1904 Accidents

Fatal Accidents in Mines in Scotland

January to June 1904

- compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries

Unless stated otherwise, the extra information is from the main body of the reports

Go to Accidents for July to December 1904

Date of Accident			Mine	County	Owner or Company	Name	Age	Occupation	Category	Cause of accident & remarks	Extra Information
1904	January	11	Auldton No 1	Lanark	Brand & Co	John Meiklewham	24	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of stone from the side of the shaft.	Caused by stones falling from the side of the shaft 50 fathoms above the pit bottom and striking the two deceased as they were entering the cage, in which other five men had already taken their places to ascend to the surface. Previously, such an accident was classed under the heading " shaft accidents." The stones fell from a point where the strata, which consisted of soft blaes, were not secured by barring. In most new shafts barring is put in from top to bottom, irrespective of the kind of strata passed through, and this practice has much to commend it.
1904	January	11	Auldton No 1	Lanark	Brand & Co	Wm Dyette	50	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of stone from the side of the shaft.
1904	January	12	Dalquhandy No 3	Lanark	Waddell & Son	Philip Devereux	28	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal and clay while taking it down.
1904	January	19	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	Patrick O'Rourke	26	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased was a drawer from a stooping place to the top of a short brae, dipping 1 in 4. He brought his loaded tub from the face, and getting in front appears to have turned it on the plates opposite the rails with a view to running it, when it came forward and running over the top pushed him in front crushing and firmly fixing him to the roof. The block which consisted of a piece of bridge rail had not been in.
1904	January	20	Leven	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	John Wilson	31	Repairer	Falls of roof	Deceased and his father were sent to brush and re-timber a portion of a horse road. They were instructed to begin at the outbye end, but thought it would be better and safer to commence inbye and work outwards. They had taken down 9 ft. of brushing, and were preparing to set timber, when a large stone fell upon deceased causing injuries which resulted fatally two days afterwards.
1904	January	22	Shawfield	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	William Wotherspoon	15	Filler	Falls of roof	Deceased was filling a tub with coal when a stone suddenly fell from the roof upon him.
1904	January	22	Ellismuir No 3	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Robert Pinkerton jr	18	Drawer	Other haulage accidents	In putting his hutch on the rails he strained himself. The accident wan not reported until after his death in August.
1904	January	22	East Plean No 4	Stirling	Plean Colliery Co	Martin McArthur	51	Labourer	On surface – by machinery	The rope came off a hoist pulley and the cage came down on him.
1904	January	22	Houldsworth	Ayr	Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd	John Myers	42	Sinker	Shaft accidents -things falling from part way down	Knocked off a scaffold by buntons which were dislodged by a column of pipes slipping through glands which suspended them.	The position of a column of pipes was being changed, and they were temporarily suspended between wooden glands or clamps. The pipes slipped a few inches through the glands, and a flange knocked out a bunton above where three men were at work on a scaffold. This bunton seems to have knocked out several others, and one of them knocked the deceased off the scaffold, while another injured one of the other men.
1904	January	23	Portland No 8	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Andrew Hood	36	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place.
1904	January	25	Blantyre Ferme	Lanark	A G Moore & Co	Constantine Eccles	35	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof from brushing face. The brushers were taking down loose stones when he went below them.
1904	January	25	Whiterigg	Linlithgow	R Forrester & Co Ltd	Peter Connoly	17	Drawer	Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	Deceased was being raised, after his shift was over, and when near the top scaffold he put his head outside the cage and was crushed against a beam.
1904	January	26	Rosehall No 14	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	John Sneddon	32	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face.
1904	February	1	Meiklehill No 2	Dumbarton	United Collieries Ltd	Jas Connelly	24	Miner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	While illegally drawing a full hutch down an incline, and being in front he got run over by the hutch.
