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Fatal Accidents in Mines in Scotland 1897

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 July to December 1897

Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report - Accidents occurring in 1896 but reported in 1897
 Extra details
Year Month Day Name of Colliery Where situated Owner or Company First Name Surname Occupation Age Category Cause of accident and remarks
1896 July 20 Devon Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co James Mitchell Pony driver 18 Miscellaneous underground – By trams and tubs Run over by his horse rake. Died 7th February 1897.  
1896 September 11 Cleland No 3 Pit Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd John Wilson, jr. Miner 27 Falls of side Fall of coal. Injured on September 11th 1896, and died on June 11th 1897.  
1896 November 12 Bannockburn No 1 Stirling Alloa Coal Co James Welsh Brusher 28 Falls of roof Fall of roof on road while sitting waiting for a shot to go off. November 12th 1896 ; died March 24th 1897.  

Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report
 Extra details
Year Month Day Name of Colliery Where situated Owner or Company First Name Surname Occupation Age Category Cause of accident and remarks
1897 January 2 Newbattle Edinburgh Lothian Coal Co Ltd Walter Scott Engineman 69 On surface – By machinery Crushed by condenser beam.  
1897 January 3 Mossband Lanark Linridge Coal Co Alex. Lochhead Engineman 36 On surface – By machinery Appears to have allowed pumping engine to stop, and was caught by flywheel while attempting to start it. Newspaper report
1897 January 6 Limefield (Oil shale) Edinburgh Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co Ltd James Robertson Miner 40 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Two shots charged with gunpowder were prepared, one above the other; one shot was thought to have missed, and deceased and his neighbour returning too soon the second or top shot exploded on them.  
1897 January 7 Foxley No 2 Lanark J Dunn & Stephen James Nelson Pump attendant 19 In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery While descending the shaft, the cage stuck, then dropping away, the muzzle broke and the cage fell to the bottom. Owing to a crush on the strata the slides in portions of the rise side of the shaft were too close, and the cage had a difficulty in passing. The workmen were not allowed to ride in this cage, and on the night of the accident workmen were repairing the shaft. Contrary to the instructions, the deceased was being lowered to the bottom in the rise cage, when the cage appears to have stuck fast and then dropped away, breaking the muzzle connecting it to the rope and falling to the bottom of the shaft.
1897 January 7 Ross Lanark Coltness Iron Co Ltd Thomas Davey Miner 53 Falls of roof Deceased and his son were taking a 6 feet cut off the side of a stoop to form a new road, the old drift having closed. He was sitting holing at the face when a large stone fell from the roof, killing him almost instantly.  
1897 January 12 Ayr, Enterkine No 9 Pit Ayr George Taylor & Co Wm. Little Brusher 21 Falls of roof Fall of roof at brushing while removing props previous to blasting.  
1897 January 14 Broxburn (Oil shale) Linlithgow Broxburn Oil Co Ltd Joseph Ellis Miner 30 Falls of sides Deceased was mending the holing of shale, in which two shots had just been fired, when it fell over on him; the shale was not spragged.  
1897 January 15 Motherwell Lanark John Watson Ltd James Robb Miner 53 Falls of roof Fall of roof stone in a stooping place. Newspaper report
1897 January 18 Common No 14 Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd Frances O'Neil Pony driver 16 Miscellaneous underground – By trams and tubs Found dead below a race of hutches which he was bringing out along a level.  
1897 January 20 Goatfoot Ayr Brand & Co Samuel Finnikam Miner 24 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1897 January 22 Little Raith Fife Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd Hugh Thomson Engineman 28 In shafts – ropes and chains breaking The winding rope broke while deceased were descending the shaft. The rope was made of steel wires and was 1 1/8inch diameter, and had been in use since August 1894. The shaft is 100 fathoms deep, and the rope broke 20 fathoms from cage. The shaft was warm from the presence of steam pipes. Tests made after the accident gave a breaking strain of 21 tons, but torsional test showed that the quality of the wire had much deteriorated.  
