1862 Deaths January to June

1862 Deaths listed in Mine Inspectors Report

January to June

This table is compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries - William Alexander for the Western District of Scotland and Ralph Moore for the Eastern District of Scotland. Unless stated otherwise, the extra details are from the main body of the report.

Names not listed in the mine inspectors reports are highlighted by a shaded background

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Year	Month	Day	Name of Colliery	Where situated	Owners name	Person(s) killed	Occupation	Age if given	Category of Accident	Cause of death	Extra Details
1862	January	4	Little Raith	Lochgelly	Lochgelly Iron Co	George Bisset	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal from roof	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	January	14	Cleland No 3 pit	Holytown	William S Dixon	James Cranston	Fireman		Falls of roof	Fall of roof while engaged gearing it	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
						James Kelly	Brusher
						Thomas Ferguson	Brusher
1862	January	16	Brownhill	Dalry	E J Walsh	Thomas Ferguson	Drawer	15	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal
1862	January	18	Braidenhill	Airdrie	James Prentice	Alexander Adams	Collier		In shafts	By a prop or piece of pit wood falling down the shaft	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	January	20	Auchinheath	Lesmahagow	James Ferguson & Co	James Thomson	Sinker		In shafts	Killed by a stone falling upon him from side of shaft	Newspaper Report [NB John Thomson actually died 18 January 1862] Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	January	20	Towerlands No 8	Irvine	John H Watt	Edward Boyle	Brusher	43	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	January	28	Carluke	Lanarkshire		Robert Aitken			Not listed		Newspaper Report Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	January	31	Greenbank	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	Alexander Trainer	Miner	30	Ironstone mines – in shafts	By the cage being drawn over the pit head pulleys	The winding machinery and fittings generally at this ironstone working are of modern construction and in good working order. The accident was occasioned by the engineman, David Scoular, winding the cage in which the deceased was seated beyond the usual landing at the pit mouth, and taking it over the pit-head pulley. It did not appear that any of the parts of the machinery had failed on this occasion or that anything unusual had happened to distract the attention of the engineman. He was charged by the Procurator Fiscal with culpable neglect of duty ; the case was brought before the sheriff substitute of Kilmarnock ; Scoular pled guilty, and after being suitably admonished he was sentenced to 10 days imprisonment. Newspaper Report Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	1	Cowdenhill	Maryhill	William Napier	George McLuskie	Collier	33	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof in a drawing road	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	3	Garscube	Maryhill	James Barclay	John Brown	Pitheadman	25	In shafts	Was drawn into the shaft by the winding-rope when it broke
1862	February	5	Greenfield	Shettleston	G B McNair & Co	James Young	Collier	28	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof in his working place	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	6	Ellismuir	Baillieston	John Watson sen	Jerret Renwick	Drawer	18	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof
1862	February	6	Govan No 2	Glasgow	W Dixon & Co	William Campbell	roadsman	50	Miscellaneous	By going with an unprotected light into the powder magazine and igniting a large quantity of gunpowder	In collieries such as this, where the long-wall system of working is practised, it is the custom to build the walls, and make the necessary cuttings in the roadways during the night. In the present case there was a cabin situated about 40 fathoms from the pit bottom, where the powder for supplying the night workmen was stored, and a person named Mackie was deputed to give it out. It appears that one of the workmen, Newton, had shortly before the accident applied for powder, Mackie had been engaged at the time and did not leave at once to go to the powder cabin, when a few minutes after, a severe explosion took place. The fittings and a considerable extent of brickwork in the neighbourhood of the shaft were destroyed; and the unfortunate sufferers, Newton and a neighbour workman, were found to have received fatal injuries from the severity of the explosion and the blast. There can be no doubt that the deceased Newton, after calling upon Mackie, had gone to the cabin with the view of supplying himself, and in doing so had in some injudicious way allowed the flame of his lamp to get too near to the powder, or otherwise, and occasioned the accident. When a quantity of powder is kept, under such circumstances, the place ought to be carefully secured, so as to prevent incautious persons from having access to it. Newspaper Report Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	6	Govan No 2	Glasgow	W Dixon & Co	William Newton	roadsman	27	Miscellaneous