1904	February	2	Greenhill	Lanark	Greenhill Colliery Co Ltd	Thomas Buchanan	24	Miner	Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	While lifting a piece of coal at his working place it broke and a part injured the forefinger of his right hand severely. He and his brother ceased work and proceeded to the shaft bottom for home, and on arriving there he complained of being faint; after getting a drink he revived, and he accompanied by his brother and another workman stepped on to the cage to be raised, and when 12 ft. from the surface he again took ill and fell on the cage, and before either of the men could grip him he had slipped past the side and fell to the bottom, a distance of 56 fathoms.	Case was of rather a sad nature. While working at the coal face, a miner had a finger badly injured causing him to leave off work, on reaching the shaft to be raised to the surface he felt faint, but after some attention and a rest he got on to the cage : with him was his brother and a drawer and while being raised and when near the surface he apparently fainted and falling he slipped past between the cage and side of the shaft and was precipitated to the bottom.
1904	February	3	Ross No 1	Lanark	Thos Barr's Trustees	Jas Cox	63	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face. He was working at a point which he was instructed not to touch and which was not propped in terms of the regulations,	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	February	9	Polton	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	John Stevenson	48	Washer attendant	On surface – by machinery	Deceased had charge of the engine and machinery connected with the washing and cleaning of the coal. He was missed for some time, and a search being made he was discovered, close to a driving belt off main shaft of engine, quite dead and his clothing torn to shreds On the shaft driven by the belt part of his clothing adhered, and it was evident he had been caught by the revolving shaft. To get to the place of accident was difficult and no one can say why he had gone there at all.
1904	February	9	Ferniegare No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell	John Kelso	49	Manager	Miscellaneous underground – by machinery	Caught by the cutting bar of a Hurd's coal cutting machine.	The manager of Ferniegare Colliery, Lanarkshire, lost his life by a Hurd's bar coal-cutting machine worked by electricity. Some alterations were being made on the machine, and at the time of the accident the cutter bar had been turned round so as to be almost clear of the holing. The manager was standing close to it, and seeing a piece of loose coal about to fall he reached over the cutter bar to prevent it from falling. While doing this the coal slipped down, and losing his balance he fell upon the revolving cutters and received fatal injuries. It was an injudicious proceeding on his part to act as, he did, and he ought to have known better than run such a risk.
1904	February	11	Armadale	Linlithgow	United Collieries Ltd	William Stirling	45	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased was engaged at stooping, and while withdrawing props after the stoop had been extracted a stone fell from the roof upon him.
1904	February	13	Riddochhill	Linlithgow	Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd	Peter Aitken jun	14	Trimmer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased's duties were to trim the dross waggons. The waggons are partly filled at one screen and are moved forward to another screen to be loaded out; in moving from one screen to the other they pass under a beam used as a support for part of the coal cleaning plant. A waggon had been partly loaded and was moved forward by the waggon-shifter, the boy had been inside the waggon spreading the dross and remained there while it was being moved, and apparently he had leaned over the end while it passed under the beam and was crashed. The space between the top of waggon and beam was 4 inches.
1904	February	16	Earnock No 1	Lanark	John Watson Ltd	Peter Savage	22	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	While connecting the firing cable to the fuse of a roburite shot the shot-firer, thinking he had retired, fired the shot.	The shot-firer, instead of connecting the cable to the fuse of the shot himself as he was instructed to do by the manager, told the miner to do it, and thinking that he heard the latter retire behind the bratticing he fired the shot and fatally injured him while still in his working place.
1904	February	16	Douglas	Lanark	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	James Whitefield	66	Coal cleaner	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased was walking in the main line near the screens when a train of empty waggons, pushed in front of a locomotive engine, ran him down and passed over him. The guard of the train was on front waggon and cried to him but apparently the noise of the cleaning plant prevented him hearing the cry.
1904	February	17	Philpstoun (Oil shale)	Linlithgow	James Ross & Co	Peter Murray	42	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	Deceased prepared three shots, two in top portions of seam and one in the bottom and it appears he had intended lighting all the shots and for some reason he had been delayed, and on realising his danger he attempted to get away to a place of safety, but failed to get out of harms way and was struck by the flying debris projected by the shots. The bottom shot did not fire.
1904	February	18	Clyde Colliery, Backmuir No 2	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	David Morrison	66	Screen man	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	When redding up coal between two waggons at the screen the shunter brought forward other waggons, and he was crushed between the buffers.
1904	February	18	Lightshaw No 4	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	John Dempster	55	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of head coal (roof). Props were not set as required by the regulations.
