Search billions of records on Ancestry.com
   

 

 

 

Accidents in Mines in Scotland 1895

Notes - The information in this page is mainly compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries. 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 1895

Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report
 Extra details
Year Month Day Time Hour of Shift Name of Colliery Type of mine (if stated) Where situated Owner or Company First Name Surname Occupation Age Category Cause of accident and remarks
1895 July 1 3.30pm 10th Riddochhill Coal Linlithgow Gavin Paul & Sons William Smith Brusher 29 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 July 5 3pm 9th Redding Coal Stirling James Nimmo & Co Ltd John Highet Foreman joiner 71 On surface Run over by wagon Deceased and several other man had been unloading three "swivel" wagons which had been run up to the pit with some timber. When the last of the beams had been taken off, deceased, who stood in the centre wagon immediately behind the swivel bars, called to the others to knock out the trig and let the wagons away. On this being done, the three wagons ran down the branch for a distance of 105 yards when they collided with two trucks which stood there. Deceased, who had laid hold of a pin 1 foot 10 inches in height and resting in a socket in the swivel bar, was jerked violently forward, lifting the pin out of its socket and falling between the first and second swivel wagons. The wheels passed over his right arm and leg nearly severing them from his body. He died about three hours afterwards.
1895 July 6 9am 2nd Kaimes Coal Ayr William Baird & Co James Torbit Miner 47 Falls of side Fall of coal Newspaper Report - Muirkirk pages
1895 July 10 8pm 3rd Stonelaw No 3 Pit Coal Lanark Farme Coal Co Quintin Lowrie Engineman 19 Miscellaneous accidents underground Supposed to have been suffocated by the exhaust fumes from an oil-engine One unusual accident, which ended fatally, was caused by the fumes from the exhaust of a Priestman's oil engine placed below ground. The deceased had been employed storing debris in an old road along which the 3-inch exhaust pipe from the engine was carried. It seems that while alone he was taking a loaded hutch into this road, when it went off the rails and broke a joint of the exhaust pipe, thus permitting the fumes to escape, and he was apparently overcome while endeavouring to put the hutch on the rails again. At the public inquiry the jury in their verdict stated that death was caused by a strain while endeavouring to put the hutch on the rails, but no evidence in proof of this conjecture was adduced. The medical evidence supported the opinion that death was caused by suffocation from the fumes, and I attribute the accident to this cause. Newspaper report
1895 July 22 2.15am 3rd Baton Coal Lanark Morningside Coal Co Andrew Brunton Miner 43 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report - Shotts pages
1895 July 24 2.30pm 9th Leven Coal Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Robert Wallace Labourer 50 On surface Crushed by capstan Deceased, a day or two before the accident was placed in charge of a capstan used for bringing forward loaded wagons of dross to a coal washing machine. He was instructed how to proceed. The capstan was connected with the machinery which worked the washer and made about 50 revolutions per minute. A hemp rope was passed round it twice, one end was provided with a hook which was hooked on to the wagon and the other end was free, the person in charge by pulling at the free end caused the rope to grip the capstan and so moved the wagon. It appeared that deceased stood in a wrong position and by some means the rope which had passed round the capstan became entangled in the rope that was passing round it and deceased was drawn in and carried round. The engine working the whole plant was stopped and deceased extricated. It was suggested at the public inquiry that a clutch should be provided so that the person in charge of the capstan could stop it revolving without the washery engine having to be stopped which was some little distance away.
1895 July 26 3pm 9th Orchard Limestone Renfrew Robert Borland jun William Reynolds Miner 25 Metalliferous Mines Suffocated by fumes from the ventilating furnace The fatal accident happened in a limestone pit worked with one shaft 36 feet deep, and having a ventilating furnace at the bottom. Four miners were employed on the day of the accident, and it appears that after one of them had put fresh coal on the fire at 2 p.m. and returned to his work, either the furnace set fire to the timbering in close proximity, and this by being burnt allowed the roof to fall, or a fall of roof took place and caused the timbering to be set on fire. The consequence was that both the timbering and strata took fire, and, the ventilation being deranged, the smoke made its way to the working places. Being thus alarmed, the miners hurried out to the shaft which three of them managed to reach, but the fourth was overcome by the fumes on the way out, and it was the following day ere the ventilation was sufficiently restored to enable his body to be reached. Newspaper report
1895 July 29 9.30am 4th Dumbreck No 2 Pit Coal Stirling William Baird & Co Ltd Paul Black Pillarman 50 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face while he was putting up a pillar Newspaper report
1895 July 30 8.30pm 3rd Redburn No 1 Pit Coal Ayr William Baird & Co Ltd Alexander Bennet Brusher 52 Falls of roof Fall of roof at brushing face.  
