1871 Deaths July to December

1871 Deaths listed in Mine Inspectors Report

July to December

This table is compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries - William Alexander for the Western District of Scotland and Ralph Moore for the Eastern District of Scotland. Unless stated otherwise, the extra details are from the main body of the report. Deaths not listed in the Inspectors reports are highlighted by a shaded gray background.

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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
1871	July	3	Cambusnethan	Wishaw	D and J Sneddon	John McTavish	Bottomer	14	In shafts	Crushed by cage while crossing shaft
1871	July	5	Enterkine	Ayr	George Taylor & Co	James McCrorie	Collier	26	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper Report
1871	July	8	Quarter Ironworks			Alexander Bell Chassels					Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1871	July	10	Drumnir	Kilmarnock	Merry & Cunningham	John Little	Boy	14	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof at face
1871	July	10	Govan	Rutherglen	W S Dixon	Robert Reid	Engineer	45	Above ground	Scalded by steam whilst repairing the throttle valve of steam engine	As a specimen of the neglect or want of care complained of during the past year, three mechanics went on a Sunday morning to make alterations upon the " throttle" valve in connexion with one of the winding engines at Govan Colliery. They deliberately took out the bolts which secured this piece to the steam pipes, and were in the act of pressing it off, when it was suddenly driven out by the force of the steam supplied from a number of large boilers, then at a pressure of not less than 30 pounds upon the square inch. Two of them were killed instantaneously, and the third survived only a few hours. They were all practical mechanics, two of them mature in years, their ages being 60, 45, and 22, of whom the oldest had been for upwards of 40 years employed in the working and construction of steam engines. In this case it would seem incredible that three intelligent practical mechanics could deliberately disengage the valve piece from the steam pipes, without first taking the precaution to shut off the steam connexion with the boilers, or exhaust the steam, which at the time was pressing actively against it. Newspaper report
						John Boyd	Engineer	60
						John Binning	Engineer	22
1871	July	13	Cadder	Bishopbriggs	Carron Iron Co	Robert Higgins	Sinker	35	In Ironstone mines – in shafts	By a scaffold on which they were standing getting detached from the rope	This accident, by which three lives were lost, is an exceptional one, and I do not recollect a similar occurrence during my experience. The shaft was sunk by contract, by an intelligent sinker, of considerable experience, and well acquainted with such work. He was in attendance at the pit mouth on the day of the accident, and, according to his own statement, they were at the time engaged connecting a "set" of pump rods in the shaft. The deceased, three sinkers, were lowered in a kettle by the engine to the point where the connexion required to be made, and where a scaffold, suspended from a crane at the surface, was hanging. It appears that they got out of the kettle safely on to the scaffold, and signalled it away. It was raised accordingly, but in passing the muzzle pin, which connected the scaffold to the crane rope, shown on hand sketch, Fig. 2, the iron hoop of the kettle caught the head of the muzzle pin and drew it out, disconnecting the scaffold, which fell away. There was a quantity of water in the shaft, consequently it was some time before the bodies could be recovered; one of the sufferers was the contractor's son. In discussing with the contractor after the accident as to the insecurity of the muzzle pin, it being secured or kept in place by a strip of bucket leather, he explained that he put in the leather for safety, as being less likely to catch their clothes while being raised and > lowered past it than a split iron cutter. Often a mystery exists as to the cause of these uncommon occurrences. In this case, however, there was no difficulty ; the bolt was found at the bottom of the shaft with the leather in it entire. A split iron cutter is often used for such purposes, and forms a simple connexion. Such a contrivance would have been effectual in preventing this accident, but for general use I believe that a nut screwed on to the end of the muzzle pin, and kept in place by a small rivet, is the most safe and secure. Newspaper Report
						David Shaw	Sinker	28
						Robert Henderson	Sinker	22
1871	July	14	Milnwood	Holytown	John Christie	Robert Mitchel	Roadsman	26	In shafts	Fell from mid-working. He ran a hutch into shaft when cage was away	Two men were killed by falling from mid-workings. In both cases the deceased were in a great measure to blame themselves. In one case the "bottomer" was standing at his post, and the man who was killed rushed past him and fell into the shaft. In the other case the deceased was a roadsman who was working within 20 yards of the shaft, on day's wages, and therefore in no particular hurry, and he might have seen that no cage was there. Newspaper report
