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Fatal Accidents in Mines in Scotland 1896

- 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.

Go to January to June 1896

Year Month Day Name of Colliery Where situated Owner or Company First Name Surname Occupation Age Category Cause of accident and remarks Extra details
1896 July 1 Lanemark No 2 Pit Ayr Lanemark Coal Co Hugh Gallacher Miner 30 Falls of roof Fall of roof on road, while passing along it,  
1896 July 1 Leven Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Duncan Birrell Repairer 52 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone while repairing wheel brae.  
1896 July 8 Balbardie Linlithgow Balbardie Colliery Co Ltd John McIntyre Joiner 24 On Surface – Miscellaneous A pithead frame was being erected. One tress was raised, and deceased were on the top adjusting ropes for the purpose of raising the second tress, when it fell and carried them with it. The wooden piles to which the guy ropes were fixed came out of the ground. Newspaper report
Thos. Broadfoot Joiner 27
1896 July 11 Avondale Lanark Avondale Coal Co James Dalziel Blacksmith 50 On Surface – Miscellaneous While dismounting an engine at an abandoned pit, deceased fell through an opening in the floor.  
1896 July 13 Blackston Renfrew Wm Black & Sons Ltd John McGoogan Labourer 63 On Surface – On railways and tramways Caught between the buffers of railway waggons.  
1896 July 14 Meiklehill No 5 pit Dumbarton Jas. Wood Ltd William Crooks Miner 65 Falls of side Fall of coal.  
1896 July 20 Fordell Fife Fordell Trustees Robert Birrell Contractor brusher 36 In shafts – ropes and chains breaking The buntons and slides in pit had been partly removed and partly set back so as to give room for lowering pumping plant. One winding rope was in use with a kettle attached, on the rim of which deceased and another man were standing ; to the other rope a pipe was hung as a balance weight. This pipe appears to have caught on some of the woodwork left in the shaft and then falling away, broke the chain next to the rope and knocked deceased off the kettle in its fall. Newspaper Report
1896 July 26 Brownyside Lanark Wm Black & Sons Ltd Thos. Baillie Blacksmith 60 In shafts – falling into shaft from surface A flat wire rope was being stitched, and while deceased was engaged at it, the iron glands which held the bottom portion of the rope and cage suspended in the shaft slipped, and the rope fell down the shaft carrying deceased with it. Newspaper report
1896 July 28 Roman Camp (Oil shale) Linlithgow Broxburn Oil Co Ltd John Gordon Miner 50 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone in stooping place.  
1896 July 30 Bothwell Park No 2 Pit Lanark Wm Baird & Co Ltd Robt. Kirkwood Brusher 26 Falls of roof Fall of roof on road, while travelling along it.  
1896 August 3 Overton No 1 Pit Ayr Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Jas. McIvors Brusher -- Miscellaneous underground – By explosives While firing a shot, he failed to get clear in time. Newspaper Report
1896 August 7 Niddrie Edinburgh Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd William Allan Miner 36 Falls of sides Fall of coal at longwall face.  
1896 August 12 Redding Stirling James Nimmo & Co Ltd Wm. Johnstone Miner 26 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone on longwall road near face while engaged repairing it.  
1896 August 17 Quarter Lanark Colin Dunlop & Co John Gemmell Miner 30 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at face of close place.  
1896 August 17 Twechar Dumbarton Wm Baird & Co Ltd Jos. Crawford Locomotive brakesman 18 On Surface – On railways and tramways While uncoupling waggons from locomotive, he fell and was run over by locomotive.  
1896 August 19 Hamilton Palace Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd John Lynes Haulage-man 44 Falls of roof A rail being conveyed on hutches struck and knocked out a prop. The roof gave way and fell on him.  