1862	February	6	Stonelaw No 1	Rutherglen	J R Reid	Robert Richardson	Collier	21	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper report Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	8	Bathvale	Bathgate	John Watson	James Smith	Miner		In shafts	Caught by cage at pit bottom	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	8	Shirva	Kirkintilloch	Walter Wingate	John Connor	Collier	19	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	11	Glenlogan	Cumnock	Portland Iron Co	James Alcorn	Collier	46	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof	Listed in AMcD letter - see foot of pages
1862	February	15	Elgin Colliery			Robert Thomson			Not listed		Newspaper report
1862	February	27	Netherfield	Glasgow	J & J Robertson	James Busby	Collier	50	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof	Lanarkshire accidents
1862	March	4	Espieside No 3	Coatbridge	W Baird & Co	Thomas Davidson	Collier	26	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal	Newspaper Report
1862	March	4	Quarter	Hamilton	Colin Dunlop & Co	William Small	Drawer		Ironstone mines – falls of roof	Fall of roof at face
1862	March	5	Lesmahagow			William Louden			Not listed		Newspaper Report
1862	March	5	Carluke			Edward Russell			Not listed		Newspaper Report
1862	March	6	Overtown			William Davie			see entry under May 6 below
1862	March	7	Tillicoultry	Tillicoultry	James Snowdowne	William Allan	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof while redding	Newspaper Report [NB Accident was actually March 11 1862]
1862	March	7	Tillicoultry	Tillicoultry	James Snowdowne	John Cook	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof while redding	Newspaper Report [NB Accident was actually March 11 1862]
1862	March	10	Tillicoultry	Tillicoultry	James Snowdowne	John Paterson	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof
1862	March	13	Little Raith	Lochgelly	Lochgelly Iron Co	Dan. McGuire	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal from roof
1862	March	17	Calder	Coatbridge	W Dixon & Co	Adam Hunter	Oversman	43	In shafts	By a wire rope breaking at an old and abandoned pit while they were being suspended in the shaft	The machinery at this colliery, when in operation, was arranged to pump water and wind materials. It had been standing for upwards of a year; but in consequence of a partial breakage of machinery at a neighbouring colliery, the pumping engine was started to assist with the drainage, till the necessary repairs could be made. It had been worked for five or six days, and no person had occasion to be lowered or raised in the shaft by the winding rope during that time. It was discovered on the morning of the accident that the "plunger" in connexion with the "forcing set'' of pumps required packing ; and I understand that after lowering and raising the cage with a weight upon it, so as to prove the state of the guides, &c., the oversman and an assistant were lowered. The accident took place when they were being raised, after having completed their work, and when the cage was within a few feet of the surface, by the winding rope suddenly breaking. Winding ropes out of use and exposed at a pit for a length of time, particularly when constructed of wire, ought to be carefully tested and examined before being used. The rope in question had been employed on the occasion for expediency, although it must have been apparent that it was not a perfect winding rope; and it forms a striking illustration of the insecurity of winding materials after they have lain for a time out of use or been otherwise neglected, independent of their character at the period of their abandonment or the amount of work that may have been done by them. Newspaper Reports
1862	March	17	Calder	Coatbridge	W Dixon & Co	John Meiklam	Assist. Oversman	31	In shafts
1862	March	18	Balquhatsone	Slammanan	John Watson jun	William Meek	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof
1862	March	18	Roadinghead	Cumnock	W Baird & Co	Hugh Park	Miner	30	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof
1862	March	19	Carluke			John Gilfillan			Not listed		Newspaper Report
1862	March	20	Redding	Falkirk	Redding Colliery Co	Alex Scobie	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof at face
1862	March	26	Bankhead	Galston	Portland Iron Co	George Goldie	Collier	42	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal and roof at his working face
