| Year | Month | Day | Name of Colliery | Where situated | Owners name | Person(s) killed | Occupation | Age | Category (if given) | Cause of death and remarks | Extra Information |
| 1873 | July | 2 | West Plean | Bannockburn | Richard Brown | Richard Stewart | Collier | 20 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1873 | July | 3 | Motherwell | Dalziel, LKS | John Watson | William Aiton | Sinker | -- | Things falling from surface | A brick fell down the shaft and struck him on the head while working in the bottom | |
| 1873 | July | 11 | Wemyss | Wemyss, FIF | R.G.E. Wemyss | John Melville | Collier | 14 | Falls of Coal | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1873 | July | 16 | Corseford | Johnstone | Lud. Houston | William Allan | Oversman | 61 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of limestone and coal at face | |
| 1873 | July | 24 | Calderbank | Baillieston | Provanhall Coal Co | John Addie | Asst. loco. Driver | 18 | Above ground | Was run over by full waggons which were shunted down an incline | |
| 1873 | July | 26 | Thornton No 6 | Kilmarnock | Archd. Finnie | Henry Hoogans | Collier | 19 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof at face. | Newspaper report [NB Gives name as Henry McGuiness] |
| 1873 | July | 28 | Garrion Gill | Cambusnethan, LKS | Coltness Iron Co. | James Porteous | Drawer | 23 | By tubs and trams | He was coming down a heading in front of a loaded hutch, when in the act of stepping aside, was caught by a roadside prop and crushed between it and the hutch. | |
| 1873 | July | 28 | Templand | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | Francis Goldie | Miner | -- | In Ironstone mines - Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof in drawing road | |
| 1873 | July | 30 | Orbiston | Bothwell, LKS | Mossend Iron Co | John Boyd | Collier | -- | Falls of Coal | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1873 | August | 6 | Swineridgemuir | Beith | Merry & Cunningham | James Smith | Pony driver | 48 | In Ironstone mines - In Shafts | The cage was raised when the deceased was crossing the cage with an empty hutch | |
| 1873 | August | 8 | Cambusnethan | Cambusnethan, LKS | D & J Sneddon | Robt. Keirs | Collier | 40 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof at the face. | |
| 1873 | August | 8 | Hill of Beath | Beath, FIF | Ord Adams | Henry Bower | Labourer | 18 | Miscellaneous on surface | Whilst uncoupling 2 wagons was jammed between the buffers. It was his first day at the work. | |
| 1873 | August | 11 | Mauldslie | Carluke, LKS | James Waddell | Robt. Hill | Collier | 35 | Falls of Coal | Fall of coal at the face. Want of sprags | |
| 1873 | August | 11 | Orbiston | Bothwell, LKS | Mossend Iron Co | John Sneddon | Collier | 22 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof at top of an incline | In the case when a fall of roof killed two men, it was said that the state of the roof was known to the manager and overman, and that the accident happened by their failure to see that it was properly secured. They were charged by the Procurator Fiscal with neglect of duty and tried before Sheriff Spens of Hamilton and a jury. They were found not guilty. |
| Daniel Sym | Collier | 20 | |||||||||
| 1873 | August | 12 | Jawcraig | Falkirk, STI | C J Alexander | Hugh Beck | Pithead man | 60 | In shafts – miscellaneous | He had gone down into the pit in the morning to kindle a fire, and had fallen into the sump. He should not have been sent there | |
| 1873 | August | 15 | Quarry Pit | Coatbridge, LKS | W S Dixon | James Docherty | ----- | 70 | In Shafts | By going into the shaft incautiously and was struck by descending cage, injured 15 Aug, died 15 Sept | |
| 1873 | August | 15 | Rosehall | Coatbridge, LKS | Robert Addie & Sons | Owen McLuskie | Labourer | 50 | Above ground | Was run over by a waggon while disloading wood | |
| 1873 | August | 19 | Braes O'Yetts | Kirkintilloch | Thomas Fell | Edward Gallacher | Sinker | 45 | In Shafts | Fell from the kettle while being raised | |
| 1873 | August | 19 | Ravenscraig | Dalziel, LKS | Glasgow Iron Co | Alexr. Neilson | Collier | 24 | Falls of Coal | Fall of coal whilst “holing”. Want of sprags | |
| 1873 | August | 30 | Kingseat | Dunfermline, FIF | Henderson, Wallace & Co | Wm Paterson | Sinker | 39 | Falling from part way down | He was engaged along with another man in putting on a pump, and whilst screwing on a bolt, he missed his footing and fell to the bottom, a depth of 25 fathoms | |