1904	February	18	Michael	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	David Davidson	18	Filler	Other haulage accidents	Deceased was running a loaded tub down a wheel brae. A large link in the chain jammed on the brake stick, and the consequent jerk caused the wheel tree, to give way at the foot, although it had been sunk about four inches into the pavement. The wheel or the tree struck deceased, causing injuries which terminated fatally two days later.
1904	February	19	Kippsbyre	Lanark	Strain Bros	James Jamieson	15	Miner	Falls of roof	While working at the roadhead the roof fell and buried him. The place was nearing the " crop out" and the fall went right up to surface.
1904	February	22	Cults (Limestone)	Fife	Trustees of the late James Martin	John Neil	51	Miner	Metalliferous mines	Deceased was taking down a bad stone, when it fell upon him and he was killed instantly.
1904	February	22	Ladylands Colliery	Lanark	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	James McMaster	70	Miner	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	After quarelling with his son he went to the setting tank and threw himself in. Suicide by drowning.
1904	February	23	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	James Hamilton	34	Brusher	Falls of side	While engaged taking off brushing some distance back from the face a stone fell off the side and crushed him.
1904	February	24	Blairhall	Fife	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Hugh Doohan	51	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	While separating inferior stone from ironstone, a spark flew into the eye of deceased. He died on 17th June, 1904. A post-mortem examination was made, and the medical men reported that death was directly due to the injury to the eye.
1904	February	24	Udston No 2	Lanark	Udston Colliery Co Ltd	James Barr	36	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on road while passing along it.	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	February	26	Craighead No 1	Lanark	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Joseph Robertson	28	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on drawing road while walking along it. Another man was injured.
1904	February	28	Bowhill	Fife	Bowhill Coal Co Ltd	Andrew Baird	18	Pony Driver	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased was injured about the head by tubs on 20th June, 1902 and died through his injuries.
1904	February	29	Meiklehill No 5	Dumbarton	United Collieries Ltd	Jas Horne	32	Chain runner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	Apparently when riding in front of a ''race " being drawn up a dook he wan caught against the roof. The roof was too low for any one to have been allowed to ride on the " race."
1904	February	29	Cousland (oil Shale)	Linlithgow	Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd	William Anderson	29	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	Shots were prepared at the face, one for “bursting” and one for “bairding”; the former was charged with 2lbs. of gunpowder and the latter with 1lb. Deceased had lighted both shots, and on his way to reach a place of safety and when 9 ft away one or probably both exploded and he was struck with the flying shale. He was in the direct line of the bursting shot when discovered. By some means apparently delay had been occasioned in lighting the fuses. The fuse used was black tape and runs 1 foot for 30 sec.
1904	February	29	Gateside	Lanark	Flemington Coal Co Ltd	David Neilson	46	Labourer	On surface – sundries	Collapse of an insecure gangway from the pithead to the dirt bing. Other four men were injured.	The men were on a gangway capsizing a hutch of debris which had gone off the rails, when they were precipitated to the ground, a distance of 24 feet, by the gangway collapsing. The men were in the middle of a span of 38 feet, and the strength of the gangway depended on three pairs of railway rails, each pair being jointed by fish plates. As might be expected, it was the fish plates which gave way It seems that originally there had been vertical posts set beneath the fish-plated joints, but these had been removed, and it was known that the gangway was in consequence unsafe to use.
1904	February	29	Quarter No 8	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Hugh Kyle	45	Haulage engineman	On surface – by machinery	Caught in some unknown manner by the haulage engine when putting tar on the rope.
1904	March	1	Douglas Park	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	John Carr	50	Waggon shifter	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	When leaning on the buffer of a waggon another waggon came down and crushed him.
1904	March	2	Niddrie	Edinburgh	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	Robert Brown	41	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased had apparently been in front of the coal while taking out a sprag when a portion fell from the face on him.
1904	March	3	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	John Davidson	16	Coupler	On surface – miscellaneous	The loaded tubs are run from the bottom deck of cage by gravity, and by means of a ''creeper" are raised to the weighbridge. In moving round to the "creeper" they pass close to a steel stay used to support the pithead frame. The deceased was attempting to control the speed of a loaded tub, and when passing the stay his head was crushed between them.
1904	March	3	Wallyford	Edinburgh	Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd	David McNeil	65	Miner	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased stepped on to a cut chain brae from his drawing road, and was about to proceed down when he was overtaken by a loaded tub running on the brae.