1871	July	20	Greenfield	Shettleston	Geo McNair & Co	Charles Neilson	Boy	14	In shafts	By the winding rope (wire) breaking whilst they were being raised in the shaft	The deceased, a man and boy, were in the act of being raised, and had ascended about 35 fathoms, when the rope suddenly broke, and they were dashed to the bottom of the pit. In this case the rope, which was of wire, had originally been three inches in circumference, but at the place of fracture it, by wear, was reduced to 2 3/4 inches circumference ; a few of the outside wires were also worn through and broken. Thirty-six feet were cut off the rope after the accident within three feet of the fracture, and prepared for testing. In that length six broken wires were found, and it broke when subjected to a strain of four tons, the Admiralty test breaking strain for a similar description of rope when new being 11 tons 14 cwts., and at 2 3/4inches circumference, 10 tons. Newspaper report
1871	July	20	Greenfield	Shettleston	Geo McNair & Co	William Kinnaird	Collier	44	In shafts
1871	July	24	Garriongill	Coltness	Coltness Iron Co.	And Anderson	Onsetter	14	Miscellaneous	Run over by trams on engine incline. He was riding on the train, and it was flung off the road
1871	July	25	Inkerman	Johnstone	Merry & Cunningham	John Barclay	Miner	20	In Ironstone mines – in shafts	Was jammed in the shaft by the cage being lifted without a signal
1871	August	5	Shawfield	Wishaw	John Wilson	M Ohara	Collier	25	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal at face
1871	August	8	Townhead	Hurlet	John Wilson & Sons	John Gebbie	Boy	14	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	August	16	Grange	Kilmarnock	Robert Yeats &Co	James McChristie	Collier	50	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	August	23	Redburn	Kilwinning	Eglinton Iron Co	Samuel Brown	Brusher	45	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	August	24	Overton	Wishaw	John Wilson	John Morgan	Collier	45	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof at face
1871	August	24	Quarter	Denny	W Baird & Co	Alexander Paterson	Miner	34	In Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	By gunpowder while blasting	Newspaper report
1871	August	24	Dalzell	Lanarkshire		William Cotts					Newspaper report
1871	August	24	Hurlford	Ayrshire		Matthew Parker	engineman				[Many thnaks to Jim Smith for provifing these details]
1871	August	29	Woodhall	Airdrie	Merry & Cunningham	Rob Fotheringhame	Drawer	13	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof on road
1871	August	31	Polton	Dalkeith	Jas Eaglesham	John Duncan	Blacksmith	45	In shafts	Drum got out of gear and ran amain with deceased, and another man in kettle; they fell into 10 fathoms of water. It was a sinking pit	At Polton Colliery a man was killed by the winding drum getting out of gear, through the engineman neglecting to secure it properly. The engineman was tried for manslaughter and sentenced to one month's imprisonment. Newspaper report
1871	September	4	Barleith	Kilmarnock	John Galloway & Co	William Copland	Collier	23	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	September	4	Calder Bank	Baillieston	Provanhall Coal Co	Robert Hutchison	Collier	50	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp.	For 10 months or more previous to the accident a pair of mines were commenced in the main coal seam, for the purpose of communicating with the abandoned workings of an adjoining pit partly filled with water, They had advanced beyond the general face of workings 300 yards, and near to the point of connexion a dislocation of the strata was unexpectedly met with which necessitated some change The deceased were at the time of the accident driving a crosscut stone mine for the purpose of forming a connexion at the proper level, and worked only during day. No one worked within 200 yards of them except a collier, Doran, who was employed in forming a "stow" mine, simply for depositing the stuff produced from their mine. The mine and Doran's place were ventilated by a split from the general current of air. Doran's place and the road leading to it were examined every morning by the fireman. The deceased, Baxter, had a contract for driving the stone mine referred to. He examined it for himself, and was supplied with a safety lamp for that purpose. On Saturday forenoon both places were clear of firedamp; on Monday morning following, about 6.30 a.m., Baxter and his neighbour passed in to their work with their naked lights. They met with firedamp before reaching Doran's room, which ignited at their lights, causing an explosion. Their bodies were found about 50 feet back from the road leading in to Doran's room, which should have been examined by the regular