1896 August 24 Longrigg Lanark James Nimmo & Co Ltd David Dick Locomotive driver 42 On Surface – On railways and tramways In coming down a steep incline, with a train of loaded waggons, the brakesman missed his sprags and train ran away, deceased jumped off his engine, and in doing so, came in contact with waggons standing on another roadway, and was thrown back among the wheels of the moving train.  
1896 August 25 Lightshaw No 1 Pit Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd James Macdonald Miner 50 Falls of side Fall of coal.  
1896 August 26 Hareshaw Lanark Hareshaw Coal Co Peter Black Miner 21 In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery Deceased was ascending a shaft in the cage with his graith when by some means he fell from the cage.  
1896 August 26 Pumpherston (Oil shale) Edinburgh Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd Edward Reynolds Miner 36 Falls of sides Fall of oil shale at face of close place.  
1896 August 31 Hallside Lanark Jas Dunlop & Co Ltd Wm. Russell Miner 32 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report
1896 September 2 Longriggend Lanark James Nimmo & Co Ltd Alex. Muir Miner 22 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face.  
1896 September 5 Cleland No 40 Pit Lanark Ravenshall Coal Co Archd. Sommerville Miner 19 Falls of side Fall of coal through want of sprags.  
1896 September 7 Tannochside No 2 Pit Lanark Calderbank Steel & Coal Co Ltd John McCusker Miner 54 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1896 September 11 Carberry Edinburgh Deans & Moore Geo. Morrison Miner 43 Falls of sides Fall of coal in close place.  
1896 September 12 Merryton Lanark Merryton Coal Co John Moodie Miner 25 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone while drawing the last of the props from a cut which had been taken off a stoop. Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1896 September 15 Ayr, Drumley No 1 Pit Ayr George Taylor & Co John Nimmo Sinker 33 In shafts – things falling from part way down The rope with muzzle attached was being wound up the shaft. The pin of muzzle attached by chain, was hanging loose, when something caught it. The chain broke, and the pin fell down the shaft, striking him on the head.  
1896 September 16 Cornsilloch Lanark Archibald Russell William W. Rae Miner 25 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Ignited fire-damp on longwall road in the Virtuewell seam, where they were redding a fall and using open lights. Newspaper report - Dalserf pages
James Cummings Miner 27
1896 September 23 Kinnedar Fife Fifeshire Main Colliers Ltd Philip Coyne Waggon shunter 25 On Surface – On railways and tramways Deceased was shunting a loaded truck. When stepping aside after unhooking the horse's tail chain, his heel slipped in between the switch and the stock rail, and before he could extricate it the wheel ran forward upon him, crushing his leg and abdomen. Newspaper Report
1896 September 23 Springside No 11 Pit Ayr A Kenneth & Sons Joseph Ashwood Miner 40 Falls of roof Fall of roof and coal.  
1896 September 25 Bent Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd William Crawford Brass picker 13 On Surface – On railways and tramways Crushed between stationary and moving waggons while crossing rails close to pit.  
1896 October 1 Douglas Park No 1 Pit Lanark Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd Jas. Duffy Miner 30 Falls of roof Fall of roof and a small part of coal at working face.  
1896 October 7 Bathville Linlithgow James Wood Ltd James McKinnon Stone picker 14 On surface – By machinery Deceased appeared to have been oiling the engine of the picking table when in motion, to have slipped on the sole plate and fallen under the crank. The engine was stopped without delay, but not until he had received fatal injuries.  
1896 October 7 Portland No 8 Pit Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd Wm. McLelland Miner 30 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1896 October 13 Carfin No 7 Pit Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd John Murray Waggon shifter 21 On Surface – On railways and tramways Whilst spragging a waggon, the sprag knocked him in front of the wheels, and he was run over. A waggon shifter, while illegally attempting to sprag the wheels by inserting a long prop, was knocked by the sprag in front of the wheels, run over and killed.
1896 October 14 Dalbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Robert Ross Miner 24 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face.  
