1864 Deaths

1864 Deaths listed in Mine Inspectors Report

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. Accidents not listed in these reports are indicated by a shaded background.

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?
1864	January	2	Braehead No 5	Lugar	W Baird & Co	Redman Cannan	Miner	36	Ironstone mines – in shafts	Fell into the shaft while in a state of intoxication	It appears that the pit had been stopped at the new year holidays, for the purpose of making alterations; and the tools employed below ground had been sent up, so as to enable the workmen to get employed elsewhere. The deceased, on the day of the accident, had gone to the pit in a state of intoxication, it is supposed for the purpose of removing his tools, and while attempting to cross the shaft to get into the engine-house he missed his footing, and fell to the bottom, a distance of 86 fathoms.
1864	January	4	Gartshore No 4	Kilsyth	W Baird & Co	Robert Howieson	Engineman	32	Ironstone mines – above ground	Crushed between the engine seat and a back balance
1864	January	15	Newlands	Lanarkshire	Charles Tennant & Co	John Millar	Collier	--	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	There has been one fatal explosion. It occurred at Newlands Colliery, by two men going into the face of a place which was driven 10 yards up the "vees" of a hitch, to "chap" or signal to some workmen on the opposite side, who were driving a mine towards it. The "place" was neither fenced off, in terms of the second general rule, nor ventilated, in terms of the first, but contained some fire-damp which exploded at the light of one of the men, burned both, - one fatally, the other slightly.
1864	January	16	Stonecraigs No 3 pit	Lanarkshire	Coltness Iron Co	James Bowes	Drawer	26	Falls of roof	He was waiting for a loaded hutch at the colliers wall face in splint coal
1864	January	16	Wellwood No 1 pit	Muirkirk	William Baird & Co	Andrew Steel	Collier	56	Miscellaneous	By the breakage of an incline rope while riding in the hutches attached to it, contrary to orders	The seams being worked at this colliery are situated to the "dip" of the pit. The main drawing road driven to the dip is formed in the lowest seam. The deceased, father and son, worked in this seam. It appears that on the morning of the accident they had gone in to a train of hutches about to be lowered upon the incline above described. They had advanced only a short distance when the wire rope, to which the hutches were connected, suddenly broke, and they were precipitated towards the bottom of the dook, and dashed with violence against the timber placed along the sides of it. The rope in this case was employed wholly for winding coals and at the part where it broke was considerably worn. There was a roadway, distinct from the incline, for the workmen to travel upon, and it was contrary to the regulations of the colliery for any one to ride in the hutches.
1864	January	16	Wellwood No 1 pit	Muirkirk	William Baird & Co	Peter Steel	Collier	21	Miscellaneous
1864	January	23	Gartshore No 7	Kilsyth	W Baird & Co	Patrick Gallacher	windlassman	25	Ironstone mines – in shafts	Fell down the shaft
1864	January	27	Nackerty	Lanarkshire	Provanhall Coal Co	John Dennison	Collier	--	Falls of roof	About 40 square yards of Pyotshaw coal fell unexpectedly on him while working at it
1864	January	28	Bredisholm	Baillieston	John Young	Michael Ward	Collier	39	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	January	31	Comrie	Perth	Forth Iron Co	Robert Duncan	Miner	--	Ironstone mines – in shafts	His foot got entangled in a chain which was being run out, and his leg was taken off. He died 3 days afterwards