1862	March	27	Grangemouth	Falkirk	Grangemouth Coal Co	Thomas Rae	Brusher		Falls of roof	Fall of brushing
1862	April	4	Riskend	Kilsyth	W Baird & Co	Robert Reynolds	Sinker	35	Ironstone mines – in shafts	Fell off the kettle in a sinking pit about 15 fathoms from the bottom
1862	April	8	Jerviston	Holytown	Wilsons & Co	Philip Docherty	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper Report [Date is actually 7 April]
1862	April	10	Drumbathie	Airdrie	William Baird & Co	Alex. Russell	Miner		Ironstone mines – falls of roof	Fall of roof at face
1862	April	17	Portland No 2	Hurlford	Portland Iron Co	Thomas Trainer	Collier	50	Miscellaneous	The powder accidentally ignited while preparing to blast	The deceased and other workmen were engaged driving a mine through a "whingaw," and I understand that they were preparing to blast at the time the accident took place. As explained by one of the survivors, the deceased was in the act of "stemming"* or "ramming " a shot, when, from some cause, the powder ignited unexpectedly, and a serious explosion took place. This casualty may be accounted for in two ways; first, by supposing that the " needle" was struck by mistake ; or that a train of loose gunpowder had been left lying along the side of the hole, and was ignited by a spark from the face of the "stemmer." The latter is the most likely way. Accidents of this description, resulting from the unexpected ignition of gunpowder, have been less frequent of late ; they are often occasioned by attempting to drill out shots which have missed fire, with the view of saving the time required to form another hole. The practice is very unsafe, particularly if the tools used are composed of steel or iron. The proper and safe course however, when a shot misses fire, is to abandon it, and commence another bore hole at a safe distance. Tools used for blasting purposes, such as "needles" and "stemmers" should either be formed of copper or faced with it; and if such tools had been employed in the case above referred to, this unfortunate occurrence would have been prevented.
1862	April	28	Craigie House	Ayr	Robert Brown	John Anderson	roadsman	52	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof
1862	May	5	Bradley	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	James McPake	Miner	19	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Was struck by the cage on the head while looking down the pit	At ironstone pits the scaffold, where the material is taken off the cage to be binged, is generally from 12 to 20 feet above the level of the surface or pit mouth ; consequently, the cage on which the hutch containing the material is raised is landed at this scaffold. It is the custom, however, when men are about to he lowered into the mine to rest the cage at the level of the pit mouth so as to save them the trouble of going up on to the level of the scaffold to get at it; and in the same way, when the cage with workmen is raised, it is stopped at the level of the pit mouth so as to enable them to get readily off. I understand that the deceased was, on the evening of the accident, sitting at the pit-mouth, and waiting to he allowed to go to his work ; he had been looking over the side of the shaft, unseen by the engineman, and forgetful of the cage at the scaffold, which, on being lowered, struck him on the back of the head, and caused instant death.
1862	May	6	Overtown	Wishaw	John Wilson	William Davis	Collier		In shafts	Fall of coal while driving out a prop	[A William Davie, age 42, was killed in Wilson's Pit, Overtown by a fall of coals on March 6 1862 - see Newspaper Report]
1862	May	8	Bank	New Cumnock	Bank Coal Co	William Samson	engineman	33	Miscellaneous	It is supposed that death was occasioned by getting entangled with the machinery	The machinery employed on this occasion was of the usual description, and consisted of pumping and winding engines. The deceased was night engineman, and his duty was to keep the pumping engine at work during the night. It was understood that the engine had been in operation on the morning of the accident, till about half-past three or four o'clock, the time it is supposed to have happened ; and judging from the position in which the body of the deceased was found by the workmen when they came to the colliery in the morning, I have no doubt that he had been in the act of oiling the shafting, when he was accidentally caught by the revolving machinery, or had missed his footing and got entangled with it. The fatal accidents of this description generally happen to the workmen who are in direct charge of the machinery, and in many cases from the absurd practice of cleaning and oiling dangerous parts of it while in motion.