1895 July 30 9am 3rd Douglas Park No 1 Pit Coal Lanark Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd Michael McGovern Miner 45 Falls of side Fall of coal while “stooping”  
1895 July 30 5.30pm 9th Straiton Oil shale Edinburgh Clippens Oil Co Ltd James Pennycook Contractor drawer 45 Miscellaneous underground Crushed on rake of hutches This accident occurred on an incline in the Broxburn oil shale seam. The incline dips from the surface with an average gradient of 1 in 2. It was 440 yards in length, and was used principally for pumping purposes, and as an outlet for the adjoining winding incline situated 30 yards away. Deceased was employed as a contractor for drawing the shale in a section of the mine. At stopping time it was found that some time would elapse, owing to a slight accident in the winding incline, before the carriages arrived to raise the workmen to the surface, and deceased with some others went to the pumping incline. About 70 yards up the incline was a rake, consisting of a bogie and two tubs, one tub being partly filled with debris and one empty. Deceased and four others reached the rake just as it moved away, and they got on to it, deceased being in the partly filled tub. All went well until a part of the roadway was reached where the timbering was low, when deceased was caught and crushed between the roof and the tub so severely that he died shortly after. It was against the Special Rules to ride on the rake, and in this case deceased and the other persons were remonstrated with by a pumpman who had leave to use the incline, but they persisted. There was a signal wire to the surface, but it was difficult to work, and the pumpman was not able to stop the rake by means of it. Newspaper report
1895 July 31 3.30pm 9th Glengyron No 1 Pit Coal Ayr William Baird & Co Ltd Charles Young Roadsman 51 Miscellaneous accidents underground While disconnecting a pony's tail-chain from a hutch, he fell and was run over by it  
1895 July        Kirkwood       Thomas Martin Inglis     Not listed   Yes
1895 August 1 7.15pm 3rd Barncluith Coal Lanark Archibald Russell Henry Burns Miner 27 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 August 2 3pm 9th Auchenharvie No 4 Pit Coal Ayr Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Ltd John Glauchan Miner 35 Miscellaneous accidents underground Outburst of water from old workings See main site
Peter Mullen Miner 14
Robert McConn Miner 18
Henry Glauchan Miner 18
James Mullen Miner 19
John McGhee Cousie attendant 14
James Glauchan Miner 21
William Glauchan Miner 28
Duncan Gallacher Miner 31
1895 August 6 1pm 6th Limerigg Coal Stirling John Nimmo & Son Henry Scobbie Miner 17 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report
1895 August 7     Rosie   Fife Bowman & Co Thomas Logie Assistant bottomer 21 Deaths not classified under Coal Mines Regulations Act Run over by locomotive  
1895 August 7 1.15pm 7th Kelty Coal Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd John Sneddon Wheeler 14 Miscellaneous underground Chain broke Deceased was hanger-on at the foot of a "cut chain" brae 32 yards in length, and having an inclination of 1 in 3 1/2. He had hung on and sent away an empty tub, and appeared to have been standing upon the plates at the brae foot when the chain broke at a splicing or "clasp" link, and the empty tub ran back and struck him, killing him on the spot. The clasp link was not found after the accident, but was stated to have consisted of two malleable iron side plates, each 3/4 inch by 1/4 inch, connected to each other by a f-inch rivet at each end. As required by Special Rule 81, deceased should have stood "clear of hutches in motion so as to avoid danger from breakages or runaways." Newspaper report - Beath accidents
1895 August 14 6.15am 1st Straiton Oil shale Edinburgh Clippens Oil Co Ltd Robert Stenhouse Miner 23 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Ignition of fire-damp by naked light This accident took place at the face of an upset in a section of the Dunnet oil shale seam. The seam gives off gas, generally in small quantities. The section was originally formed into stoops, and these having become crushed, the shale was being worked away by the longwall method. Deceased went to his work as usual with his open lamp on his cap, and on reaching the face gas was ignited by it, and an explosion resulted. He succumbed to his injuries within two days of the accident. The accumulation of gas appeared to have been small, as the explosion was slight. The miners working 20 yards away heard no report, nor were their lights extinguished. The roof had fallen along the left side of the