1864	February	3	Colinshields	Linlithgow	Shotts Iron Co	James Finlay	Miner	22	Ironstone mines – falls of roof	Fall of roof at face	Newspaper report
1864	February	5	Capeldrae	Fife	Robert Aytown	D McLiesh	Pumper	19	Miscellaneous	Fell down incline
1864	February	7	Wellwood	Fife	Thomas Spowart & Co	John Bewick	Collier	40	In shafts	Crushed by cage
1864	February	10	Coltness	Lanarkshire	A G Simpson	James Forfar	Collier	39	Falls of roof	Fall of main coal while taking out pillars
1864	February	13	Kellie	Fife	Livingston & Co	George Lang	Collier	43	In shafts	Fell out of kettle while ascending pit
1864	February	20	Stevenson	Stevenson	Merry & Cunningham	David Niven	Engineer	45	In shafts	By a column of “steam jet” pipes falling away upon him in the shaft while engaged securing them
1864	March	8	Govan No 5	Glasgow	W S Dixon	William Keith	Collier	40	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal
1864	March	8	Rochsolloch	Lanarkshire	George Cowie	Thomas Welsh	Collier	35	Falls of roof	Fall of coal in Kiltongue seam
1864	March	9	Hillhead No 3	Kilmarnock	John Gilmour & Co	Peter Whyte	Bottomer	45	In shafts	Fell from a mid working in consequence of the cage having been removed without a signal
1864	March	10	Gauchalland No 4	Galston	Gauchalland Coal Co	Joseph Linton	Sinker	50	In shafts	Fell down the pit, which was in the act of being sunk, by the scaffold giving way	The deceased was a sinker, and on the morning of the accident he and three other workmen commenced their shift in the usual way. On being lowered to the pit bottom they discovered that the scaffold, worked by a crane from the surface, and on which the repairs, &c., in the shaft were made, had got damaged, it was supposed by blasting during the preceding night. Towards the close of the shift it was found necessary to overhaul the pumps, when instead of sending the broken scaffold away to be repaired before being used, or otherwise providing something secure to stand upon, two of them thoughtlessly got on to it, and were drawn up the shaft, when, shortly after, the connection at one side of it gave way, the deceased lost his footing, and fell to the bottom a distance of 60 feet or thereby. Judging from the shattered appearance of the scaffold, at the time of my examination, it must have been unfit for use; and it is difficult to conceive how men accustomed to pit work could have been so indifferent as to trust themselves upon so insecure an erection.
1864	March	16	Pather	Lanarkshire	Boyd & Spencer	William Henderson	Trimmer	13	Above ground	Fell in before waggons
1864	April	2	Braidwood Meadow Pit			James Chalmers			Not listed in report		Newspaper Report
1864	April	7	Garriongill	Lanarkshire	Coltness Iron Co	John Munro	Collier	19	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in splint coal
1864	April	11	Balgonie	Fife	Charles Balfour	John Hutcheson	Collier	18	Falls of roof	Fall at face of “head coal”
1864	April	16	Carnbroe No 8	Lanarkshire	Merry & Cunningham	R McWhinnie	Collier	45	Falls of roof	Fall at face, splint coal
1864	April	20	Croy No 1	Kilsyth	W Baird & Co	James McGilchrist	Miner	27	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Accidental discharge of a shot while engaged stemming it	The deceased had along with his neighbour been engaged preparing to blast. They had formed a borehole, and charged it with the usual quantity of gunpowder, and while ramming it the powder was accidentally ignited. The unfortunate sufferer received the contents of the shot right in his face. This description of accident is of frequent occurrence, and as long as iron needles and stemmers are used it will continue to happen.