1862	May	8	Swineridgemuir	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	Hugh Cogans	Boy	13	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1862	May	9	Boghead	Bathgate	James Russell & Co	George Gray	Miner		Miscellaneous	Suffocated by choke damp	The accident occurred in an exploring mine at Boghead Colliery. The mine had been stopped for a day or two, and the deceased who was one of the contractors, went in for his graith. He knew the place was full of choke-damp, for his light would not burn, so he groped his way to the face in the dark; before he got to the face he fell and his body was not recovered .for some hours afterwards. The ventilation of the pit was very bad. Air was carried into this mine by means of wooden boxes 15 inches wide and 7 inches deep, but the current was scarcely perceptible. At best, the quantity which could be made to pass through these boxes was insufficient. There was no excuse for this state of matters, although the man himself was to blame for his death.
1862	May	9	Newbattle	Dalkeith	Marquis of Lothian	Henry Martin	Collier		In shafts	Fell into sump at pit bottom	The engineman while lowering the men in the mornings brought away the opposite cage without receiving a signal from the pit-bottom. A lame boy, who had not time to get off, appears to have attempted to jump, and in doing so had fallen back into the sump where he was found dead. A bottomer is now stationed, in terms of the special rules, to bell every time before the cage ascends.
1862	May	10	Hill of Beath	Lochgelly	Orde Adams	Gav. Hamilton	Sinker		In shafts	Chain broke while lowering pipes and knocked him off buntons	Some sinkers were lowering 30 fathoms of 12-inch pipes by means of chains. One half were under water and they were descending close to another sett of the same size. The flanges appear to have rested, and going off with ajerk snapped the chains, and the deceased who was standing on a bunton guiding them was carried away by the falling mass. The chain was quite equal to the weight under ordinary circumstances but not for jerks. A steam crab and strong galvinized wire rope is now substituted. Newspaper Report
1862	May	13	Dysart	Kirkcaldy	Lord Rosslyn	Wm Fairful	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of head coal
1862	May	13	Dysart	Kirkcaldy	Lord Rosslyn	A Duncan	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of head coal
1862	May	13	Merryton	Hamilton	Cochrane & Brand	Robert Barton	Fireman		Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	Accident occurred at Merryton colliery, in the Ell coal, which is six feet thick, and worked by stoop and room, at a depth of 71 fathoms. On a Monday morning the fireman went down the pit to make his usual examination before the colliers entered. He had a naked lamp on his head, and carried his Davy lamp in his hand. He was seen passing into the workings in this way by two roadsmen who were working at the pit bottom, and who were the only other men in the pit. About 10 minutes after he left them an explosion took place, which knocked both of them down. One of them was so much injured that he died in consequence. The body of the fireman was found eight days afterwards, within a short distance from the face, and in the air course ; his Davy lamp was found broken by his side, but his cap and naked lamp were never found. The locality of the firedamp, and direction of the blast, were shown pretty clearly. There had not been much firedamp, but every stopping in the pit was knocked out or injured. The furnace had not been regularly fired during the Sunday, and most probably gas had accumulated in those places where the fireman usually went with his naked lamp, and the explosion was the consequence. When the ventilation was restored to its ordinary state I found it amounted to 14,720 cubic feet per minute, whereof 9,000 cubic feet were sent into the north level where the explosions occurred; but so badly was the air conducted, with the wooden stoppings, that only 3,000 cubic feet remained when it reached that point. I made the following suggestions to the owners:- (1.) That the fireman leave his naked lamp on the pit head when he makes his rounds in the morning, and take only a Davy lamp. He might take two Davy lamps in case one was to go out. (2.) The rarifying furnace should be kept on night and day. If the steam jet can be made to act as effectively, it is more desirable in point of safety. . (3.) The air courses should be 36 feet area, and never less. (4.) The main currents of air ought to be guarded by