fireman. It came out in evidence after the accident that, in consequence of Doran's place lying so far out of the fireman's way, being distant from any other works, that it was his custom not to make an examination of it until Doran went with him. Unfortunately, Doran did not come out to his work on the morning of the accident, and his place was not examined. If the fireman had examined it he would have discovered the gas which caused the explosion, and in all probability the accident would have been prevented. This is another sad instance of the impropriety of excepting places in a colliery from the surveillance of the general fireman. If it had been the fireman's duty to examine every working part, then Baxter and his neighbour would have waited for his report. But as arranged, practically, their examination commenced at the point leading into Doran's place, where they kept their safety lamp, and outside of which the explosion happened. The public prosecutor in this case charged the fireman with culpable homicide. He was tried in the Court House, Airdrie, by Sheriff Logie and a jury, found guilty, and sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment. Newspaper report
1871	September	4	Calder Bank	Baillieston	Provanhall Coal Co	Thomas Baxter	Contractor	50	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp.
1871	September	5	Muirhouse	Wishaw	Archd Russell	John Webster	Collier	36	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal at face
1871	September	7	Fernigare	Hamilton	Archd Russell	Rob Feely	Collier	15	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp at stoops, caused by a roadman putting his naked light to a fall where gas was.	On the 17th September, an explosion of firedamp occurred at Fernigair Colliery, near Hamilton, which burned six persons, one of these fatally. The accident occurred in connexion with some pillar workings where the men worked with safety lamps. One of the roadsmen was working amongst the men with a naked light, which he had placed close to a ''fall" where gas had been seen in the morning. The light lighted the gas and burned the persons near the place. This accident was clearly due to the recklessness of the roadsman in using a naked light where the miners had safety lamps. [NB James Tierney, age 27, pit roadsman, address: Rumblingsykes, Dalziel, was tried for culpable homicide and culpable violation, or neglect of duty at the High Court, Glasgow (Second Court), 28 Dec 1871. He was found not guilty - source NAS catalogue] Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1871	September	7	Neubattle	Dalkeith	Marquis of Lothian	Robert Davidson	Collier	30	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof at face	Newspaper report
1871	September	7	Rosehall	Holytown	Robert Addie & Sons	Alex Allen	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal at face
1871	September	13	Bartonholm	Kilwinning	Eglinton Iron Co	Matthew Porter	Collier	54	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	September	14	Rameldrie	Cupar	M Thomas	John Gulland	Engineman	60	Above ground	Fell into hot water cistern
1871	September	14	Starryshaw	Shotts	Muir & Thornton	James Adam	Collier	40	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal at face
1871	September	20	Swineridgemuir	Beith	Merry & Cunningham	James Pullonie	Collier	54	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1871	September	26	Fergushill	Kilmarnock	Merry & Cunningham	Hugh Lang	Sinker	31	In Ironstone mines – in shafts	Fell out of the kettle while being raised in the shaft
1871	September	26	Greenhill	Holytown	Robert Young	William Currie	Miner	26	In Ironstone mines – above ground	Stumbled into machinery while drunk, and not on duty
1871	September	29	Cambusnethan	Wishaw	D and J Sneddon	James Smellie	Collier	26	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of top coal
1871	September	30	Woodhill	Kilmarnock	Merry & Cunningham	James Easton	Oversman	30	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	October	2	Mauldslie	Carluke	Michael Burns	Will. Goldie	Drawer	15	Miscellaneous	Run over by tubs. Incline rope broke while he was following tubs
1871	October	4	Coltness	Coltness	Coltness Iron Co.	John Connor	Collier	17	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal at face	Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages
1871	October	4	Coltness	Coltness	Coltness Iron Co.	James Menzies	Collier	23	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof at face	Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages
1871	October	12	Balgonie	Markinch	Mr Balfour	Henry Kerr	Collier	21	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal while holing