1864	April	25	Blackbraes	Sterling	James Russell & Son	James Marshal	Collier	--	Falls of roof	Fall at face, splint coal
1864	April	26	Comrie No 16 pit	Perth	Forth Iron Co	David Crichton	Roadsman	--	Ironstone mines – in shafts	Jammed by cage while repairing shaft
1864	April	29	Loanhead			James Young			Not listed in report		Newspaper report
1864	April	30	Penston	Haddington	John Deans jun	George McCulloch	Collier	22	Falls of roof	Fall of “brushing” (roof) at face
1864	May	5	Carnachan No 2	Patna	Dalmellington Iron Co	David Bennie	Collier	20	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal
1864	May	18	Motherwell			Hugh Boag			Not listed in report		Newspaper Report
1864	May	21	Portland No 5	Hurlford	William Baird & Co	James McCartney	Collier	17	In shafts	By falling down the shaft from a “mid” working	There were two seams of coal being worked in this shaft. The upper at 46 fathoms and the lower at 66 fathoms. The cages were raised from and lowered to the lower seam, but it was the practice when a hutch required to be raised from the upper seam that a signal was made to the engineman to stop the cage at it. It appears that the deceased, who worked in the upper seam, had made the necessary signals in this case. There was no person along with him at the time, but it was found that the cage had accordingly been raised and rested at the level of the (major) upper seam, and he had removed the empty hutch which was upon it. However in returning with his full hutch to place it upon the cage, he had inadvertently pushed it in to the wrong division of the shaft, instead of the one where the cage was rested, and fell down with it to the bottom, a distance of 20 fathoms. It is always dangerous to send away materials from a midworking, where, as in the present case, there is no scaffold to prevent persons or hutches from falling, and under such circumstances the safe way is to arrange a scaffold over one of the divisions of the shaft at the upper or midworking, leaving the other open but fenced off so as to prevent any person from unknowingly passing in to it. There were gates on the pit at the upper seam, but there was no particular person to look after them.
1864	May	24	Stevenson	Stevenson	Merry & Cunningham	Philip Cairns	Redsman	30	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof
1864	May	25	Coney Park	Kilsyth	John Barr	Patrick Samson	Sinker	34	In shafts	By a piece of wood falling upon him in the shaft
1864	May	27	Fergushill No 19	Kilwinning	Archibald Finnie	Peter Stewart	Collier	38	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof
1864	May	27	Govan No 4	Glasgow	W S Dixon	John Muir	Sinker	26	In shafts	By a scaffold falling upon him in the shaft
1864	June	4	Fergushill No 17	Kilwinning	Archibald Finnie	John Richmond	Oversman	42	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof (in air course)
1864	June	4	Hurlford No 12	Hurlford	Allan Gilmour & Co	John Ross	Roadsman	58	In shafts	Crushed between the cage and the shaft	The deceased was a roadsman, and I understand that on the morning of the accident he and other two workmen were lowered to the level of the upper seam. His neighbours went off there, and he caused the usual intimation to be made to the surface for the purpose of having the cage lowered to the major or mid seam, where it is supposed he intended to go off. It is conjectured that the cage had not been lowered quite far enough to enable him to pass off in the usual way, and that he had been in the act of attempting to get out of the cage by the end of the shaft, when it was raised, and he was crushed between it and the woodwork placed there. In this case there was a direct violation of the special rules. There were two actions raised by the Procurator Fiscal. The pitheadman, for neglect of duty (not being in attendance when the shift commenced), was sentenced by the Sheriff to 10 days' imprisonment, or pay a fine of 20s. ; but the second case is still before the court.
1864	June	11	Alloa	Clackmannan	Alloa Coal Co	Thomas Sneddon	----	25	Falls of roof	Fall of coal at face
1864	June	11	Bargeddie No 1	Baillieston	Bargeddie Coal Co	James Inglis	Collier	38	In shafts	Fell off a bunting into the shaft while engaged taking the pumps out of it
1864	June	16	Overtown	Lanarkshire		James Tait					Newspaper report
1864	June	17	Greenbank	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	Patrick Fagans	Miner	48	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	June	28	Westmuir	Glasgow	Robert Gray & Co	Samuel Owens	Roadsman	28	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at the face (while redding)
1864	June	29	Eastfield	Rutherglen	T G Buchanan	William Rodger	Collier	38	Miscellaneous	Explosion of gunpowder (by going hurriedly in to a shot which had “hung” fire)
1864	July	2	Cleland No 39 pit	Lanarkshire	Robert Stewart	Thomas Cassidy	Drawer	35	Miscellaneous	A hutch from a higher level ran over him while he was going out with a loaded hutch	Newspaper report
1864	July	4	Cleland No 3 pit	Lanarkshire	William Dixon	H Kennedy	Drawer	12	Falls of roof	Fall of coal (working with his father)
1864	July	4	Knightswood No 9	Maryhill	Wilsons & Co	John Scott	Miner	38	Ironstone mines – explosions	Explosion of fire damp	This accident happened in one of the usual working places of the mine. It appears that a small quantity of fire-damp lodged occasionally in the roof of the wall, and at the head of the roadway leading in to it. Contrary to the special rules of the colliery, the deceased, who worked in this place, had been in the habit of waffing out the fire-damp when it was known to exist. And on the morning of the accident I understand that he and his neighbour had been engaged driving it out, and along the face, when the workmen employed in the adjoining wall ignited the fire-damp on passing in to their work. It seems that the fireman had examined the place in the morning, he knew of the fire-damp, and acquainted the deceased and his neighbour as to the extent of it. By rule 21 of the special rules, it was his duty to see that the places were in a fit state for working in before allowing the workmen to enter.