| 1873 | September | 1 | Parkhead | Dalziel, LKS | John Watson | William Orr | Contractor for “stooping” | 40 | Falls of Coal | Fall of “head coal” at the “stoops” | |
| 1873 | September | 2 | Carfin | Bothwell, LKS | A.G. Simpson | John Rainey | Brusher | 26 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof while ridding out a road | |
| 1873 | September | 2 | Wellwood No 11 | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | John Smith | Sinker | 36 | In Ironstone mines - In Shafts | Was fatally injured by a bunton falling upon him while engaged in the shaft | |
| 1873 | September | 3 | Cowdenbeath | Beath, FIF | Cowdenbeath Coal Co. | James Allan | Collier | 40 | Whilst ascending or descending | Whilst ascending the shaft with two other men, the cage got out of the slides, and he fell out | |
| 1873 | September | 4 | Garrion Gill | Cambusnethan, LKS | Coltness Iron Co. | John Young | Collier | 20 | In shafts – ropes & chains breaking | His father and he had ascended the shaft, the former had stepped off, when the cage with the latter fell to the bottom. It appears that the cotteril which kept the bolt in the muzzle had come out unobserved, and the bolt had gradually worked out | |
| 1873 | September | 4 | Wishaw | Cambusnethan, LKS | James Steel | Wm. Allen | Pithead man | 50 | Miscellaneous on surface | He was moving forward a loaded wagon and got jammed | |
| 1873 | September | 9 | Springfield | Bishopbriggs | W S Dixon | Thomas Morran | Miner | -- | In Ironstone mines - Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof at face. | |
| 1873 | September | 10 | Kingseat | Dunfermline, FIF | Henderson, Wallace & Co | Robert Condie | Collier | 47 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof at the face. The fireman had told them it was bad. He should have prevented them from going down. | |
| George Condie | Collier | 20 | |||||||||
| 1873 | September | 10 | West Limerigg | Slamannan, STI | West Limerigg Coal Co | Wm Muir | Brusher | 40 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof while “brushing” a road | |
| 1873 | September | 11 | Auchenheath | Lesmahagow, LKS | Jas Fergusons Trustees | Alex. Frame | Pithead man | 50 | Falling into shaft from surface | Fell from the surface down the pit. For want of thought he ran a tub into the shaft when the cage was not there to receive it. There was a gate but it was half open at the time | |
| 1873 | September | 16 | Burnt Broom | Mount Vernon | Dunn Brothers | Henry Meikle | Labourer | 24 | In Shafts | Was struck by the cage while going into the shaft | |
| 1873 | September | 18 | Ashgill | Dalserf, LKS | Andrew Spencer | John Gardner | Roadsman | 35 | In shafts – overwinding | He and another man had gone on the cage at the surface to descend the pit. The engineman took the cage up instead of down, and Gardner getting alarmed jumped off and fell to the ground | |
| 1873 | September | 18 | Kinneil | Bo'ness, Linlithgow | George Wilson & Co | Robert Grant | Brusher | -- | Explosion of Gunpowder | He was in the act of drawing a copper needle from a shot which he had charged, when from some unexplained cause, the shot went off, and he was fatally injured. Whether there had been matches or some inflammable substance in the stemming is not known, but a careful examination failed to show anything to account for the explosion. | No. 51 of schedule is a remarkable accident, the deceased was in the act of drawing out a copper needle from a charge of powder, when the powder exploded. It is not at all unlikely that a match may have got into the " stemming/' but this was not proved. It was strenuously maintained by those who were working with him, that the needle was of copper. The hole was drilled in " faiks " or slaty shale, which could not emit a spark with a copper needle. |
