| 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 |
| 1866 | January | 3 | Motherwell | Wishaw | John Watson jun | Archd Coats | Collier | -- | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp in stables. The pit had been shut up for a month to smother out a fire. It was opened up, and air on for 30 hours before accident | Newspaper report |
| Andrew Gold | Collier | -- | |||||||||
| 1866 | January | 3 | Neilston Mine | Kilsyth | William Baird & Co | Robert Nicol | Engineman | 25 | Ironstone mines – above ground | Got entangled with the Pumping machinery |
The deceased was engineman, and at the time of the accident he
was alone, and attending to the pumping machinery. It is supposed
that he had been attempting to drive a wedge between the "key"
and the "plumber" block of the pumping shaft, when
he was caught by the revolving pinion wheel, and crushed between
it and the wheel into which it was geared. It seems unaccountable that enginemen, after so many warnings, should continue to expose themselves unnecessarily to so much risk, by oiling and working about the parts of the machinery while in motion, when by stopping it for a few minutes the work could be done deliberately and without risk. |
| 1866 | January | 4 | Provanhall | Baillieston | Provanhall Coal Co | William Prentice | Oversman | 38 | In shafts | Part of the shaft falling in while he was engaged securing it |
There are three seams of coal worked in this pit, the first at
38 fathoms, the second at 40 fathoms, and the third at 78 fathoms.
It appears that the shaft which was mostly "wooded "
or " barred " between the two upper seams had shown
symptoms of failure for some time previous to the accident. That
is there was an apparent pressure upon the wood from behind and
forcing it inwards. It had been arranged by the general manager
and the deceased that the "barring" at that part of
the shaft should be over-hauled and renewed at the new-year holidays.
Accordingly preparations were made, and the deceased, in company
with three assistants, descended the shaft to make the alterations
required. Before beginning operations they had formed a scaffold
at the second coal for the purpose of standing upon, and a partial
scaffold had been erected a few feet higher up. After making
these arrangements I understand that they had commenced to relieve,
and had relieved, part of the "midwall" for the purpose
of inserting stronger u side barring," and, while they were
doing that, part of the old barring thus relieved was forced
into the shaft by the pressure from behind, and carried away
the lower scaffold, and the deceased who was standing upon it,
to the bottom of the shaft. The assistants in some way managed
to scramble into the "doorhead" at the mid seam, and
were afterwards drawn safely to the surface. In pit work, such as repairing shafts, it is difficult to lay down any particular regulations as to how it should be done; but the usual and safe way to make such repairs is to commence at the surface and proceed downwards. Newspaper report |
| 1866 | January | 22 | Broxburn | John Shields | Not listed | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1866 | January | 27 | Hurlford No 12 | Hurlford | Allan Gilmour & Co | David George, boy | Collier | 14 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1866 | January | 27 | Swineridgemuir | Beith | Merry & Cunningham | John Ford | Collier | 28 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof in his working place | |
| 1866 | January | 30 | Gartshore | Daniel Laverry | Not listed | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1866 | January | 31 | Morningside | Wishaw | Shotts Iron Co | Thomas Marshal | Collier | 57 | Miscellaneous | Choke damp from an old working |
[NB Date should be 26 January] |
| 1866 | February | 1 | Duncanziemer | Cumnock | Dunsmuir & McDougal | John Dunsmuir | Sinker | 34 | In shafts | Killed whilst being drawn up the pit (the sinking pit) from a ""shot"" | |
| 1866 | February | 1 | Glespin | Douglas | James Swan | James Inglis | Collier | 60 | Miscellaneous | Squeezed by cage. His tub had got off the cage rails, and some one pulled the bell while he was lifting it on, and the engineman raised the cage and squeezed him against door | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | February | 10 | Greenfield | Hamilton | Hamilton Coal Co | William Docherty | Furnaceman | 70 | In shafts | He had fallen from the main coal, where he worked, to the splint coal, and his body was found there. | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | February | 14 | Heathery Knowe | Baillieston | Heathery Knowe Coal Co | John Wotherspoon, boy | Pithead assistant | 15 | In shafts | Pushed a hutch into the shaft, and fell to the bottom with it | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | February | 15 | Stevenson | Holytown | Stevenson Coal Co | Pat McAuley | Collier | 23 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof at face | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | February | 20 | Cuttlehill | Dunfermline | Henderson & Wallace | John Park | Reelsman | 22 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | February | 26 | Bank | New Cumnock | Bank Coal Co | Thomas Patrick | Oversman | 44 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof |
On the morning of the accident, when a few of the workmen engaged
at taking out pillars were passing to their work they discovered
that the roof during their absence had fallen, and shut up one
of the openings leading into a working place. On further examination,
they had considered it advisable to remove at once the rails
and other implements, in anticipation of a second fall of roof,
and the oversman was sent for to advise as to further proceedings.