James Graham Fireman 34
1897 January 28 Merryton Lanark Merryton Coal Co Alex. Higginson Miner 41 Falls of roof Deceased was driving a road through some stoops formed about 25 years ago, the drifts surrounding which had all closed. He had taken down a quantity of coal and was cleaning the roof to set timber, when it suddenly burst in, swinging the adjacent props, and completely burying him.  
1897 January 31 Orbiston No 3 Lanark Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co Ltd Thos. McGill Brusher 27 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives While charging a shot with frozen gelignite, the charge went off, killing them. The first fatal accident happened at Orbiston Colliery, and apparently was caused by forcing frozen gelignite into a shot hole. By it two men lost their lives, the fireman and a brusher. It was during a time of frost, and the gelignite had been taken out of the magazine shortly before being used, and without any attempt having been made to thaw it. The brusher was evidently forcing four cartridges alongside of one another into the shot hole with a copper tipped wooden stemmer, when the whole charge of about 1 lb. of gelignite exploded. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
Owen Heron Night fireman 48
1897 February 3 Barrwood No 2 Stirling Wm Baird & Co Ltd David Rennie Brusher 22 Falls of roof Fall of roof on road while passing beneath it.  
1897 February 3 Prestongrange Haddington Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co Ltd John Vardon Miner 40 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Deceased was engaged making a cage-seat, and a hole for a shot was bored to a depth of 3 feet. The charge was to consist of seven cartridges of gelignite, and while he was inserting the fourth an explosion occurred. The cartridges, which apparently were frozen, were being pushed back with the wooden handle of a ''mash."  
1897 February 5 Glenbuck, Davie Pit Ayr Cairntable Gas Coal Co Ltd Henry McIntyre Miner 25 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1897 February 7 Devon Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co James Mitchell See entry under 20 July 1896 in section at top of page
1897 February 8 Hill Lanark James Gemmell James McConville Miner 37 Falls of roof Deceased was sitting holing at the face of a longwall level, when the roof suddenly burst away from a keen parting, closing the face from the dip side of level to the nearest branch, a distance of about 20 yards. He was killed instantaneously.  
1897 February 10 Southrigg Lanark A M Graham Walter Brown Pony driver 15 Miscellaneous underground – By trams and tubs Crushed between his rake and full hutch standing in the lye at shaft.  
1897 February 20 Hill of Beath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Thomas Walker Miner 65 Falls of roof An extensive fall of blaes took place at face of deceased's longwall working, and buried him.  
1897 February 22 Dalmeny (Oil shale) Linlithgow Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd Wm. P. Prentice Manager 35 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Two seams of oil shale were separated by a few feet of blaes. A miner engaged in making a road from a place in the upper seam to a place in the lower seam, fired a shot in the pavement in the upper seam which blew through into the lower seam and struck the deceased, who was examining the workings at the time.  
1897 February 25 Crofthead Linlithgow Peter Thornton George Smeaton Coal picker 14 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Deceased left his place at the "shaker" and went to the siding, and by some means unknown fell in front of a loaded moving waggon.  
1897 March 1 Carfin No 7 Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd Allan McKinstry Drawer 24 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face by the fall breaking the crowns. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1897 March 2 Parkhead Lanark Glasgow Iron & Steel Co Ltd Wm. Paul Locomotive engine driver 66 On Surface – On railways and tramways Collision on branch railway with Caledonian Railway locomotive, caused by both drivers neglecting their instructions. One fatal accident was caused by a collision on a branch railway between some waggons drawn by the colliery locomotive and a locomotive belonging to the railway company. Both drivers failed to comply with the regulations, and the colliery locomotive driver lost his life.
1897 March 6 Deans (Oil shale) Linlithgow Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd James Wallace Miner 57 Falls of sides Deceased was finishing the holing when a part of the shale fell away from a clay back, which was unseen.  
1897 March 8 Common No 6 Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd John Black Miner 23 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Premature ignition of a shot, which went off while he was lighting the squib.  