1904	March	11	Fauldhead	Dumfries	Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd	William Sim	60	Brusher	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	He is said to have been inserting unthawed gelignite cartridges into a shot hole when the charge exploded. Another man was injured.
1904	March	18	Caprington No 42	Ayr	Caprington & Auchlochan Collieries	Jas Nisbet	26	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place. Apparently it had not been propped as required by the regulations.
1904	March	19	Bent No 3	Lanark	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	Wm Naismith	62	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place. His hip joint was dislocated and he died while under chloroform. The working place was not propped as required by the regulations.
1904	March	20	Darngavil	Lanark	Darngavil Coal Co Ltd	Thomas McNally	15	Coal picker	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	This boy was employed at the colliery, and on the Sunday evening was about a pit which is only used for pumping ; while the boiler fireman was moving a waggon the boy got among the wheels and was run over.
1904	March	21	Kirkwood	Lanark	Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co	Jas Rodgers	54	Pump attendant	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	When walking up a dook with a double line of rails, in some unknown manner he was run over by the hutches.
1904	March	23	Viewpark No 2	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	Wm Love	30	Brusher	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on road while repairing it. Another man was injured
1904	March	29	Bowhill	Fife	Bowhill Coal Co Ltd	Charles Taylor	36	Dook runner	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased was riding on the rake as usual in ascending a dook when the tubs left the rails, and apparently he jumped off to pull the signal to stop when the first tub crushed him against a prop.
1904	April	2	Lindsay	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	William Kennedy	39	Engineman	On surface – by machinery	Deceased had charge of two engines and three motors inside one engine-house, and it was part of his duties to oil the machinery. He was found by his neighbour, who came to relieve him at the end of his shift, lying in the flywheel hole of engine, which worked two dynamos, quite dead. From the position in which he was found and other evidences it was apparent he had been among the machinery oiling the parts when he was caught by the crank shaft.
1904	April	8	Dalquhandy No 3	Lanark	Waddell & Son	Robert Drain	24	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of head coal (roof).
1904	April	11	Hattonrigg No 4	Lanark	Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co	Frank Mahon	32	Bottomer	Shaft accidents – miscellaneous	When cleaning the cage seat the cage came down on him.	The second fatal accident occurred at Hattonrigg Colliery, Lanarkshire, to the bottomer, who apparently, without giving any notice to the engineman, went into the cage seat to clean it out, when the cage was lowered upon him.
1904	April	15	Bellside	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Thomas Jack	61	Bottomer	Shaft accidents - falling from part way down	Deceased was bottomer at a mid working 19 1/2 fathoms below surface and 11 fathoms above pit bottom. He had signalled for a cage, which was then at pit bottom to be raised to the mid landing, and in doing so the engineman stopped the descending cage at surface level to get a load of props. Deceased heard the safety-gate at pithead landing upon the plates, and at once opened the gate at the mid landing, pushed forward a tub and fell with it down the shaft, receiving injuries which terminated fatally six hours afterwards. The signalling apparatus in engine house indicated that the gate was being opened and the engine-man was in the act of ringing the return signal bell in terms of Additional Special Rule (2) when the accident took place.
1904	April	22	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	James Fraser	43	Repairer	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased met an accident on 1st February by an explosion of gas, and recovered. He subsequently died, and result of post-mortem examination was to the effect that his death was not due to the accident.
1904	April	26	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	Adam Keross (Pole)	25	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	While pushing a loaded tub toward the lye it left the rails and up-ended, and his fingers were crushed against the roof. Lockjaw set in and he died 15 days afterwards.
1904	April	29	Townhill	Fife	West of Fife Coal Co Ltd	Patrick Curran	23	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased worked alone and was discovered dead by a miner who worked close by, under a large fall. He apparently was " backening" coal to the roadhead when the roof fell. The stone came away from lypes, only one to the outside was visible before the full.	Newspaper report
1904	April	29	Wilsontown	Lanark	William Dixon Ltd	John Storeman (Pole)	28	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased knocked out a prop from under the brushing to give room to build the debris, and just as he did so the roof fell; he was partly under the stone, which fell as he knocked out the prop.