place some days prior to the accident. A small quantity of gas was seen in the place three weeks before the accident, but was not seen again until five days after. On that day Mr. M'Laren, one of the Inspectors assisting in the district, discovered gas near where it was supposed deceased had kindled it. The fireman's date was found on the face opposite the road, or spout head, showing he had been in the place, but whether he examined the fallen side along the face was not very clear. The means of ventilating the left side of the place where the roof was fallen, and where probably the gas accumulated, was not satisfactory, as the air-current, after passing along the right side of the place, went down the spout. It transpired that the fireman, when examining the place before the entry of the miners, as required by General Rule 4, did so more than two hours before the commencement of the shift, which is the time fixed by Special Rule 9 within which the examination must be made.
1895 August 17 7.30am 3rd Saline Coal Fife Saline Valley Coal Co Hugh Kerr Labourer 78 On surface Crushed by truck Deceased was employed as a general labourer, but, when the accident took place, was assisting at the screen. A truck having been loaded, he called up to the pitheadman to get it shifted. The latter being engaged unloading the cage could not come at the moment, and rather than wait for him, deceased proceeded to shift the truck himself. While doing so he was caught and crushed between the axle box of the truck and a side stay which supported the trimming shed, sustaining injuries which resulted fatally two days afterwards.
1895 August 19 4.15pm 10th Campsie, Boydsburn Mine Coal and limestone Stirling Baird Brothers John Watson Miner 23 Miscellaneous accidents underground While firing a shot, he ignited the straw instead of the match, and the shot went off before he could escape  
1895 August 19 6am 8th Skellyton Coal Lanark Hamilton Colliery Co James Stewart Roadsman 36 In shafts Caught by cage This accident was caused by deceased being crushed between an ascending cage and the side of a rectangular shaft. Two cages traversed the shaft which was 38 yards deep to the Splint coal, and 84 yards deep to the Virtuewell coal. Both cages ran to the latter seam but only the rise cage was used from the Splint, which was a mid-working. There was a separate signal from both seams to the surface, but only one return signal which sounded in the shaft between the seams. Deceased was employed as a roadsman, and he and others were engaged in repairing the workings of the Virtuewell seam during the night shift. There was no bottomer employed during the night shift. It appeared that when a shift was over it was the custom of the engineman to signal four to the bottom. Deceased and others came to the Virtuewell bottom on the completion of their shift and were waiting to ascend. The engineman signalled four to the bottom and soon after, as some of the day shift miners wished to descend to the Splint coal, he lowered the rise cage, which was then at the surface, to that seam. In the meantime deceased, with a view to ascend on the other cage, was removing au empty hutch from it, and while doing so the cage moved away, and he was jammed between it and the shaft side, and raised a considerable distance in that position and killed. As there was no bottomer at the Virtuewell, and as the engineman had no means of knowing that anyone was at the bottom in that seam, he considered he was justified in raising the cage as he did, and that the deceased man, before attempting to remove the empty hutch from the cage, should have signalled to the surface for the engineman to let the cage stand. The Special Rules Nos 17 and 60 place upon the pitheadman and bottomer the duty of seeing that only an empty cage, or a cage having persons on it, traverses the shaft against the other cage when carrying persons. In this case persons were lowered to the Splint coal by the engineman against a cage which would have contained an empty hutch had deceased not pushed it off. According to one of the additional special rules established in 1893, the signal 4, which was used here by the engineman to signify that the shift was over, has an entirely different meaning in cases where mid-workings exist, and, in fact, means that the gate at the mid-working is open. There was only one return signal for two bottoms; this is not a safe practice, and does not appear to be in accordance with the requirements of General Rule 25. Newspaper report - Dalserf pages