1864	July	6	Eastfield	Rutherglen	T G Buchanan	Thomas Conway	redsman	24	In shafts	Fall of a stone from the side of the shaft
1864	July	9	Common No 2	Cumnock	W Baird & Co	John Currants	Miner	40	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	July	15	Bogleshole No 2	Tollcross	Colin Dunlop & Co	Archd McArthur	Fireman	35	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp (while examining the workings with an unprotected light)	The deceased was night fireman, and it was his duty to examine the works before the workmen were allowed to enter. It appears that on the evening of the accident he had descended the shaft, and in the course of his examination ignited a quantity of fire-damp, by which he was severely injured and died from the effects of it. It was understood that the unfortunate sufferer had in this case been making a hurried examination with a naked light when the explosion took place.
1864	July	23	Fernigare	Lanarkshire	Fernigare Coal Co	John Gilchrist	Labourer	64	Above ground	Killed by crane handle, crane ran amain	Newspaper Report
1864	July	23	Kerse No 1	Patna	Wilsons & Co	Ch. McHutcheson	Miner	35	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of ironstone
1864	July	29	Coats No 3	Coatbridge	William Baird & Co	James Morgan	Collier	40	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	At the time of the accident the deceased was engaged taking out a pillar of coal situated at a short distance from the bottom of the shaft. I understand that he had worked for three hours previous to the accident, and that the place had been free of fire-damp when he commenced. The waste was limited and fairly ventilated. I was of opinion that the gas which caused the explosion had been secreted in a high part of the broken roof, beyond the point where the deceased was engaged, unknown to anyone, and was dislodged by a fall of roof in some part of the exhausted waste, and in that way forced into contact with his naked or unprotected light.
1864	August	1	Britton pit	Coatbridge	W D Dixon	Robert Duncan	Collier	34	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp	This accident happened in the lower or Kiltongue seam. The workings were limited, being confined to two levels and a pair of headings. The headings were principally worked for the purpose of forming a communication with a "rise" pit, to meet the requirements of the Act 25 & 26 Vict. c.79. According to the special rules of the colliery, it was the duty of the fireman to descend the shaft and examine the working places before the colliers were allowed to proceed to their work. It appears that he had gone down the pit on the morning of the accident, and examined the levels, but according to some arrangement which had been made with two men who contracted to drive the headings, his examination did not extend to these places ; that is, they had agreed to examine the headings for fire-damp to suit themselves. Such an arrangement, though apparently not insecure, has been often proved objectionable, and the present case is a very fair illustration. The fireman (Love) examined the two levels, but did not proceed into the headings, because the contractors were expected to inspect these places for themselves. The contractors arrived soon after the fireman, and I understand that one of them went into the west heading with an unprotected light (the safety-lamp which he should have used was found after the explosion lying in the case) and there ignited a quantity of fire-damp, by which an intense explosion was produced, resulting in the death of three persons, and serious injury to others. If (Sneddon) the person who contracted to drive the headings, had taken the precaution to examine them with a safety-lamp, the accident would not have happened; but it is well known that workmen, perhaps little accustomed to the use of safety-lamps, are apt to act incautiously, and