1904	May	2	Bardykes No 2	Lanark	Merry & Cunninghame Ltd	Wm Scott	30	Brusher	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at road head.
1904	May	4	Whistleberry No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell	Wm Wilson	22	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of head coal while working beneath it. It was not propped as required by the regulations.
1904	May	4	Kenmuirhill No 2	Lanark	Glasgow Coal Co Ltd	John Sneddon	35	Miner	Falls of roof	While illegally riding on hutches drawn by a pony the roof fell on him Another man was injured.
1904	May	5	Lightshaw No1	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Daniel Gilfillan	25	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal
1904	May	7	Newcraighall	Edinburgh	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	William Leslie	45	Roadsman	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	Deceased was drawing timber when a stone from the roof to the rise fell, and in its descent toward the level it struck a prop, knocking it out and propelling it with great force, it struck his head. The seam is highly inclined.
1904	May	7	Caledonia Mine (Fireclay)	Renfrew	Spiers, Gibb & Co	Fergus White	31	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	When arching a stone mine his naked light ignited fire-damp in a large cavity in the roof.	The first fatal explosion took place in Caledonia Fireclay Mine, Paisley. A stone mine was being arched at a point where the roof had fallen up to the Hurlet coal, a height of about 20 feet. Another fall occurred, and thereafter the deceased miner climbed up on the top of the debris, when his naked light ignited an accumulation of fire-damp. The fireman, who was present, alleged that he inspected the cavity some time before the deceased ignited the gas, and he found it all clear.
1904	May	11	Quarter No 8	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	James Smith	44	Brusher	Falls of side	Fall of roof and side in working face.
1904	May	14	Rosebank	Fife	John Nimmo & Son Ltd	Joseph Young	45	Bottomer	Shaft accidents – miscellaneous	There are two stopping places, one in the lower bottom and one five fathoms above, where coal is ''dugged," and deceased was in charge of the former. The arranged signal was given by him when north cage arrived at lower bottom to rest it, and he took off the empty and was putting on a loaded one when the cage was raised, apparently without a signal, and he was fatally crushed at the door heads. At the time of the accident, and for a short time before, the winding-engine was being worked by a person under 22 years of age	The most important prosecution arose through a fatal accident at Rosebank Colliery, Fife. The facts leading up to the case were that the fireman at the pit, a young man 19 years of age, was in the habit of winding minerals while the engineman in charge was at his breakfast, and while doing so he apparently raised the cage without the necessary signal, and the bottomer was fatally crushed. After the inquiry held under the Fatal Accidents Inquiry Act, the engineman in charge was prosecuted for breach of Special Rule 29 in allowing the fireman to interfere with the engine ; in the course of the trial it came out that the manager, if not exactly sanctioning the fireman to wind minerals, was aware that he did so, as he was present in the engine house on at least two occasions when such was done and did not prohibit it. The Procurator Fiscal, acting on the instructions of Crown Counsel, took proceedings against the manager for contravention of Section 49, General Rule 24, in permitting a person under 22 years of age to work the machinery, &c., two complaints on separate occasions were taken, and the Sheriff Substitute dismissed both, the latter on the ground that notwithstanding the fireman's age it was competent for the manager to allow him to lower or raise material, and that it was not necessarily a contravention of the General or Special Rules. On the second occasion the judge was asked to state a case for appeal which he did. and after reviewing the evidence submitted the following questions of law for the court to decide :— 1. Is the complaint relevant ? 2. Is a colliery manager, who allows or permits a person under 22 years of age, in the circumstances set forth in the above findings, to raise material by means of the winding engine when it is in charge of a winding engineman, guilty of failing to the best of his power to enforce Section 51 of said Act and said Special Rule 29, so as to prevent contravention of or non-compliance therewith ? 