1896 October 15 Bannockburn No 1 Pit Stirling Alloa Coal Co Wm. Wynn Miner 42 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1896 October 20 Newbattle Edinburgh Lothian Coal Co Ltd Wm. Nelson Chain runner 19 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes While coming up a dook road sitting on the first tub of the rake, his head came in contact with a crown, stunning him and causing him to fall off, whereby he was crushed between the tubs and the wall side.  
1896 October 21 Gauchalland No 4 Pit Ayr Gauchalland Coal Co Wm. Craig Carter 60 On Surface – Miscellaneous By his horse swerving over an embankment, he fell off the cart. A carter lost his life by his horse falling over a loading bank, and by being himself pitched out of the cart.
1896 October 24 Bogleshole No 4 Pit Lanark Jas Dunlop & Co Ltd Wm. Winning Brusher 40 Falls of roof Fall of roof while drawing props at stoops. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1896 October 30 Kelty Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Michael Brown Miner 34 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Deceased worked in an upset, and after boring a hole he went to the level road to prepare a charge, and while doing so the contents of the flask, about 3 lbs. of gunpowder, was ignited by a spark from his lamp which was either on his cap or placed near the flask.  
1896 October 31 Southfield Stirling William Black & Sons Ltd James Kidd Blacksmith 52 On Surface – On railways and tramways Deceased was replacing a bolt underneath a waggon which stood among some others in a siding near to the pit. A train of empty waggons pushed into the siding, buffered against those already there, and before deceased could get out of the way he sustained injuries to which he succumbed 18 days afterwards.  Newspaper report
1896 November 4 Cults (Limestone) Fife James Martin George Simpson Miner 47 Falls of roof Faff of limestone from roof near working face.  
Alex. Simpson Miner 19
1896 November 6 Hamilton Palace Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd Jas. Connolly Miner 37 Falls of side Fall of stone from side of travelling road while passing along it.  
1896 November 10 Bellfield Lanark William Barr & Sons David Neilson Brusher 47 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face.  
1896 November 12 Ross Lanark Thomas Barr Samuel McCook Brusher 25 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone in longwall waste while getting stones for buildings.  
1896 November 13 Arniston Edinburgh Arniston Coal Co Ltd Adam Ramage Miner 46 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face. Newspaper report
1896 November 18 Auchren (Limestone) Lanark W & R Waddell John Barr Miner 46 Fall of side Fall of limestone from working face in which deceased was boring a hole to blast it down.  
1896 November 18 Coltness Lanark Coltness Iron Co Ltd Wm. Chalmers Loader 13 On Surface – On railways and tramways Deceased was employed at a briquette works in connexion with the collieries, and was run over by a waggon which he was moving.  
1896 November 24 Blantyre Farme Lanark A. G. Moore & Co. John Presher Miner 22 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1896 November 25 Brownlee Lanark Archibald Russell David McCrae Stone miner 20 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Two shots of gelignite were ready to fire at face of stone mine. Deceased and another miner applied their lights to the fuses. Deceased's shot apparently did not light when they had to retire. He returned when one shot exploded and the second went off.  
1896 November 27 Bellfield Lanark William Barr & Sons John Cornelius Miner 44 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives While taking out some cartridges of compressed gunpowder from his canister, containing 2 1/2lbs., a spark fell from his lamp, which was on his cap, into the canister, igniting the contents, and causing an explosion.  
1896 November 27 Bothwell Park No 1 Pit Lanark Wm Baird & Co Ltd Wm. Frew Drawer 15 Miscellaneous underground – By trams and tubs Run over by hutch while drawing in front of it.  
1896 November 30 Lassodie Fife Thos. Spowart & Co Ltd Wm. Campbell Miner -- Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face.  
1896 November 30 Newbattle Edinburgh Lothian Coal Co Ltd Joseph Brown Dook bottomer 42 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes Deceased was riding up an engine dook in front of a set of loaded tubs, in direct violation of his instructions. He fell or was knocked off, receiving injuries which resulted in his death three hours afterwards. Newspaper report
1896 December 1 Crosshill Fife Anthony Watson George Simpson Miner 34 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives While lighting the patent fuse of gunpowder, shot apparently ignited the powder in fuse, and was killed by the shot.  