1897 March 12 Bothwell Park Lanark Wm Baird & Co Ltd John Hall Brusher 48 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust The fireman fired a shot of carbonite in an accumulation of fire-damp, and the sparks from the tape fuse lighted the gas. Other four men were injured. The first fatal explosion took place in Bothwell Park Colliery, and by it one man lost his life and four men were injured. It appears that the night fireman inspected the road in which the explosion happened, and subsequently recorded in the report-book the finding of gas at the "brushing" face. The deceased brusher was sent to prepare a shot in the "brushing face," which he did, and charged the shot-hole with 1/4lb. of carbonite. using a tape fuse four or five feet long. The fireman thereafter lit the fuse, and when he and the brusher were retiring to a place of safety the explosion took place, burning them and other three men who were repairing the road about 50 yards distant from the shot-hole. That the explosion was caused by the fuse and not by the charge of carbonite was proved by the shot having gone off after the explosion. The fireman afterwards admitted that he lit the fuse while there was an accumulation of fire-damp at the face of the "brushing," and for his reckless conduct in disregarding the regulations he was prosecuted, but as he himself had been severely injured he was allowed to get off with a small fine. Safety lamps alone are used in the colliery.
1897 March 12 East Roughrigg Stirling R Forrester James Jenkins Miner 25 Falls of roof Deceased worked in a longwall slope road. His attention was called to a "lype" which lay parallel to one side of his road, and a prop was set under the lip of the brushing. Finding that the prop was in his way when holing, he removed it, and some time thereafter the stone which it had been supporting fell upon him, killing him almost instantly.  
1897 March 17 Fallahill Linlithgow Peter Thornton Wm. McKnight Shunter 31 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Deceased was between two loaded waggons to couple them, when they became buffer locked through the points being wrongly set, and he was fatally crushed.  
1897 March 18 Kirkwood No 2 Lanark Kirkwood Coal Co John Holmes Assistant hanger-on 50 In shafts – falling into shaft from surface Fell down shaft from surface by pushing a full hutch into open shaft, expecting the cage to have been there. The second fatal accident occurred at Kirkwood Colliery during the night when the winding engine was being used to raise hutches of coal filled off the bing from the ground level up to the pithead. Although a man was appointed to attend to the gate fencing the entrance to the shaft at the ground level, and was instructed not to keep the gate open when the cage was not there, he failed to comply with the instructions and left the gate open while the cage was at the pithead. The result was that the deceased, evidently thinking that the cage was at the ground level, pushed a loaded hutch into the open shaft and fell after it. Newspaper report
1897 March 19 Earnock Lanark John Watson Ltd James Wyper Miner 13 Falls of sides Deceased, who had only been employed underground for ten days, worked with his father and two brothers. He was struck by a piece of falling coal, and sustained compound fractures of right leg above and below the knee. He subsequently succumbed to "exhaustion, the result of delayed union of fractures."  
1897 March 21 Foulshields Linlithgow Loganlea Coal Co Ltd John Livingstone Pump attendant 40 In shafts – falling from part way down Deceased went down the shaft to attend to the pumps, and by some means fell into the ''sump," and while struggling in the water the water-chest came down on him and he was drowned.  
1897 March 22 Drongan Castle Ayr Wm Black & Sons Wm. Huggart Brusher 40 Falls of roof Fall of roof on road while repairing it.  
1897 March 22 Prestongrange Haddington Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co George Goodwin Manager 45 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes Deceased was riding down a dook on a bogie behind an empty descending rake, when four empty tubs ran away from the top of the dook and overtook him.  
1897 March 24 Bannockburn No 1 Stirling Alloa Coal Co James Welsh See entry under 12 November 1896 in section at top of page
1897 March 24 Burnt Broom Lanark Dunn Brothers John Craig Clerk 19 On Surface – On railways and tramways Caught by a waggon while spragging it.  
1897 March 24 Kirkhill No 2 Pit Lanark Kirkhill Coal Co Gilbert Paterson Miner 49 Falls of side Fall of coal and "falling."  
1897 March 24 Skellyton Lanark Larkhall and Fairholm Collieries Co Ltd William Lindsay Bottomer 18 In shafts – falling from part way down Deceased pushed a loaded hutch into the shaft at a mid-working when the cage was not there. The gate at the mid-working was connected with an indicator in the engine-house as required by Special Rules,  
1897 March 26 Devon Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co John Nicol Miner 45 Miscellaneous underground – irruptions of water Rupture of door or valve in a dam.