1895 August 30 8.30am 3rd Bredisholm No 3 Pit Coal Lanark Glasgow Iron & Steel Co Ltd James Semple Bogie runner 14 Falls of roof The hutches he was conveying along a haulage road left the rails, knocked out a prop, and the roof fell on him Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1895 August 31 9.30am 4th Lanemark No 2 Pit Coal Ayr Lanemark Coal Co John Smith Miner 14 Falls of roof Fall of roof near working face  
1895 September 1 5pm 2nd Neilsland Coal Lanark John Watson Ltd John Mooney Sinker 26 In shafts Fell into shaft from surface A pit in the course of sinking had reached a depth of 40 fathoms. While sinking was going on the water collecting in the bottom was sent up in the sinking kettles, but at the end of the week when sinking was suspended it collected and rose to a depth of about 3 fathoms. An engineman and deceased, who acted as pitheadman, came to work on the Sunday afternoon to remove this water by means of an iron water barrel raised by the sinking engine so as to allow the sinkers to resume work in the bottom at 10 pm. The barrel had a capacity of 205 gallons, and it weighed 7 or 8 cwt., it and the bow were so connected that when it was filled with water and free to move it tipped up and emptied itself resuming its normal position in relation to the bow when empty. A catch secured the barrel to the bow while running in the shaft. The water was emptied into a channel at the pithead, and in order to prevent the barrel completely reversing itself and so allowing the water to flow into the pit a hook attached to a rope fixed to the pithead frame was placed m an eye-bolt riveted to the rim of the barrel and which prevented it falling over more than necessary. The modus operandi was as follows :—The engineman raised the barrel into position and the deceased, standing on the strike tree, placed the hook in the eye-bolt and removed the catch, the engineman then raised the barrel a short distance, it fell over until arrested by the rope, and emptied itself and resumed an upright position, deceased then fixed the catch and removed the hook from the eye-bolt. It was stated by the officials that while the barrel was emptying itself deceased should have stepped back off the strike-tree both for safety and to prevent water splashing over him. He did not retire, but remained in the one position during the whole operation. The accident was caused by the eye-bolt breaking while the barrel was being tipped; it would seem that deceased had his hand on the barrel and when it moved further than usual owing to the rope not arresting it, he had fallen into the shaft. There was a flaw in the eye-bolt which caused it to give way; the break would probably take place when the rope to which the hook was attached became taut when there would be some shock. It was stated that deceased was the worse of drink, but this, the Sheriff held, was not proved at the inquiry. Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1895 September 2     Herdhill   Lanark Coltness Iron Co Ltd Joseph McFarlane Miner 45 Deaths not classified under Coal Mines Regulations Act Sudden death  
1895 September 5 12.30am 3rd Bridgeness Coal Linlithgow Bridgeness Coal Co Henry Dowdie Contractor 47 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 September 6 8.30am 2nd Bellfield Coal Lanark William Barr & Sons Robert Wilson Miner 39 Falls in Mine Fall of coal  
1895 September 11 7am 1st Oakbank Oil shale Edinburgh Oakbank Oil Co Ltd Alexander Williamson Pithead foreman 55 On surface Rope broke A wooden slide about 30 feet long and weighing about 2 3/4 cwt was being raised by means of a hemp rope passing over a block fixed to the pithead frame. Four men, including deceased, were pulling at the rope attached to one end of the slide, the other end resting on the pithead scaffold. The slide came in contact with the underside of a cross-beam, the rope broke, the slide fell on to the pithead and struck deceased on the head inflicting injuries that caused his death two days later. The manager of the mine could give no history of the rope beyond that it had been in use for some time. The rope was of hemp and was hawser laid, it was 1 inch in diameter; the breaking strain when new would be 85 cwt., the proof strain, 34 cwt., and the safe working load, 8 cwt. It was in fairly good condition but somewhat worn. It was stated by a practical rope maker at the inquiry that it was a tarred rope, and that the tar burns the hemp in the course of time, and that three years would be a fair lifetime for such a rope. The pulley on the block over which the rope passed had a piece broken off exposing rugged edges, but not, I think, likely to cut the rope. It appeared that the rope had deteriorated in quality and was not safe to use.