I understand that the oversman was satisfied with what had been
done, and directed the persons who worked in the place to abandon
it for a time. The usual crushing or breaking of the overlying strata under such conditions generally gives a certain amount of warning before an extensive fall of roof happens. It is possible that these premonitory symptoms may take place at night, or during the absence of the workmen, at all events there appears to have been very little warning in this case, for before the persons could rush out, who were really sitting at a supposed safe distance, observing the action of the fractured strata, a large mass of roof fell, and four of them were crushed under it. Two were rescued, but the deceased, of whom the oversman was one, if not killed instantaneously, were dead before they could be taken out. |
| Matthew Morrison | Collier | 36 | |||||||||
| 1866 | February | 26 | Stand | Airdrie | James Smithers & Co | Bridget Mechan | Labourer | 22 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Fell down pit after a tub | |
| 1866 | February | 28 | Addiewell | William Wardrop | Not listed | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1866 | March | 17 | Barleith | Hurlford | John Galloway & Co | Francis Martin | Furnace boy | 13 | In shafts | Fell down the shaft from the ""McNaught"" to the ""Major Coal"" | There are two seams of coal worked at this pit, about 20 fathoms distant from each other. In the upper seam the operations were confined to a single place, worked by two men, and were of an exploring or experimental kind. It was the custom to send notice to these two workmen, when the day's work was finished in the under seam, and it appears that the deceased had on two occasions accompanied the person who had been sent for that purpose. On the evening of the accident he had been lowered to the upper seam, in company with a young man who worked in the pit; they were safely landed, and proceeded to the place where the two men worked, which was near to the pit-bottom. It was explained by the men that he remained only a few minutes in their place, as they were ready to leave, and he passed out towards the pit, with a light, slightly in advance of them. They heard a noise as they approached the shaft, but saw no light, and the impression was that the light which the deceased carried when he left the face had gone out, and in advancing towards the shaft he had unknowingly walked into it, and fallen to the bottom. |
| 1866 | March | 30 | Corsel | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | William McCrae | Collier | 22 | In shafts | By falling from the cage while ascending the shaft | The deceased was a drawer, and on the day of the accident, after taking a full hutch to the pit-bottom, he had arranged with the bottomer to be raised to the surface. It appears that he got properly on to the cage, and was signalled to be raised in the usual way. There was no evidence to show how the accident happened. The engineman felt a check after raising the cage about four fathoms from the pit-bottom, and the idea seems to be that the deceased had got entangled with the shaft, which displaced the cage, and allowed him to fall past it to the pit-bottom. |
| 1866 | April | 2 | Clunie | Dunfermline | W & A Goodal | William Clark | Manager | -- | Above ground | Fell from a scaffold six feet off ground | |
| 1866 | April | 3 | Baltic Pit | Hurlford | John Howie | Joseph Erskine | Collier | 38 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal while holing it | |
| 1866 | April | 3 | Boghead | Bathgate | James Russell & Co | R Murray | Sinker | -- | Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | Engine got out of gear and they fell to the bottom | |
| James Brash | Sinker | -- | |||||||||
| 1866 | April | 11 | Skellyton | John Wardrop | Not listed | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1866 | April | 23 | Opencast No 2 | Coatbridge | William Baird & Co | James Thomson | Collier | 29 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while forming a roadway | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | April | 23 | Unthank | Edward Shearer | Not listed | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1866 | April | 24 | Palacecraig No 6 | Airdrie | William Baird & Co | George Hammel | Collier | 50 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof in his working place | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | May | 3 | Drumgray | Airdrie | Drumgray Coal Co | M Garallie | Woman | 26 | Ironstone mines – in shafts | Stumbled in stepping off windlass platform and fell down pit. | |