1871	October	12	Haughead	Hamilton	Merry & Cunningham	Henry Houston	Collier	17	In shafts	Fell down pit from mid-working	Two men were killed by falling from mid-workings. In both cases the deceased were in a great measure to blame themselves. In one case the "bottomer" was standing at his post, and the man who was killed rushed past him and fell into the shaft. In the other case the deceased was a roadsman who was working within 20 yards of the shaft, on day's wages, and therefore in no particular hurry, and he might have seen that no cage was there. Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1871	October	18	Starlaw	Bathgate	Uphall Oil Co	Francis Braddy	Collier	40	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp. Want of air	On the 18th October there was an explosion of firedamp m the coal workings of the Starlaw Shale pit, near Bathgate. The coal had been newly reached by a stone drift from the shale workings. The air was led into the stone-mine by means of a brick brattice But when the current reached the coal workings it was so much reduced by leakages that there was scarcely a visible current, and firedamp was usually found in some of the workings. On the morning of the accident the fireman of the pit, a bricklayer, were about to put in some additional bratticing in one of the places which contained firedamp. They first sent the deceased in the dark to "waff" it out. In doing so it is supposed that he brought the firedamp in contact with some naked lights about 20 yards distant and it exploded. The man at the face was killed, and five others were burned. There was little firedamp in the workings ; a very ordinary supply of air would have been sufficient to have kept them clear. After the fire in this pit last year, the furnace was removed to the surface, where it is not so effective, and the company are now erecting a fan capable of raising 14,000 cubic feet per minute.
1871	October	28	Over Johnstone	Wishaw	Wishaw Iron Co	Thomas Scott	Roadsman	27	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of stone on road
1871	October	30	Bartonholm	Kilwinning	Eglinton Iron Co	Thomas McQuade	Fireman	35	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp.	The explosion took place on a Monday morning. The ventilating furnace had not been attended to from the preceding Saturday, and I learned that the fireman on discovering the state of the furnace had re-kindled it, and after remaining in the neighbourhood for a few minutes had gone off with a number of workmen, for the purpose, of making an examination of a section of the pit, where fire-damp was supposed to exist. It appears that they proceeded all together, carrying their naked lamps, which ignited a quantity of gas at or within a few feet of the face. Two were killed by the fire or flame, and two died, it is supposed, from the effects of the after damp. At many of the collieries it is the rule for the fireman to examine the mine before the engineman shall allow the workmen to be lowered to their work. An additional precaution has been introduced at Eglinton Ironworks, where the accident referred to happened, by which four persons were killed by an explosion. The fireman, in addition to making his examination before the workmen shall be allowed to enter to their work, is bound to mark with chalk upon each working face the date of his examination. Every colliery owner professes by his special rules to have an examination of his mine made in the morning by a properly qualified fireman. Underground workmen, who trust their lives on the faith of the fireman's examination, are well entitled to ask for every possible security as to the manner in which this important regulation is carried out. And I think the following might be made a special rule at every colliery in this district: "That the fireman, in addition to his examination, shall leave his mark with chalk—the day of the month—upon every working place." There is nothing novel in this; it is a common-sense precaution, and perhaps the best proof that can be obtained of the fireman having performed his duty. No additional expense would be incurred in carrying it out, and if strictly observed it would be productive of much good. Newspaper report
						Charles McDonald	Brusher	40	Explosions
						William Graham	Brusher	38	Explosions
						Samuel Holmes	Brusher	36	Explosions
1871	November	1	Gauchalland	Galston	Gauchalland Coal Co	John Clark	Drawer	13	In shafts	Fell from a mid-working 32 fathoms	The deceased was a boy about 13 years of age, and was engaged as a drawer in the the "Tourha" seam. He was about to leave off work on the night of the accident, and went with the person who employed him near to the shaft for the purpose of ascending. Being left alone for a few minutes it is supposed that in passing under a screen near to the pit his light had been put out, and in the dark he had unwittingly walked into the shaft and fallen to the bottom, a distance of 32 fathoms. By the special rules of the colliery it was the duty of the manager to appoint a bottomer to make the required signals, and to look after the safety of the workmen while being raised or lowered. Those intrusted with carrying out the details of management wilfully failed to comply with this important regulation.