1895 September 13 12pm 7th Trabboch Coal Ayr William Black & Sons Matthew McLachlan Miner 32 Miscellaneous accidents underground While illegally drawing in front of a hutch, he fell, and was run over by it  
1895 September 13 11.45am 5th Longriggend Coal Lanark James Nimmo & Co Ltd William O'Hare Miner 27 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 September 16 2.10pm 8th Nethercroy No 1 Pit Coal Dumbarton Carron Co Robert Henderson Labourer 46 Accidents above ground Drowned in a settling pond containing 9 inches of water, while in a fit  
1895 September 25 9.40am 2nd Barr Coal Ayr Barr Coal Co Peter Stewart Bottomer 64 Shaft Accidents He pushed a hutch into the open shaft at a mid-working, and fell after it A bottomer fell along with a loaded hutch from a mid-working and received fatal injuries. He was alone at the time, and had opened the gate fencing the shaft when the cage was at the surface, and while the engineman was attending to the boilers. From the fact that he was found in the pit bottom along with a full hutch it is evident that he was under the impression that the cage had been at the mid-working. Accidents of this description, at one time of frequent occurrence, ought not to happen now if the recently established special rules are properly observed. The shaft at a mid-working, ought also to be always well lighted.
1895 September 25 9.30am 3rd Kelty Coal Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd James Forrester Driver 14 Miscellaneous underground Chain broke This accident occurred in the same pit, and was very similar to No. 46.[August 7] Deceased, who was a horsedriver, had gone inbye with a set of empty tubs, and stood at the foot of a cut chain brae waiting for a tub to complete the loaded set. The brae was about 50 yards in length, and had an inclination of about 1 in 3. The chain broke at a clasp link, exactly similar to that described in connexion with No. 46, one end of one of the rivets having in this instance been pulled through the hole in the side plate. The empty tub ran back and struck deceased, inflicting injuries which resulted in his death a fortnight afterwards. The only witness of the accident was the hanger-on, who appeared to have contravened Special Rule 81, in respect that he failed to prevent deceased from approaching the brae while the hutches were in motion. Clasp links are used in these chains for the insertion of the " cut links" and their attachments, and also on account of the frequent extensions of the braes necessitating the lengthening of the chains. The form above described does not appear to be the best which can be adopted. The holes in the side plates being simply punched, have more or less of a taper; and the rivetting being done underground may sometimes be imperfect. If rivetted too tightly, the link becomes too rigid to run easily round the pulleys, and as their heads become worn by rubbing along the rough pavement, the rivets bend and are pulled through.: The owners have since adopted an improved form.
1895 September 26 12.30pm 7th Woodhall No 1 Pit Coal Lanark Barr & Higgins William McCutcheon Miner 37 Falls of side Fall of coal Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1895 September 28 9.15am 3rd Teasses Limestone Fife A Whittaker Robert Forrest Filler 56 Metalliferous Mines Fall of limestone The seam of limestone in which this accident occurred is about 11 feet in thickness, and is divided into plies of from 2 to 3 feet. The partings between these plies are rough and somewhat irregular, but the backs or joints by which the limestone is intersected are more or less regular, nearly vertical, and frequently coated with clay. The two lower plies of limestone had been taken out in a place 15 feet in width. A shearing shot had been fired, which brought down a portion of the third ply, and shook the limestone adjoining it. Some effort had been made to pinch down the loosened limestone, but as this failed, the miner was about to drill a shot-hole in it. Deceased went under the nose to pick up a piece of limestone, when a block measuring 5 feet 2 inches by 2 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 3 inches suddenly fell upon him crushing him so severely that he died some hours afterwards.