| 1873 | September | 19 | Barrachnie, No 2 | Baillieston | Wm Young & Co | Francis McLauchlan | Brusher | -- | Miscellaneous | Improper use of gunpowder | I understand that on the night of the accident a "shot" in the roof of one of the ordinary drawing roads had failed to produce the effects required, and a second attempt was about to be made by introducing what they term a "buller shot." This is a reckless system of blasting, and it will be proper to explain it. When a "buller shot" is decided upon (of course following the failure of a shot, as above explained,) a part of the opening formed in the roof by the first explosion is selected, into which a quantity of powder is put. It is generally thrown in loosely by the hand with some sort of filler, and under such circumstances it is scarcely possible to complete the operation without dropping part of the powder on to the floor of the mine. An attempt is sometimes made to confine or reduce the opening by jamming in wood and clay, and in this rough way the powder is partly confined. In the present case it is supposed that 14 lbs. at least had been used, and it was procured from a barrel near to where the workmen were engaged. How the powder was ignited which produced this disaster cannot be distinctly stated, but as the shot was only being prepared, I have no doubt a spark from a lamp, probably while being trimmed, ignited the loose powder which lay on the floor of the mine. The flame from it would reach the powder in the opening in the roof and from that to the barrel, which was conveniently situated a few feet back. This reckless and unworkmanlike system of working ought to be nipped in the bud. I was not aware of it being practised by brushers at any pit till after the accident, and special attention has been directed to it. As the powder (25 lbs.) was taken into the mine on the night of the accident, apparently within the knowledge of the oversman, with your consent, he was charged with a contravention of the 8th General Rule, and special rules 3, 5, and 8 relating thereto. He pled guilty, and was sentenced by Sheriff Lees, of Airdrie, to pay a fine of £2, failing payment to suffer 20 days imprisonment. |
| Thomas Murray | Brusher | -- | |||||||||
| 1873 | September | 19 | Faskine No 7 | Airdrie, LKS | Wm Baird & Co | James Reid | Miner | -- | In Shafts | Overwinding; was drawn over the pullies |
The engineman in this case when requested to lower the case with
the deceased in it, carelessly put the engine in motion, and,
instead of lowering it, raised it up to the "cross-beams"
and pulley, with which it came into violent contact, and the
deceased was thrown or fell from the cage to the surface, a distance
of 40 feet or thereby. He was mortally injured, and died soon
after. The Procurator Fiscal charged the engineman with culpable homicide, as also culpable violation or neglect of duty. The case was brought before Sheriff Lees, Airdrie, when the panel pled guilty to culpable violation or neglect of duty, which was accepted by the prosecutor, and he was fined £7 or suffer 30 days' imprisonment. He went to prison. |
| 1873 | September | 20 | Clippins, No 3 | Johnstone | Merry & Cunningham | William Reid | Miner | 21 | In Ironstone mines - Miscellaneous | By an explosion of gunpowder | The deceased and others were engaged by contract in a part of the mine which was "double shifted." They carried their powder into the mine in 25 lb. barrels. On the night preceding the accident, I understand that the persons engaged on that shift took a barrel of powder into the pit with them, but had not used any of it. It appears that when the day shift of- men arrived to their work they found some loose powder lying near to the barrel, and after collecting it they sat down to smoke. It is understood that one of them while trimming his lamp ignited part of the loose powder, and the whole was exploded (25 lbs.). Two deaths resulted from it. After submitting the facts, you directed that proceedings should be taken against the manager and workmen for violation of the 8th General Rule; as apparently the workmen had knowingly carried the powder into the mine contrary to the statute, and the management had acquiesced in it. Three of the workmen, after trial, were convicted by Sheriff Cowan Paisley, and each fined £2 or go to prison for thirty days. The manager, oversman, and fireman were also charged with contravention of the 8th General Rule and special rules. They pled not guilty, but after a careful trial the manager and oversman were convicted; the former was fined in the modified sum of £10, or ten days' imprisonment, and the latter was fined £2, with the same alternative. The fireman was dismissed in consideration of the short time he had acted as fireman. |
| Samuel Stafford | Miner | 36 | |||||||||