1896 December 3 Drumsmudden Ayr Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd Thos. McLuskie Miner 38 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Upon returning to his working place half an hour after firing a shot a naked light ignited fire-damp. Another man was injured.  
1896 December 4 Cowdenbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Thos. Carolan Sinker 23 In shafts – things falling from part way down A loose plank fell down sinking pit, but where it had fallen from could not be ascertained.  
1896 December 9 Hallhill No 1 Pit Lanark Wm Baird & Co Ltd Thos. Stirling Miner 56 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1896 December 9 Muiredge Fife Bowman & Co George Hunter Miner 15 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face.  
Robert Brown Miner 20
1896 December 10 Banknock, Camerton Pit Stirling John Young & Co Wm. McKenzie Miner 20 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1896 December 12 Bent Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd John Potter Waggon trimmer 55 On Surface – On railways and tramways A waggon which deceased was trimming was moved forward and deceased was crushed by it.  
1896 December 14 Carfin No 3 Pit Lanark Loganlea Coal Co Ltd John Boyle Miner 30 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face and road head.  
1896 December 16 Cornsilloch Lanark Archibald Russell James Ninnes Miner 55 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Deceased and another miner lighted their shots in adjacent places at the same time. The other miner's shot exploded and deceased not knowing it had been lighted thought it was his shot, and returned to his place, and was killed by his shot exploding.  
1896 December 19 Wellwood Ayr Wm Baird & Co Wm. Steele Miner 42 Falls of roof Fall of coal while working where he had been prohibited from working.  
1896 December 21 East Parkhead Lanark Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd John Smith Miner 45 Falls of side Fall of coal.  
1896 December 23 Batonrigg Lanark Morningside Coal Co John Delaney Stone picker 13 On surface – By machinery Deceased leaned against or sat upon a batten which fenced the driving shaft of a picking table. His jacket was caught by the projecting head of a set screw in a collar on the shaft, he was pulled backwards and whirled several times round the shaft before the engine could be stopped.  
1896 December 24 Arniston Edinburgh Arniston Coal Co Ltd Andrew Jack Fireman 73 Miscellaneous underground – By ropes and chains breaking Deceased was riding up an engine dook on one of a set of loaded tubs without having received permission from the manager. A coupling broke near the front of the set which ran back. Deceased jumped or fell off, and was killed on the spot.  
1896 December 26 Brownlee Lanark Archibald Russell Robert Taylor Miner 23 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone at longwall face.  
1896 December 29 Garscube No 1 Pit Dumbarton R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd Thos. McLean Miner 21 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Upon entering his working place his naked light ignited fire-damp. It is suspected that a proper inspection had not been made by the fireman. Another fatal explosion shows how important,it is that the fireman in making his inspection previous to the commencement of the shift should, as required by the special rules, mark with chalk the day of the month upon such a part of each working face as would clearly prove that he had examined it properly. In this case a branch heading 12 yards long was driven 8 yards back from a level face. The ''brushing" face in each road was 4 yards back from the coal face, and the fireman when making his inspection put the date only on the brushing face of each road. The deceased miner came to commence his day's work, and in going up the coal face from the level his naked light ignited an accumulation of fire-damp, and he was fatally injured, The fireman stated that he went along the working face from one road to the other and found no trace of gas, but it is obvious that had he put his chalk marks on the coal face as required by the regulations, there would have been no grounds for the suspicion that he only went as far as the brushing face of each road.
1896 December 31 Springside No 10 Pit Ayr A Kenneth & Sons Daniel Cafferty Platelayer 67 On Surface – On railways and tramways While jumping up on a service bogie, he fell off, and the wheel passed over his leg.  

 

Go to January to June 1896

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