1871	November	4	Holmes	Galston	John Horne	John White	Collier	30	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1871	November	6	Cavinhill	Airdrie	Wm Baird & Co	Neil Cochil	Collier	23	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof at face
1871	November	7	Bankhead	Galston	Eglinton Iron Co	James Milne	Bricklayer	50	In shafts	Crushed by the cage when crossing the shaft with a hutch
1871	November	8	Blairdardie	Renfrew	Merry & Cunningham	Walter Miller	Collier	46	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	November	10	Bellsdyke	Airdrie	Shaw & Pettigrew	And. Martin	Collier	19	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of coal at face while holing	Newspaper report
1871	November	17	Bankhead	Sanquhar	Misses Whigham	David Walker	Boy	13	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	November	18	Netherton	Wishaw	Wishaw Iron Co	Dan. Carlin	Roadsman	45	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of roof in road
1871	December	4	Gartshore	Kilsyth	Wm Baird & Co	Neil Harvey	Brusher	23	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp.	The sufferers in this case were "redsmen," a class of workmen who, at this colliery, where the roof is tender and falls freely, are engaged during the night clearing falls which happen in the roadways, and in securing the roof with wood or otherwise when required. They descend regularly after the colliers' shift ceases. There was a deputed overlooker, and it was his duty to make the necessary examinations for the safety of the workmen engaged under him. On the morning of the accident I understand that he sent the deceased and a neighbouring workman named Tullore to examine the roadways to the west of the main "incline." In the course of their examination they discovered a fall of roof in the west level, and about 120 feet from the face of it. From this point the current of air was guided to the face by brattice, which the fall of roof had apparently damaged; for, when Tullore inconsiderately went in towards the face of the level with his open light, he ignited a quantity of gas, which burned himself and fatally injured his companions. These workmen were not provided with a safety lamp, and it appeared that in their examinations they used no precautionary measures. Under the circumstances the deputed overlooker ought to have examined the roadways with a safety lamp before the ordinary workmen were allowed to travel along them with their open lights.
1871	December	4	Gartshore	Kilsyth	Wm Baird & Co	Michael Dailby	Brusher	47	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp.
1871	December	4	Hurlford	Hurlford	Allan Gilmour & Co	David Black	Roadsman	55	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	December	5	Balquhatstone	Slamannan	John Watson	And. Baxter	Collier	20	Falls, Coal and Roof	Fall of stone at face
1871	December	5	Kilmarnock	Kilmarnock	Archibald Finnie	William Barbour	Collier	54	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of coal
1871	December	8	Barrachnie	Baillieston	Wm Young & Co	James Finnigan	Brusher	39	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof while engaged taking it down
1871	December	15	Quarter	Hamilton	Colin Dunlop & Co	John Semple	Pit-head man	17	Above ground	Run over by waggons.
1871	December	23	Maid Pit, Common	Cumnock	Eglinton Iron Co	James Dixon	Drawer	19	In Ironstone mines – in shafts	By getting entangled with the cage when it was about to be lowered
1871	December	27	Mossend	Holytown	Mossend Iron Co	And Wingate	overman	55	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp. Went into an old working with a naked light	On the 27th December an explosion of firedamp at Mossend Colliery resulted in the death of the underground manager and serious personal injury to the overman. They had gone into a disused part of the workings with their naked lights, and ignited some firedamp which lay there. They were both much burned, and the manager died. This accident was caused by gross negligence on the part of the injured men, who ought to have made the examination with a safety lamp.
1871	December	29	Barleith	Kilmarnock	John Galloway & Co	Thomas Goldie	Collier	30	Falls of Coal and Roof	Fall of roof
1871	December	30	Ashgill	Larkhall	Andrew Spencer	John McLean	Assistant pit head man	14	In shafts	Run tub into pit, gates off repairing	In accident No. 52 the gate was off under repair. It is to be remarked that people get accustomed to and rely upon these gates, and an accident is more likely to happen if the gate is off temporarily than if it had never been applied at all. Newspaper report - Dalserf pages

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Last Updated 13th September 2008