3. On the facts stated was the respondent rightly acquitted ? Before finally deciding on the appeal, the Crown Counsel asked for my opinion, and I had no hesitation in holding that General Rule 24 did not allow any person under 22 years of age, to work the winding engine employed in lowering and raising persons in a mine usually entered by machinery, and that in terms of Special Rules 20, 21, 27, 29, and 30 (given below) applicable to engineman, no one but the competent person, 22 years of age, was entitled to interfere or work the engine. Winding Engineman. 20. The Engineman at the Pithead shall, during the hours of his shift, remain in charge of, and so near his engine, as at all times to have it completely and entirely under his control. 21. He shall attend for the purpose of lowering and raising persons in the Mine during the whole time that any person is below ground in the Mine. 27. He shall throughly acquaint himself with, and shall watch and attend to, the various signals made for raising or lowering the Cage, whether laden with persons or materials or when empty. He shall carefully and exactly stop the Cage at the landing places. He shall observe the Indicator attached to the Machinery, showing the position of the load in the shaft, and manage the Brake connected with the Engine. He shall further attend to and see that the Indicator shows the position of the Cage in the Shaft, and that the Indicator, Brakes, and other fittings of the Engine, and any Steam and Water Gauges, and Safety Valves attached to the Steam-Boilers, are kept in good order. 29. He is prohibited from allowing any person whatever to interfere with the Engine, in any way, while being wrought, and from allowing or permitting any person other than those authorised by the Owner, Agent, Manager, Under-Manager, or Overman to enter or remain in the Engine-house. 30. If the winding apparatus is not provided with some automatic contrivance to prevent overwinding, he shall see that the cage, when men are being raised, is not wound up at a speed exceeding three miles an hour after the cage has reached a point in the shaft not less than the circumference of the drum from the surface. The appeal was heard on 15th December 1904, before the Lord President (Lord Kinross), Lord Adam, and Lord Kinnear, who decided in favour of the appellant.
1904	May	17	Mossbeath	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	James Davie	--	----	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	This man was looking for work, and when at the colliery he was run over by a train of waggons.
1904	May	17	Michael	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	John Tevendale	33	Wheeler	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased had landed a set of three empty tube at the top of a wheel brae, and had then run down a distance of 33 yards to point out to a roadsman where a previous set had been derailed. Unfortunately, in his hurry he neglected to close the blocks behind the empty tubs. His assistant, failing to observe this, uncoupled the first tub and was lowering the others to rest them on the blocks. They passed over on to the brae and ran away. Deceased failed to get clear in time and was fatally injured.
1904	May	23	Quarter	Lanark	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Wm Coyle	20	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	When taking an empty hutch down a dook another hutch let away by two drawers ran down on him.
1904	May	24	Gateside	Dumfries	Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd	Robert Love	32	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	He returned to a shot of compressed gunpowder, the fuse of which his neighbour stated he had failed to ignite, when it went off.
1904	May	24	Ross	Lanark	Thos Barr's Trustees	John Bond	39	Chain runner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	A race of empty hutches on a dook got unhooked from the rope and ran down on him.
1904	June	1	Blantyre No 3	Lanark	Wm Dixon Ltd	James King	23	Pony Driver	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	Empty hutches ran back down an incline and ran over him.
1904	June	4	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	James Henderson	23	Wheeler	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	The wheeler at the top of a short brae drew the block and allowed a loaded tub to run down without the chain ; deceased got behind the empty at the foot of the brae, and loaded tub struck the empty driving it against the wall side where he was crushed.
1904	June	9	Boghead	Linlithgow	Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd	Robert Brownlee	19	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased had gone into a neighbour's place to assist him to turn over a large piece of midstone into the goaf. While doing go a wedge-shaped piece of sandstone, 14 ft. by 4 ft. by 2 ft. 9ins. at extremes, suddenly fell from the roof. The apex struck deceased fracturing hie skull.