| 1873 | September | 23 | Fauldhouse | Whitburn, Linlithgow | Wm Dixon Ltd | George Watson | Sinker | 45 | In Ironstone mines | Fell or was knocked off a plank in a sinking pit, 5 fathoms from the bottom | |
| 1873 | September | 24 | Busbie No 5 | Kilmarnock | A Finnie & son | Alexander Templeton | Collier | 17 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1873 | September | 27 | Garrion Gill | Cambusnethan, LKS | Coltness Iron Co. | Andrew Spiers | Collier | 13 | Falls of Coal | Fall of “head coal” whilst filling a hutch | |
| 1873 | October | 2 | Kinneil | Bo'ness, Linlithgow | George Wilson & Co | Robt. Smith | Bottomer | 19 | In Ironstone mines | Found dead beneath cage in shaft bottom | |
| 1873 | October | 14 | Gauchalland, No 2 | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | Daniel McGuines | Engineman | 28 | Miscellaneous | Was found partly covered with water and surrounded with noxious gases | |
| 1873 | October | 18 | Old Farme | Rutherglen | James Fairrie | Hugh Carson | Brusher | 32 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1873 | October | 20 | Boig, No 1 | N Cumnock | Lanemark Coal Co | Alex. Anderson | Boy | 15 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1873 | October | 22 | Castlehill | Carluke, LKS | Shotts Iron Co | Alex. Ramsay | Roadsman | -- | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1873 | October | 22 | Kenmuir | Tollcross | James Dunlop & Co | Sam. Bradley | Waggoner | 37 | Above ground | Fell of a train of waggons in motion | |
| 1873 | October | 24 | Bogleshole No 4 | Tollcross | James Dunlop & Co | Edward McGuire | Brusher | 50 | Miscellaneous | While blasting | |
| 1873 | October | 30 | Benhar | Whitburn, Linlithgow | Benhar Coal Co Ltd | Robert Izzat | Collier | 30 | Falls of Coal | Fall of coal at the face | |
| 1873 | October | 31 | Fergushill, No 20 | Kilwinning | Archd. Finnie | John Murray | Roadsman | 28 | In Shafts | Breakage of winding machinery while being raised | |
| Adam Scott | Roadsman | 32 | |||||||||
| 1873 | October | 31 | Greengairs | New Monkland, LKS | J & J Russell | Dan McQuire | Brusher | -- | Falling into shaft from surface | He and another were ascending the shaft. When the cage reached the surface it went up above the proper stopping place | Newspaper report |
| 1873 | November | 8 | Braes O'Yetts | Kirkintilloch | Thos Fell | James Black | Fireman | 40 | In Shafts | By the crane getting out of gear while being lowered in the shaft | |
| 1873 | November | 11 | Eastfield No 4 | Cambuslang | T G Buchanan | James Speers | Boy | 15 | In Shafts | Fell from the cage while being lowered in consequence of some irregularity in winding | This pit is 50 fathoms deep, and fitted in the ordinary way with cages and guides. I understand that on the morning of the accident the deceased (two boys) along with two workmen had gone on to the cage for the purpose of being lowered, but the engineman, instead of raising the cage slightly so as to allow the pitheadman to open the "shuts" and pass the cage, had unwound the rope as if the cage was being lowered; the consequence was that the rope as it left the drum lay loosely on the ground, near to, and under it. When the engineman's attention was directed to this state of things he rewound the rope (a flat hemp one) without taking the precaution to know whether it was properly done, and raised the cage until the shuts were opened, after which he lowered the cage, but, in the rapid descension, the rope was thrown off the pulley, the arms were cleared away from one side of the drum, liberating part of the rope, and the cage getting out of the guides was jammed in the shaft about 20 fathoms from the surface. The cage had evidently dropped a great part of that distance uncontrolled by the engine, and the assumption is, that it got out of the guides on the end of the slack rope being reached. When examined the cage was slightly canted, which would partly account for two of the persons upon the cage falling away. The engineman was prosecuted at common law, and charged with culpable homicide and culpable or reckless violation of duty. He pled guilty of culpable and reckless neglect of duty, and was sentenced by Sheriff Galbraith, of Glasgow, to pay a fine of £10, failing payment 4 months' imprisonment. Newspaper report |
| Allan Maxwell | Boy | 17 | |||||||||
| 1873 | November | 14 | Uddingston | Bothwell, LKS | John Hendrie | James Differs | Collier | -- | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof at the face. | |
