	Fall of stone
1870	September	20	Cliftonhill	Coatbridge	Cliftonhill Coal Co	James Brown	Collier	29	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	September	20	Drumpeller	Coatbridge	Henderson & Dimmack	Peter Thomson	Oversman	52	In shafts	The winding rope broke by the cage being caught in the shaft, by wood which the deceased was taking up on a cage along with him	The unfortunate sufferer in this case was the principal oversman at the colliery. On the day of the accident he had occasion to take a wooden "rhone," or gutter, measuring 12 feet in length, up the shaft upon the cage along with him. As described by the bottomer, deceased, when he left the bottom on the cage, was in a sitting posture, and holding the rhone in its place, the lower end resting upon the cage. Apparently the cage had been raised safely to within 10 fathoms of the surface, when the "rhone" must have, unknown to the deceased, swayed or fallen to one side, and coming in contact with the buntons, breaking one and jamming against another, caused such a check to the engine as to break the winding rope. The cage being thus freed fell to the bottom, upwards of 200 yards. It is difficult to conceive how an experienced workman should have exposed himself so unnecessarily as in this case, when, by simply lashing the rhone to the bottom of the cage, or otherwise, it could have been raised without risk. Newspaper report
1870	September	24	Portland	Hurlford	Eglinton Iron Co	James Cree	Collier	50	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	September	27	Calder Bank	Baillieston	Provanhall Coal Co	Joseph Gillespie	Collier	43	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	The deceased was a collier, and worked in the "end" marked A, on hand sketch, Fig. 2, which was being extended to B; the place B not being in the act of working or extension. I understand that the place B, when ventilated by brattice, as shown in sketch, was safe to work in, and generally free from fire-damp. But it appears that on the day before the accident, Miller, the fireman, having occasion to extend the brattice in the adjoining room C, took a "length" of brattice out of the place B for that purpose, which so far diverted the ventilation as to take it at least 14 feet farther off the face at B. On the following morning, or day of the accident, according to Miller's explanation, he did not examine the place B, and the result was that the deceased, on entering it, about mid-day, for some purpose, ignited a quantity of gas which had accumulated in it, and by which he was fatally injured. The fireman in this case acted in a reckless and culpable manner. First, by taking brattice out of a place which at the time contained trace of firedamp; and on the following morning, instead of making a careful examination of the place, as by the special rules he was bound to do, before allowing the colliers to enter to their work, he failed to examine it at all. It was attempted, by way of excuse, to show that the deceased had gone into the place B, contrary to instructions, and also with a full knowledge of what the fireman had done. To some extent this may have been true; but no act of the sufferer could in the least excuse the fireman for such reckless and foolish conduct. In this case, the public prosecutor was doubtful whether the evidence would support a prosecution, and, under the circumstances, it was not taken into court. Newspaper report
1870	September	29	Dysart	Dysart	Earl of Rosslyn	George Melvill	Collier	--	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1870	September	29	Shawfield	Wishaw	John Wilson	W Kelly	Collier	30	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	October	10	Bellsdyke	Airdrie	Bellsdyke Coal Co	John Millar	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper report
1870	October	10	Kinneil Iron Works	Bo'ness	George Wilson &Co	Hugh Hannay	Miner	--	In Ironstone mines – falls, coal and roof	Fall of stone
1870	October	14	Swinhill	Larkhall	Swinhill Coal Co	P Carlow	Collier	15	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal. He was working with his father	Newspaper report - Dalserf pages
1870	October	15	Holton, Alloa	Alloa	Alloa Coal Co	P Dawson	Collier	23	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of top coal
1870	October	24	Redding	Falkirk	Redding Coal Co	W Baxter	Collier	19	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	October	27	Marledge	Larkhall	James Gim	Jas Kelly	Collier	35	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper report - Dalserf pages
1870	October	31	Earnock Muir	Hamilton	W S Dixon	John Poland	Miner	--	In Ironstone mines – falls, coal and roof	Fall of stone
1870	November	2	Summerlee	Coatbridge	Wilsons & Co	Thomas McIlweenie	Collier	24	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of coal while engaged taking it down	Newspaper report [NB Surname usually spelled McQueeney]
1870	November	3	Bredisholm	Baillieston	Provanhall Coal Co	A Wotherspoon	Sinker	40	In shafts	He was on a scaffold at the top of a blind pit, when a mass of stone fell off the side wall, and carried the scaffold, with him on it, down the pit. Scaffold badly constructed	Newspaper report
1870	November	3	Skellyton	Hamilton	Hamilton & McCulloch	Jas Gillespie	Collier	14	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal. Boy worked with his father	Newspaper report - Dalserf pages
1870	November	7	Carfin	Wishaw	W S Dixon	Matthew Knox	Collier	20	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal “stooping”	Newspaper Report
1870	November	21	Hattonrigg	Holytown	Mossend Iron Co	R McCulloch	Fireman	40	Explosions	These men started on a Monday morning to examine the places. They were going with their naked lights, expecting no firedamp	On the 21st November an explosion of firedamp at Hattonrigg Pit, Mossend Iron Works, resulted in the death of two firemen. The circumstances were precisely the same as in the Broomfield accident [1st July 1870]. On a Monday morning, after the ventilating furnace had been out for thirty hours, the deceased kindled it, and went immediately into the workings, to examine them, carrying their naked lights burning. They unexpectedly came upon firedamp, which ignited at their lights, and burned them severely. They both died. In all probability the accumulation of gas was caused by neglecting the furnace during the Sunday. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1870	November	21	Hattonrigg	Holytown	Mossend Iron Co	Jas Laden	Fireman	40	Explosions
1870	November	21	Morningside	Wishaw	Shotts Iron Co	G Wright	Collier	13	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal. He was working with his father	Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages
1870	November	28	Shankstone	Cumnock	Eglinton Iron Co	Allen McDonald	Engineman	54	In Ironstone mines – above ground	By falling under the crank of the pumping engine while in motion	Newspaper report - Dalserf pages [Deceased was native of Larkhall]
1870	December	3	Jelliston	Patna	Dalmellington Iron Co	John Quin	Drawer	30	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
George Graham died 7 December 1870 - see Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages
1870	December	8	Rosehall	Holytown	Robt. Addie & Sons	Edwd Keenan	Bottomer	15	Miscellaneous	He was trying to drive a horse and fell in before a train of full tubs
1870	December	19	Cadder	Bishopbriggs	Carron Iron Co	John Clelland	Foreman	49	In Ironstone mines – in shafts	A bolt fell from the surface and struck the deceased while engaged with pipes at 15 fathoms from the surface
1870	December	26	Netherton	Wishaw	Wishaw Coal Co	Alex Scott	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof while “stooping”
1870	December	27	No 11 Shale Pit, West Calder			William Morn Jackson			Not listed (fell down pit)		Newspaper report - Lothian pages
1870	December	28	Alloa	Alloa	Alloa Coal Co	Fras Hunter	Collier	25	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof while “stooping”	Newspaper report - Clackmannan pages
1870	December	30	Parkhead	Wishaw	John Watson	Willm Todd	Labourer	52	In shafts	Stumbled into the pit while apparently making for the firelamp
1870	December	31	Cowdenbeath	Dunfermline	Smith Slego	R Watson	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1870	December	31	Overton	Wishaw	John Wilson	Thos Watson	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages

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Last Updated 21st September 2009