1904	June	13 or 14	Allanshaw No 1	Lanark	Allanshaw Coal Co	Edward Harrison	20	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	The cause of the explosion has not been disclosed. The safety lamps were found locked, but a key was found in a coat pocket.	The second fatal explosion occurred in Allanshaw Colliery, Hamilton, and by it two miners lost their lives. These miners worked alone on the afternoon shift, and were engaged taking out a stoop about 130 yards to the dip of the shafts in the Splint coal seam. They worked with safety lamps. A pump attendant stated that about 2 o'clock he was in the engine-house near the pit bottom when he heard something moving, and on going out found the pony used by the miners for drawing their coal up the dook standing on the road and singed. He went up the pit and informed the under manager that something was wrong, and on the latter going down the dook, which is the intake airway, he found at a point 90 yards distant from the pit bottom one of the miners lying dead at the side of a full hutch and the other insensible behind it. One locked safety lamp was lying beside one of the miners, and the other, also locked, was found 16 yards farther down the dook. A key for unlocking safety lamps was afterwards found in the pocket of a coat lying in their working place. The manager stated that fire-damp had not been found in this seam for five years, and it is not known where the gas accumulated or how it became ignited. The day following the explosion I found a very feeble current of air circulating, owing to the waste workings, through which it had to pass before entering the return airway, being closed. Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	June	13 or 14	Allanshaw No 1	Lanark	Allanshaw Coal Co	Patrick Harrison	50	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust
1904	June	17	Mossbeath	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	George Young	45	Labourer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased was in the engine shed, situated between two lines of rails, taking a meal, and after finishing stepped out in front of a train of waggons which knocked him down and passed over him.
1904	June	21	Cadder No 17 (ironstone)	Lanark	Carron Co	Hugh Stewart	20	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	A hutch being filled at a heading face ran down and crushed him against the side.
1904	June	21	Polquhairn	Ayr	Polquhairn Coal Co Ltd	Matthew Robertson	30	Bencher	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	Crushed against a prop by hutches on a dook.
1904	June	22	Woodmuir	Edinburgh	United Collieries Ltd	Edward Doyle	14	Greaser	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Two loaded trucks were being run forward from the screens to the weighing table. Deceased was observed passing in the opposite direction, but immediately afterwards, as the shunter was about to insert a snibble in the wheel of the leading truck, he observed the trucks were slowing down, and on looking back saw deceased lying between the wheels of the rear truck. The shunter tried to stop them, but failed; and the rear wheel passed over deceased's thighs, causing injuries which resulted fatally four hours after. A number of pit props were lying about as well as some pointed snibbles, but although several of the officials were on the spot within a few minutes no effort appeared to have been made to ascertain what deceased had been doing, or to preserve the props and snibbles for inspection.
1904	June	24	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	William O'Brien	14	Coupler	Other haulage accidents	The system of haulage for Carrington dook is endless rope, and the wheel 8 feet diameter, for empty side was placed overhead, and above lines of rails for sidings. Deceased and his brother Thomas were standing close by the outside line of rails when the wheel fell and the rope drew it toward the boys, and it struck William on the head killing- him instantaneously. The cause of the wheel falling was the shaft breaking close in to the neck of the journal.
1904	June	24	Hamilton Palace	Lanark	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	John Cook	18	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal
1904	June	25	Auchinraith	Lanark	Merry & Cunninghame Ltd	George Dick	68	Labourer	On surface – sundries	When unloading trees from a waggon he fell and a tree fell over on him.
1904	June	27	Arniston	Edinburgh	Arniston Coal Co Ltd	Walter Inglis	70	Hutch repairer	On surface – miscellaneous	Deceased was taking an empty tub off the cage at the laigh scaffold, and when it was partly off, the cage was raised, and the tub was thrown on to the plates and struck deceased. It appears that deceased inadvertently gave the signal to raise the cage.
1904	June	28	Leven	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Thomas Orchison	17	Labourer	On surface – miscellaneous	Deceased was partly on the cage apparently cleaning the coal from it, when it was suddenly dropped, and he was caught between it and the ventilating shutter. The engineman had seemingly started to lower the cage without having received a signal.
1904	June	29	Castlecary (Fire clay)	Stirling	John G Stein & Co	Frank Cordiner	42	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased had prepared a shot, and just as he was about to light the fuse a piece of clay fell off the face above and fatally injured him.
1904	June	29	Tannochside No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell	George Hunter jr	19	Miner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	While illegally drawing in front of a full hutch he was crushed against an empty hutch at the foot of the road.
1904	June	30	Lochhead	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	David Stevenson	45	Trimmer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased and three other workmen moved a loaded waggon from a screen the latter pushed and the former walked alongside pulling. When the moving waggon reached another on the same line of rails it collided and the latter began to move forward and in turn collided with the last waggon of a train which had spring buffers, the result being that it rebounded and moved back to meet the approaching waggon, and when near each other deceased stepped in between to couple them and was crushed between the buffers.

Go to Accidents for July to December 1904

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Last Updated 24th August 2008