| 1873 | November | 15 | Drumpeller, No4 | Coatbridge, LKS | Drumpellar Coal Co | Robert Davies | Collier | 21 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of coal while engaged taking it down | |
| 1873 | November | 15 | Wemyss | Wemyss, FIF | R.G.E. Wemyss | Thomas Birrel | Incline man | 19 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof at top of an incline | |
| 1873 | November | 18 | Rosehall | Bothwell, LKS | Robert Addie & Sons | Patrick Laden | ----- | 16 | Falling from part way down | Fell from a mid-working (main coal) to the bottom of the pit. There was a gate but it had not been kept shut | |
| 1873 | November | 19 | Kelty | Beath, FIF | Fife Coal Co | Thos. Distrington | Sinker | 30 | Falling from part way down | Whilst coming away from a “shot” he was caught by a “bunton” and knocked out of the kettle | |
| 1873 | November | 21 | Arden | New Monkland, LKS | Wm Black & sons | James Ferguson | Collier | Whilst ascending or descending | In ascending the shaft, he attempted to jump off after the cage started and was caught by the door heads | ||
| 1873 | November | 21 | Green | Cambusnethan, LKS | Robert Bell | Robert Walker | Engineman | 33 | Falling into shaft from surface | While assisting his brother at night to get a cage into the guides, he fell down the shaft. | |
| 1873 | November | 21 | Kilbirnie No 32 | Dalry | Merry & Cunningham | David Harvie | Pitheadman | 55 | In Ironstone mines - In Shafts | While assisting to replace a cage fell into the shaft | |
| 1873 | November | 22 | Corby Craigs | Dalmellington | Dalmellington Iron Co | Robert Withers | Drawer | 18 | In Ironstone mines- Miscellaneous | Was jammed by a hutch against a “crowntree” | |
| 1873 | November | 27 | Auldhouse Burn | Muirkirk | Barr & Co | Chas Clark | Collier | 17 | In Shafts | Fell down the shaft (32 fathoms) when making repairs | |
| 1873 | December | 1 | Wellwood No 1 | Muirkirk | Eglinton Iron Co | William Aird | Collier | 34 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1873 | December | 6 | Brora | Clyne, SUT | Duke of Sutherland | Andrew Anderson | Bottomer | 17 | Things falling from surface | Supposed to have been struck by a stone falling down the pit | |
| 1873 | December | 12 | Shawsburn | Dalserf, LKS | Andrew Spencer | John McWilliams | Bottomer | 35 | In shafts – miscellaneous | In attempting to go across the cage at the bottom the cage was lifted and he was drawn up and jammed against the “door heads”. There was a road around the shaft. | |
| 1873 | December | 12 | Wester Hawhill | Shettleston | Ferrier & Strain | Alex. Simpson | Boy | 14 | Above Ground | Got entangled with an incline rope | |
| 1873 | December | 19 | Bogend | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | Geo. McSkimming | Boy | 14 | Miscellaneous | Crushed by empty hutches upon an incline | |
| 1873 | December | 19 | Greenhead | Cambusnethan, LKS | Coltness Iron Co. | Francis Davidson | Collier | 29 | Falls of Coal | Fall of “head coal” whilst shearing it. He had no “spurns” and was taking down too much at one time | |
| 1873 | December | 19 | Merryton | Hamilton, LKS | Merryton Coal Co | William Clark | Roadsman | -- | Falling from part way down | Fell to the bottom while repairing a broken slide in the shaft | |
| 1873 | December | 20 | Prestonlinks | Tranent, Haddington | J & C Grieve | George Forbes | Roadsman | 50 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1873 | December | 26 | Barrwood No 2 | Kilsyth | Wm Baird & Co | Alex Campbell | Asst. bricklayer | 60 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. | The third, which took place near the bottom of a pit in the act of being opened up, and where fire-damp was freely given off, proved fatal to a bricklayer's assistant, and was evidently occasioned by blundering with mixed lights. |
| 1873 | December | 26 | Kilmarnock No 9 | Kilmarnock | Archd. Finnie | W Matiford | Collier | 18 | Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1873 | December | 27 | Pather | Cambusnethan, LKS | Coltness Iron Co. | John Roberts | Collier | 46 | Falls of Roof | Fall of roof at the face. | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1873 | December | 31 | Blackstone No 1 | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | Andw. Sutherland | Miner | 54 | In Ironstone mines - Falls of Coal & Roof | Fall of roof at face. |