1895 October 4 8.30am 3rd Dalmeny Oil shale Linlithgow Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd Robert Aitken Miner 44 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 October 5 8.20am 3rd Longriggend Coal Lanark James Nimmo & Co Ltd John Kane Bottomer 55 In shafts Crushed by cage Deceased, a bottomer, was found under one of the cages that traversed the shaft, but how he got there there was no evidence to show. Some little time before the accident he had crossed the shaft from the side where he was usually stationed and gone some distance from it. He was returning to his work when he met with the accident. There was a "bout-gate" or road from one side of the shaft to the other, but as this road was low I think deceased purposed crossing the shaft, and was either in the act of doing so when the cage descended on him or, what I think more, probable, was waiting for the cage to descend so that he might cross through it, and had moved too far forward and was struck by it. While deceased was away from his post a roadsman attended to the shaft who stated he got on to the the cage to ascend to the surface when he saw deceased returning; if deceased saw the roadsman ascending he must have known the cages were running. In addition the pumps were connected with the winding engine, and the noise they made could be heard by deceased and apprise him that the cages were running. An empty hutch was in the cage that struck deceased, and as persons were ascending on the other cage this was a breach of a special rule on the part of the pitheadman. Newspaper report
1895 October 7 9am 3rd South Craigends Coal Stirling John Logan & Sons Matthew Neil Sinker 25 In shafts Chain broke This accident, involving the death of two sinkers and injury to a third, was caused by the breaking of a chain, resulting in the fall of a kettle full of stone which was being raised by winding engine in a pit in the process of sinking to a deeper seam. The chain had been taken from the cage which had been removed from the shaft in order to allow the rope to which it had been attached to be used in the sinking. The chain was made up of a large link at each end, and 29 smaller links of 5/8-inch iron; the first of these small links, that nearest the rope, broke. When on the cage this link had been nearest the cage. According to Molesworth's Pocket Book of Engineering Formulae the working load of such a chain is 2.78 tons, the load on it at the time of the accident was about 15cwt. But the link that broke was considerably worn ; when on the cage it and the links next it had been subject to extra wear, as when the cage rested on the bottom or on the shuts at the surface and the rope was slackened, these links fell on to the top of the cage and this with any movement caused by the twisting of the rope subjected them to extra wear. In order to make use of the cage in one division of the shaft between the upper seam and the surface while the other rope was used for sinking, an extra chain was made use of below the chain that broke. This practice appeared not to be in accordance with General Rule 28 of the Coal Mines Act, which limits the use of chains in such a case to “the short coupling-chain attached to the cage or tub.” Proper inspection and reporting on the ropes and chains as required by General Rule 5 was not carried out, and the jury added a rider to this effect to their verdict.
William Robertson Sinker 25
1895 October 7 5am 5th Sundrum Coal Ayr Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd Samuel McFadzean Miner 26 Miscellaneous accidents underground While illegally drawing in front of a hutch, he fell, and was run over by it  
1895 October 9 12 noon 6th Prestongrange Coal Haddington Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co Richard Mackie Banksman 18 On surface Crushed by truck Deceased was bringing forward an empty truck to place it under a screen on a temporary siding which had a gradient varying between 1 in 19 and 1 in 38. He stood upon the handle of the break lever which was at front end of the truck. On approaching the screen, he was caught by a strut which supported an over-hanging portion of the pithead scaffold and crushed so severely that he died about two hours afterwards. Newspaper report
1895 October 10 12.30pm 6th Law Coal Lanark Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd James Forrest Miner 26 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report
1895 October 11 1.30pm 7th Loanhead Coal and ironstone Edinburgh Shotts Iron Co Abraham Pryde Miner 21 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report
Peter Frame Miner 48
1895 October 11 3pm 9th Cadzow Coal Lanark Cadzow Coal Co Ltd Andrew Maxwell Bogie-man 22 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1895 October 14 9am 3rd Hamilton Palace Coal Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd Elizabeth Findlay Stone picker 30 Accidents above ground Fell through a temporary opening in a screen scaffold, upon a revolving shaft, and thence to the ground A woman was killed by falling from the pithead upon a revolving shaft, and thence to the ground through a temporary opening in the scaffold, having gone close to the opening contrary to orders. Newspaper report - Bothwellhaugh pages