To follow

See report
Peter Allan Oversman 42
David Allan Drawer 29
George Blair Fireman 46
William Grant Haulageman 22
Charles Taylor Roadsman 57
1897 March 29 Balquhatstone Stirling John Nimmo & Son Ltd Alex. McMillan Miner 52 Falls of roof Deceased worked with his son in a longwall place which was stripping a downthrow. While near the fault shovelling out coal, a stone, estimated to weigh about a ton, dropped from between two lypes and killed him instantly.  
1897 April 3 Ochiltree (Oil shale) Linlithgow Linlithgow Oil Co Ltd Hugh Law Brakesman 15 Miscellaneous underground – By machinery Fell on to drum of self-acting incline which he was braking.  
1897 April 6 Loanhead Edinburgh Shotts Iron Co Ltd Edward McManus Miner 24 Falls of sides Deceased was stooping in a seam having a dip of 45°. While holing near centre of stoop, a block of coal came away from a foul cleavage plane, and fell upon him, fracturing his skull.  
1897 April 6 Tannochside No 1 Lanark Calderbank Steel & Coal Co Ltd Thos. Russell Miner 58 Falls of roof Fall of roof at stoops. Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1897 April 12 Blantyre No 1 Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd Hugh Donelly Waggon shifter 31 On Surface – On railways and tramways Run down by N. B. Railway engine while engaged waggon shifting.  
1897 April 14 Cadzow Lanark Cadzow Coal Co Robert Anderson Stableman 68 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Deceased was crossing the sidings from the stables when he was run down by a train of empty waggons.  
1897 April 22 North Motherwell No 3 Lanark Merry & Cunninghame Ltd James Waller Miner 22 Falls of roof Fall of roof at cousie head.  
1897 April 24 Woodend Linlithgow Coltness Iron Co Ltd Henry McNeil Miner 46 Falls of roof Deceased had contracted to take out a strip of coal between two adjacent goaves. He was setting props to secure the roof, when a large stone fell at his side and crushed him against the coal face; and before anything could be done to extricate him, he was completely buried by a second fall of about five tons. His skull was fractured and his spine injured. He died on the following day.  
1897 April 26 Lanemark No 1, Afton Ayr Lanemark Coal Co Ltd Thos. Gracie Miner 22 Falls of roof Fall of roof at stoops.  
1897 April 27 Ladyha' Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd Edward McMechan Assistant pit-headman 60 On Surface – On railways and tramways Run over by waggons in a tunnel.  
1897 April 27 Loanhead Edinburgh Shotts Iron Co Ltd Daniel Potter Brakesman 38 Miscellaneous underground – By machinery Deceased came in contact with the drum while it was revolving, and thrown over against the frame, whereby he was crushed.  
1897 April 30 Bathville Lanark James Wood Ltd William Gorman Drawer 19 Miscellaneous underground – sundries Deceased was running in-bye along his drawing road, after taking breakfast, and is supposed to have fallen. Death was supposed to have resulted from syncope, produced by shock.  
1897 April 30 Pumpherston (Oil shale) Edinburgh Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd George Scott Miner 18 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives Deceased appears to have been charging or stemming a shot, and using a steel pinch or lever as a stemmer. The charge exploded, killing him on the spot, and seriously injuring a fellow workman.  
1897 May 6 Little Raith Fife Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd Robt. McGaughy Wood sawyer 23 On surface – By machinery While deceased was engaged sawing prop wood at a steam circular saw, a door swung to and threw him against the saw while it was in motion, and his jugular vein was cut.  
1897 May 7 Broxburn (Oil shale) Linlithgow Broxburn Oil Co Ltd James McNee Miner 50 Falls of roof Deceased was driving a 12-feet place in the "Curly" seam, about 6 feet above the stooped waste of the "Broxburn" seam. The fireman detected a break in the roof which he considered to be dangerous, and requested him to set a prop to it. Deceased demurred, but as the fireman insisted, he agreed. While he was setting the prop, the roof suddenly gave way, killing him instantly.  
1897 May 7 Wallyford Edinburgh Deans & Moore Robert Gordon Pony driver 18 Falls of roof Deceased was taking a set of empty tubs inbye along a level road, when a fall of roof took place at a point where the road was barred and poled, the distance between the poling and the roof being about 3 feet. A large flat stone broke one pole, displaced some others, and fell upon deceased, killing him instantly.  