brick and lime stoppings, 9 inches thick, and where stoppings are intended to be permanent the places should not exceed eight feet in width. (5.) A range of brick stoppings should be carried from the level to the rise at least every 150 yards. (6.) Wooden stoppings should be avoided in permanent air courses, and whenever adopted should be most scrupulously and constantly examined. I made the remark as to the steam jet, in consequence of its application at Skellyton, Allanton, and Summerlee collieries, which are in the immediate neighbourhood, where it is held to be as economical as the furnace, and there can be no doubt of its greater safety. Newspaper Report [Date was 12 May 1862]
1862	May	13	Merryton	Hamilton	Cochrane & Brand	George McLean	roadsman		Explosions	Explosion of fire damp
1862	May	20	Cumnock No 1	Cumnock	Portland Iron Co	Samuel McGinnes	Collier	45	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1862	May	20	Mossend Iron Works	Holytown	Mossend Iron Co	James Harkness	Collier		Falls of roof	Killed by fall of stone while redding a road
1862	May	20	Mossend Iron Works	Holytown	Mossend Iron Co	John Millar	Collier		Falls of roof	Killed by fall of stone while redding a road
1862	May	22	Overton Colliery	Wishaw	John Wilson	Henry McLuskie	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of main coal	Newspaper Report
1862	May	27	Sunnyside	Wishaw	Archd. Russell	Wm Simpson	Collier		Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	The accident occurred at Clydesdale pit, Sunnyside Colliery. A fall had taken place in a stone mine, and gas accumulated in the cavity. The fireman of the pit along with two other men were redding the fall. He was standing on the top of the gears, stowing rubbish, and the gas lit at his lamp and burnt them all; one of his companions died. There was a good current of air passing into the mine as far as the fall. I suggested that locked Davy lamps only, be used until the gas completely expelled. Newspaper Report
1862	June	9	Broomhill	Denny	W Baird & Co	William Stewart	Collier	30	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1862	June	9	Little Raith	Lochgelly	Lochgelly Iron Co	Jno Campbell	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of head coal
1862	June	10	Cadder No 8	Bishopbriggs	Carron Iron Co	William Wotherspoon	Miner	32	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1862	June	10	Rosehall No 11	Coatbridge	Addie & Miller	Gib. McKay	Pony driver	16	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Fell before a train of loaded hutches when part of it was drawn over him	Newspaper Report
1862	June	12	Sunnyside	Wishaw	Archd. Russell	John Dunn	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof in stone mine
1862	June	16	Bredisholm No 1	Baillieston	John Young	James Smith	Collier	45	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1862	June	18	Kennet	Alloa	Thomas Greer	John Mitchel	Collier		Ironstone mines – falls of roof	Fall of ironstone	[NB John Condie Paterson age 18 is listed as being killed by a fall on 18th June 1862 in Kennet No 2 Pit - the name given here may be a mistake in the inspectors list - see Newspaper Report]
1862	June	18	Old Bridge Pit, Hurlford			William Jamieson			Not listed		Newspaper Report
1862	June	19	Kirkwood	Coatbridge	John Hendrie	Alexander Neilson	Bottomer	59	In shafts	Got caught by the cage when it was being lifted	According to the special rules of this colliery it is the practice for the drawers to place the loaded hutches on the cage, and secure them there, under the supervision and direction of the bottomer, preparatory to being sent up the pit. The deceased was bottomer at the colliery, and it appears that on the day of the accident a young lad had gone with a loaded hutch to the pit bottom in the usual way, for the purpose of placing it on the cage. He had failed to run it exactly on to its place, and the bottomer, who was stationed at the opposite side, went on to the cage for the purpose of assisting him, when the engine was suddenly set in motion, apparently without a signal from the pit bottom, and he was instantly crushed between the cage and the side of the shaft. Workmen employed underground, particularly bottomers, are frequently exposed about the bottom of the shaft ; they trust implicitly to the shaft regulations being carried out ; it is therefore of the greatest consequence that an engineman should be thoroughly impressed with the importance of his duty, and of the great responsibility attached to the proper performance of it. In this case the Procurator Fiscal charged the engineman with culpable homicide ; the case was called before Lord Deas and a jury at the. Glasgow Circuit Court in September last ; but after a few witnesses had been examined for the prosecution, some doubts were entertained as to whether a signal had not been made, and the charge was departed from. Newspaper Report