they should not be intrusted with such an important duty ; for in making an improper examination, it may be of only a single place, they not only expose themselves to danger, but others who have no control over them. The special rules admit of no such modification, and it would be absurd to allow the regulations established for the general safety, to be set aside at pleasure. If such a practice was admitted, it would be equally safe in a pit where a number of workmen were employed, to make each collier his own fireman, and this would only be carrying out, on a more extensive scale, the system which appears to have been acted upon on this occasion. It is of the utmost importance to those who work in mines, that the regulations relating to fire-damp should be strictly adhered to, and that every working-place should be carefully examined in the morning before the workmen are lowered into the mine at all. Newspaper Article
						Robertson Craig	Collier	27
						Francis Hamilton	Collier	31
1864	August	4	Hillhead No 1	Kilmarnock	John Gilmour & Co	John Guthrie	Bottomer	64	In shafts	By getting in contact with the cage when in motion
1864	August	5	Auchinbee No 1	Kilsyth	W Baird & Co	William Samson	Sinker	45	Ironstone mines – in shafts	Fell out of a sinking kettle
1864	August	8	Penston	Haddington	John Deans jun	N Jamieson	Collier	20	In shafts	Fell off a vertical ladder while descending a pit 19 fathoms deep
1864	August	15	Lockside No 1	Kilbirnie	Merry & Cunningham	Barney Dowans	Trapper	10	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Run over by a “race” of hutches	The deceased was a mere child, 10 years of age, and it was his duty to open a door placed upon an engine plane to allow the passage of empty and loaded hutches. It appears that at the time of the accident he had either left the door or the place where he usually remained, while the train of hutches was passing, and getting entangled with the rope or hutches, received injuries which caused death soon after.
1864	August	15	Merryton	Lanarkshire	Brand & Cochrane	Dun Fleming	Roadsman	34	Falls of roof	Killed by a fall of roof while repairing horse road	Newspaper report (NB Date was actually 19 August)
1864	August	15	Morningside	Lanarkshire	James Bennie	George Lindsay	Collier	32	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at face	Newspaper report
1864	August	20	Tigethaugh No 4	Denny	W Baird & Co	Michael Giffin	Boy	13	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof at the face
1864	August	29	Wemyss	Fife	H E Wemyss	R Scott	Collier	44	Falls of roof	Fall of coal
1864	August	30	Corseford	Johnstone	Trustees of the late Mr Houston	Alexander McNab	Collier	16	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal at face
1864	August	30	Sunnyside	Lanarkshire	Archibald Russell	Robert Smith	Drawer	15	Falls of roof	Fall of Pyotshaw coal
1864	September	12	Dalquharran	Maybole	T F Kennedy	John McMurray	Collier	42	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal while “robeing” a pillar contrary to the rules of the colliery
1864	September	13	Overton	Lanarkshire	John Wilson	Robert Lennox	Collier	13	Falls of roof	Fall of coal (worked with his father)	A boy working with his father Newspaper report
1864	September	24	Knightswood No 9	Maryhill	Wilsons & Co	Wm Callichan	Contractor	38	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Received injuries while blasting by a piece of stone	This accident happened while the deceased, contractor of a stone mine, was in the act of blasting. I understand that after igniting the match, he and the workmen engaged with him, retired for protection to a partial recess in the side of the mine, about 50 yards distant. But, unfortunately, part of the rock, displaced by the blast, was driven right out of the mine in the direction of the deceased, and coming in contact with him caused injuries which instantly proved fatal.