1897 May 13 Darngavil Lanark Darngavil Coal Co Ltd James White Repairer 53 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Deceased men and others, including the undermanager, were engaged in the pit on an idle day endeavouring to connect two places, in one of which there was firedamp : after endeavouring unsuccessfully to expel the firedamp by "waffing" and running a hutch backward and forward, it was agreed to fire a charge of gunpowder near the gas to "break it up," and while doing this an explosion took place. The explosion at Darngavil Colliery was caused by an act of rashness and disregard of the provisions of the Coal Mines Act on the part of the undermanager, for which no excuse can be offered, except that the pit being off work no person was exposed to risk except those engaged in removing the gas. A suggestion to "break up" the gas by firing a charge of gunpowder appears to have been made by one of the deceased men, who had seen a similar operation performed in the bottom of a sinking pit, and was agreed to by the undermanager who nearly lost his life in the explosion that followed. The under-manager was fined £5 for a breach of General Rule 12 (g) of the Coal Mines Act. Newspaper report
John Port Fireman 35
1897 May 22 Alloa Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co William Leslie Screenman 75 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Run over by waggons which were being shunted at screens.  
1897 May 27 Oakbank (Oil shale) Edinburgh Oakbank Oil Co Ltd John Callender Miner 14 Falls of sides Deceased, who worked with his father, had just commenced his shift. He was "backening out" shale brought down by a shot fired on the previous day, when a large piece of midstone fell from the face, causing injuries which terminated fatally on the following day.  
1897 May 28 Muiravonside Stirling James Nimmo & Co Ltd Francis Lamond Labourer 35 On Surface – Miscellaneous Deceased and another were on the top of a pithead frame fixing a pulley-block with which to raise the stays, when it fell.  
1897 June 2 Farme No 3 Lanark Farme Coal Co Ltd James Winning Night gaffer 37 Falls of roof Fall of roof on main haulage road while repairing it.  
1897 June 4 Blairadam Fife Blairadam Coal Co Ltd William Lowe Miner 20 Falls of roof A fall of the rock roof took place at face of deceased's longwall working.  
1897 June 10 Murdostoun Lanark John McAndrew & Co James Martin Miner 22 Falls of roof Deceased was holing his coal in the rise side of his place, when the roof suddenly fell.  
1897 June 11 Cleland No 3 Pit Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd John Wilson, jr. See entry under 11 September 1896 in section on top of this page
1897 June 11 Dalbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Thomas Duncan Miner 51 Falls of sides Deceased was holing the coal in his long wall face, when a quantity came over on him from between two sprags.  
1897 June 16 Merryton Lanark Merryton Coal Co Robert Dick Miner 45 Falls of roof While engaged with others drawing props from part where stoop had been extracted, a stone fell from the roof on deceased.  
1897 June 16 Westrigg Lanark James Wood Ltd Matthew Somerville Labourer 21 In shafts – falling into shaft from surface Deceased was engaged running tubs filled with ashes from boiler furnaces to the shaft, and putting them on the cage at bottom scaffold, from whence they were raised to the top scaffold and emptied on the dirt bing ; he inadvertently opened the gate and pushed a tub into shaft when cage was not there, and was precipitated to the bottom. Newspaper report
1897 June 17 Bonnyton No 8 Ayr Gilmour, Anderson & Co David Storrie Miner 36 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper Report
1897 June 21 North Motherwell No 1 Lanark Merry & Cunninghame Ltd Richard Menzies Miner 43 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report
1897 June 23 Auchenharvie No 1 Pit Ayr Glengarnock Iron & Steel Co Ltd Wm. Hamilton Miner 24 Falls of side Fall of stone from the side of a dook.  
1897 June 23 Banknock, Livingstone Pit Stirling John Young & Co Wm. Ovenand Oversman 35 Falls of roof Fall of roof on main road while redding a previous fall.  
1897 June 24 Cowdenbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Joseph Sharp Miner 51 Falls of sides Deceased was holing the coal when it came over on him.  

 

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