1862	June	21	Westmuir	Glasgow	Robert Gray & Co	Charles O'Donnel	Brusher	40	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1862	June	26	Blair No 6	Dalry	W Baird & Co	James Curdie	Miner	20	Ironstone mines – in shafts	Fell from the cage while ascending the shaft
1862	June	26	Tigethaugh	Denny	W Baird & Co	Peter McKenna	Fireman	30	Ironstone mines – explosions	Explosion of fire damp	There are two seams of ironstone at present being worked in this pit. The accident took place in the upper one, and at the time when the night shift-men were about to proceed to their work. It was the duty of the fireman to examine the state of the work before the workmen were allowed to enter; and it appears that he had taken a safety lamp on the night of the accident, and gone in to the workings apparently for the purpose of carrying out this very important rule. No one of course knew the extent of his examination, but when he returned to the pit bottom he informed the workmen that the places were " all clear" and in a workable state, when a few minutes after, as he and one of the miners were passing in to a working place, a quantity of fire-damp was exploded. The injuries received by the fireman proved fatal. Judging from the short time intervening between the examination and the explosion, only a few minutes, I think there can be no doubt that the sufferer in this case had failed to make a proper inspection of the whole of the working parts.

Accidents In Coal Mines - To the Editor of the Glasgow Herald, Sir,- As, at the present moment, the numerous casualties in mines, and more especially those which have recently occurred in England, are attracting the attention and exciting the sympathies of the humane and philanthropic both in England and Scotland, I deem this a fitting opportunity to direct the attention of the community officially to those which of late years have occurred in the coal mines is Scotland. I do this now because I have in view in a future communication to submit to the public a plan by which to mitigate the distress and suffering which results from so many fatal accidents as have taken place in this part of the country, as well as to provide in some measure for the relief of those who have from similar causes been rendered incapable of subsequently following their usual or even any other employment. Beginning with the year 1853, I find that the deaths from accidents in the coal mines of Scotland were as follows:- In 1853, 81; 1854, 53; 1865, 68; 1856, 92; 1857, 83; 1858, 76 j 1859, 92; 1860, 93; thus showing a total of 638 lives lost in these mines in the course of eight years, or an annual average of nearly 80 deaths. It is not assuming too much, I fear, to estimate the number of deaths in connection with the ironstone mines in Scotland at one-third of that number, which would raise the total deaths to 380 in the period of eight years. According to the computation of the late lamented Mr. Mackworth, inspector of mines, and also of Mr. Dickinson, the present inspector of mines for the Manchester district, the "serious injuries " to the person are at 3 to 1 of the deaths, which would give a total severely injured, of 2550 in eight years, or an average of nearly 320 a year disabled, perhaps for life. I have not bean able to include the results during 1861, because I am not yet in possession of the inspectors' reports for that year; but I think that from those I have been able to give, I have made out that such a vast amount of suffering has occurred as most clamantly to call on the humane and the benevolent to come forward and endeavour to do something to alleviate the misery which must inevitably have followed. But, still further to give an idea of the extent of misery end destitution which these casualties create among the widows and orphans of the sufferers, I have been enabled to frame a register of accidents for so much of this year (1862) as has already elapsed: - On the 4th January, George Bisset, a young man, was killed in the Little Raith pit, in Fifeshire; on the 8th there were killed in No. 3 Cleland Carfin pit, James Cranston, leaving a widow and four children, James Kelly, a widow and four children, Thomas Ferguson, a father