1895 October 18 8.40am 2nd Portland No 8 Pit Coal Ayr William Baird & Co Ltd William Innes Waggon shunter 60 Accidents above ground While pinching forward a waggon, he was overtaken by another, and crushed between them  
1895 October 22 2pm 8th Earnock Coal Lanark John Watson Ltd Abraham McManus Miner 21 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
Charles Rae Miner 27
1895 October 22 9pm 7th Bothwell Castle No 3 Pit Coal Lanark William Baird & Co Ltd David Lowrie Sinker 35 Shaft Accidents The sinking kettle while ascending caught the mid-wall, the bow broke, and it fell to the bottom Two sinkers in a sinking shaft lost their lives by the sinking "kettle" falling from a height of 180 fathoms. The shaft is 24 ft long by 7 ft. wide, separated into three divisions by two rows of buntons, 7 in. by 6 in., fixed 4 ft. apart between centres. The middle or winding division is 7 ft. 7 in. by 7 ft, in area, having the buntons on one side only covered by wrought lining which formed the mid-wall. When hanging perpendicular in the shaft, the '' kettle " was 20 in. clear of the buntons. It appears that the eight sinkers in the pit, which at the time of the accident was 210 fathoms deep, were preparing to fire shots, and sent up the "kettle" containing their tools to the pithead. When about 30 fathoms from the surface it caught the buntons or mid-wall, and the jerk broke the bow. This released the kettle which in its fall broke and precipitated to the bottom several of the buntons. Two long jumpers, which were too long to go inside the lip of the "kettle," were said to have been securely lashed by a cord to the centre of the bow, but whether these became detached on the way up and their points caught the timbering, or whether the lip of the kettle first got caught beneath a bunton, could not be definitely determined. At the Inquiry, the sinkers who escaped stated that the "kettle" was properly steadied before being despatched to the surface, but I am inclined to believe that such was not the case, and that the oscillation caused either the lip of the kettle or the point of a jumper to catch one of the unprotected buntons. The kettle would then rebound and catch on the mid-wall side, getting there the wrench which broke the bow. The sinkers in this same pit had a narrow escape a few weeks previous to the accident, when the engineman overwound the "kettle" to the pulley wheel, and being broken, it fell to the bottom where the men were at work. Newspaper Report - Blantyre pages
John Hall Sinker 35
1895 October 24 11.30am 5th Whistleberry Coal Lanark Archibald Russell Dennis Ward Labourer 23 Accidents above ground While a branch railway was being made, a runaway waggon ran into the waggons which were being emptied by the deceased and others. Other 4 men were injured  
1895 October 25 3.30am 6th Leven Coal Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Robert Dow Miner's assistant 16 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895  October 28             George Hunter         Died from injuries received in 1892 - see under 24 May 1892 Newspaper report - Beath accidents
1895 October 29 9am 3rd Blantyre No 1 Pit Coal Lanark William Dixon Ltd Robert Dixon Miner 41 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face  
1895 November 2 9.45am 5th Carmyle No 1 Pit Coal Lanark James Dunlop & Co Ltd Peter McCourt Miner 50 Falls of roof Fall of roof in working face  
1895 November 4 10.15am 4th Barnsmuir Coal Stirling Barnsmuir Coal Co Henry Yeardley Miner 14 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 November 5 10pm 2nd Tannochside No 2 Pit Coal Lanark Calderbank Steel & Coal Co Ltd Michael Doran Brusher 25 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Explosion of fire damp. The cause was not ascertained, but it is supposed he must have exposed a naked light instead of using his safety lamp. The second fatal explosion happened in No. 2 Pit, Tannochside, where safety lamps were in use. The deceased, a contractor brusher, was alone at the time, having for some unknown purpose gone into the working place of a miner where his duty did not require him to be. His statement after the accident was to the effect that while he was at the coal face the roof gave way and fell upon his safety-lamp and broke the glass, when the explosion took place. Another brusher who was working not far off stated at the inquiry that, on entering the place shortly after, he found the Marsant safety-lamp lying extinguished on its side about 3 feet clear of the fall and having the glass cracked. On the other hand, the sworn evidence of the fireman was to the effect that when he met the deceased and the other brusher both of their lamps were burning, although the glass of the lamp of the former was cracked. It is obvious that if the lamp of the deceased was afterwards found burning, it must either have been illegally lighted after the explosion or the statement that it was found lying on its side extinguished was untrue. I am inclined to believe that the deceased must have been illegally exposing a naked light of some kind, and that it came in contact with an accumulation of gas.