1864	September	27	Comrie No 16 pit	Perth	Forth Iron Co	James Glavin	Driver	14	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Crushed by hutches
1864	September	30	Rosehall No 5	Coatbridge	Addie & Miller	Alexander Underwood	Pumper	57	In shafts	By attempting to get into the cage at the pit-bottom without giving the proper signal	Newspaper report
1864	October	12	Hurlford	Hurlford	John Howie	John Carrel	Oversman	27	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of coal
1864	October	17	Craigie	Ayr	Robert Brown	James Ferguson	Collier	60	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	October	21	Ashyard	Hurlford	Eaglesham & Dunlop	William McTaggart	Collier	22	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	October	21	Ashyard	Hurlford	Eaglesham & Dunlop	John Hamilton	Collier	17	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	October	22	Rosehall No 10	Coatbridge	Addie & Miller	Michael Gatton	Brusher	40	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof in an old stow road
1864	October	29	Skellyton	Lanarkshire	Hamilton & McCulloch	George Arbuckle	Collier	25	Falls of roof	Fall of top coal	Newspaper report (NB Actually died 25 October)
1864	October	31	Preston Grange	Haddington	Sir G Grant Suttie	Thomas Gordon	Collier	12	Falls of roof	Fall of coal	A boy working with his father
1864	October	--	Barbauchlau	Linlithgow	Monkland Iron Co	James Weir	Miner	59	Ironstone mines – falls of roof	Fall of stone at face
1864	November	3	Redding	Stirling	Redding Coal Co	George Hunter	Collier	--	In shafts	Overwinding. Engineman drunk	At Stirling in April last, William Burr, engineman, was sentenced by Lord Deas to 12 months' imprisonment for having, while in a state of intoxication, so mismanaged the winding engine of No. 17 pit, Redding Colliery, (on 3rd November 1864,) that the cage on which George Hunter was ascending was carried over the pullies and he was so much injured that he died. (From 1865 report)
1864	November	4	Shieldhall	Stirling	Carron Iron Co	Robert Brown	Collier	17	Falls of roof	Fall of roof	A boy working with his father
1864	November	4	Shieldhall	Stirling	Carron Iron Co	Andrew Brown	Collier	15	Falls of roof	Fall of roof	A boy working with his father
1864	November	5	Cadder No 6	Bishopbriggs	Carron Iron Co	William Leckie	Miner	30	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof at face
1864	November	7	Rochsolloch No 2	Lanarkshire	George Cowie	John Crokston	Collier	36	Falls of roof	Fall of roof
1864	November	8	Coltness	Lanarkshire	A G Simpson	Robert Simpson	Bottomer	56	In shafts	Falling down pit from a mouthing
1864	November	23	Cuttlehill	Fife	Henderson & Wallace	Thomas Hodge	Collier	20	Falls of roof	Fall of roof
1864	December	8	Aikenston No 2	Baillieston	James Merry	William Pryde	Collier	18	Falls of coal and roof	Fall of roof, while acting as “chainman” on an engine plane, occasioned by the hutches drawing out wood, which allowed part of the roof to fall
1864	December	9	Shieldhall	Stirling	Carron Iron Co	Robert Thomson	Collier	14	Falls of roof	Fall of roof while taking out stoops	A boy working with his father
1864	December	10	Overton No 3 pit	Lanarkshire	John Wilson	Owen Cullen	Drawer	25	In shafts	Crushed by cage while attempting to cross pit-bottom instead of going by road
1864	December	12	Faskine No 8	Airdrie	W Baird & Co	Robert Baxter	Labourer	60	Ironstone mines – above ground	By a boiler bursting
1864	December	26	Hurlford	Hurlford	John Howie	David McIntyre	Bottomer	53	Miscellaneous	Crushed by the cage when crossing the shaft	The deceased was bottomer at the colliery, and, in addition to his ordinary duties, he had charge of the ventilating furnace, which was situated near to the bottom of the shaft. It appears that on the day of the accident he had gone to the furnace, by crossing the shaft, and in returning he was caught by the descending cage and crushed under it. There was a roadway formed round the end of the shaft, and it was the proper and safe course to pass to the furnace.

Return to Scottish Mining Villages

Last Updated 26th August 2007