and mother; on the 14th John Thomson was killed in the Auchinheath Sinking pit, leaving a widow and four children; on the 18th Alex. Adams was killed in the Gallowhill pit, near Airdrie, leaving a widow and three children; on the 23th, Robert Aitken was so much hurt in the Langshaw pit, Carluke, that he shortly after died, leaving a widow and three children; on the same day Edward Boyle was killed in the Towerlands pit, near Irvine, leaving a wife and six children; on the 28th Edward Lenny was killed by falling down No. 9 Carnbroe pit; on the 31st Alex. Train was killed in the Greenbank pit, Dalry, leaving a widow and three children; on 1st February, George M'Lusky was killed in the Cowdenhill pit, leaving a widow and four children; on the 4th, James Young was killed in the Garibaldi pit, Shettleston, leaving a widow and two children; on the 6th Robert Richardson was killed in the Old Stonelaw pit; on the 6th, Gerard Lennox, a youth of 18, was killed in the Ellismuir pit, Baillieston, leaving an aged father, who was entirely dependent on him; on the same day, Wm. Newton was killed in No. 2 Polmadie pit, leaving a widow and one child, and in the same pit, at the same time, William Campbell was killed, leaving a widow and four children: on the 8th, Wm. John Connon, a youth, was killed in the Shirva pit, near Kilsyth; on the same day, John Smith was killed in No. 3 Bathgate Vale pit, Armadale, leaving a widow and six children; and still on the same day, James Aldcorn was killed in No. 8 Glenlogan pit, near Lugar, leaving a widow and eight children! Thus in less than forty days of 1862 there have been no fewer than 19 persons killed, leaving 13 widows and 55 children and dependants! - in all, 68 deprived of their means of support. These, it will be observed, are included in those cases only which have been reported to me, and undoubtedly there must have been many other cases in districts with which I have not yet had communication. The number of cases of "severe injuries," by which many wives, children, and other dependants have been for a time, or permanently, deprived of the means of support, so far as reported, are 24 in number, of which 8 occurred from explosions, 3 from lifting of the " cage" without the requisite warning, 8 by over winding the cage, and the remainder by accidents at the working faces at on the travelling roads of the mines. Taking the dependants on these at an average of 3 each, founded on the average of the fatal cases, there has already this year been not fewer than 140 individuals left without the means of support; and taking the same average for the eight years above referred to, the gross number of those left permanently or temporarily destitute would reach the startling amount of 7650!
To these details which, collected hurriedly, are necessarily imperfect, I would most earnestly solicit the attention of the humane and charitable. The late fearful catastrophe at Hartley has aroused the national sympathy, and the appeal of the committee on behalf of the desolate widows and orphans has been nobly responded to throughout the country by placing at their disposal the magnificent sum of about £50,000. But are not the details I have been able to furnish sufficiently harrowing to inspire similar benevolence and empathy for the widows and orphans of the sufferers from similar calamities in the mines of Scotland? Although not so dismally large as at Hartley are the deprivations of the families, in Scotland, yet, so far as they go, the destitution and distress are equally severe, and ought to excite similar feelings of charity towards the sufferers. While I thus appeal to the public, I feel bound also to appeal to the miners themselves. Their families may soon be in the same position as those to which I have called attention, and they therefore ought to come forward liberally. Even their contributions will so far alleviate the present offerings of the bereaved, and aided, as I hope they will be,by a benevolent public, the aching heart of the widow may be soothed, the wailing cry of the famishing orphans for bread may be responded to, means may be secured to promote the physical, moral, and intellectual condition of the fatherless children, and so far, at least, as pecuniary aid can afford consolation, a degree of comfort may be again found in their now desolate dwellings. - I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Alex. M'Donald, Holytown,21st Feb, 1862. [Glasgow Herald 22 February 1862]

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