1895 November 6 10.15pm 5th Kenmuirhill No 2 Pit Coal Lanark Dunn Brothers John Muir Engineman 36 Shaft Accidents Fell down the shaft from the surface, having apparently supposed that a scaffold which had been previously been across it was still there.  
1895 November 9 1pm 7th Banknock, Gladstone Pit Coal Stirling John Young & Co William Jarvie Drawer 15 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face  
1895 November 12 7am 1st Clyde Coal Lanark Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd William Allan Driver 15 Miscellaneous underground Kicked by horse This accident was of a simple nature. The boy was a driver between an inside lye in the Main coal, and the main lye at the bottom of a haulage dook. On the morning of the accident, while behind some horses attempting to drive them through water lying in the main lye, he struck the last horse with a whip, which caused it to kick out and he was struck on the face. He succumbed to the injury two days later. The water had accumulated in the lye through a pump being off for repairs.
1895 November 13 8.45am 3rd Devon Coal Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co John Hunter Miner 23 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 November 15 8.50am 3rd Hamilton Palace Coal Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd James Wilson Miner 28 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face Newspaper report - Bothwellhaugh pages
1895 November 22 8.30am 3rd Straiton Oil shale Edinburgh Clippens Oil Co Ltd George Forsyth Miner 40 Falls in Mine Fall of oil shale  
1895 November 28 7.30am 1st Trees Coal Linlithgow James Wood Ltd Mungo Brown Miner 32 Falls in Mine Fall of coal and ironstone  
1895 December 2 9.30am 4th Clyde Coal Lanark Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd John Beattie Miner 20 Falls in Mine Fall of stone Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1895 December 9 11am 4th Linrigg Coal Lanark Linrigg Coal Co Ltd Thomas Hughes Gum-runner 65 On surface Crushed by truck This accident was caused by deceased, who was supposed to have been cleaning a drain crossing a line of rails, being crushed between an empty wagon and a wagon partly loaded with peas; these wagons collided owing to the empty wagon being sent forward by some wagons loaded with dross striking it. The persons lowering the dross wagons were unaware of deceased's position, and it appeared that deceased should not have been where he was.
1895 December 10 12.30pm 6th Craighead No 2 Pit Coal Lanark William Baird & Co Ltd David Harper Chain runner 18 Miscellaneous accidents underground While opening a door on a dook, he was crushed against it by a “race” of hutches of which he had charge.  
1895 December 10 7.30am 1st South Broadrigg Coal Linlithgow John Nimmo & Son William McAlpine Drawer 19 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 December 23 10.30am 4th Bridgeness Coal Linlithgow Bridgeness Coal Co John Sneddon Miner 34 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 December 24     West Longrigg   Lanark James Gemmell Andrew Stevenson Drawer 25 Deaths not classified under Coal Mines Regulations Act Sudden death  
1895 December 28 10am 4th Haywood Coal Lanark Haywood Gas Coal Co John Finlay Miner 23 Falls in Mine Fall of stone  
1895 December 30 10am 4th Arniston Coal Edinburgh Arniston Coal Co Ltd William Nisbet Fireman 55 Miscellaneous underground Runaway hutch Deceased was assisting another man to repair a broken electric cable, on a dook which had a dip of about 1 in 6. About 50 yards further up the dook, four men, under the direction of the manager, were bringing down a tub containing about 3 cwts. of coal and having a broken drawbar, with the intention of turning it aside at an old road end. The tub was not snibbled, and the men allowed it to overpower them, and to get away. They shouted to warn deceased, who ran towards a manhole about 5 yards above him, but was struck by the tub and killed on the spot. His neighbour reached a manhole 10 feet below where they were at work, and escaped.

 

Go to January to June 1895

Return to Scottish Mining

Last Updated 16th May 2009

 

 

 

© Scottish Mining Villages 2005-2009