| 1866 | May | 5 | Fergushill | Kilwinning | Archibald Finnie | James Faulds | Engineman | 16 | Above ground | Got entangled with the Pumping machinery |
The deceased was an engine boy, and his duty was to keep the
pumping machinery in motion, to suit the required drainage of
the mine. I understand that he had reached the pit on the day
of the accident in good time to enter upon his duties before
the day engineman left. He started the pumping machinery, and
it had been in operation for about ten minutes before the accident
took place. It is supposed that he was in the act of oiling it,
when he got caught between the wheel upon the pumping shaft and
the wall upon which the shaft rested. A great many of the accidents from machinery are occasioned by the persons injured injudiciously oiling the parts while in motion. I have often called attention to this dangerous and absurd practice, but without much effect. Pit machinery is often arranged so that there is very little space between the gearing and other moveable parts. It should never be oiled when in motion, and until such a regulation is strictly observed by the enginemen, this description of accident will continue to happen. |
| 1866 | May | 17 | Haughead | Hamilton | Merry & Cunningham | William Barrie | Drawer | 15 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp | Newspaper report NB Deceased was John Lang, age 15 |
| 1866 | May | 19 | Annbank No 4 | Ayr | T F Gordon | John O'Hara | Brusher | 36 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while redding under it | |
| 1866 | May | 19 | Skellyton | Hamilton | Hamilton & McCulloch | James Wardrop | Drawer | 19 | Miscellaneous | Crushed by tubs running over him on incline | |
| 1866 | May | 29 | Lassodie | Dunfermline | Lassodie Coal Co | James Terris | Collier | 20 | In shafts | Fall of stones out of shaft side | |
| James Houston | Collier | -- | |||||||||
| 1866 | May | 29 | Prince of Wales | Stevenston | Merry & Cunningham | Robert Marr | Collier | 20 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1866 | June | 2 | Redburn | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | John Fairlie | Brusher | 26 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while engaged working under it | |
| 1866 | June | 3 | Polkemmet | Bathgate | Shotts Iron Co | A Marshal | pitheadman | 31 | Ironstone mines – above ground | Fell off a wall | |
| 1866 | June | 5 | Strone | Kilsyth | William Wallace | John Ferns | Collier | 45 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1866 | June | 12 | Kirkwood | Donald Cameron | Not listed | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1866 | June | 15 | Springside | Dreghorn | Archibald Kenneth | James Scobbie | Collier | 40 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1866 | June | 16 | Plan | Kilmarnock | John McKnight | James Marshall | Collier | 32 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal and roof at face | |
| 1866 | June | 22 | Meiklehill | Kirkintilloch | James Gairdner | David Barr | Sinker | 25 | In shafts | Fall of stone from the side of a sinking shaft | This shaft is in the act of being sunk, and at the time of the accident it was 40 fathoms deep. The shaft fittings and general arrangements are of the usual description. The sinking is advanced with three shifts in the 24 hours. It appears that the shift of men which preceded the deceased, on the day of the accident, had their attention directed to a part of the shaft where some loose stuff had fallen from. They had examined it, and before leaving secured it with wood. The deceased and their companions who were engaged in the bottom of the shaft when the accident happened, had worked for about three or four hours, and I understand that they had not been aware of any defect in the shaft at the time. Apparently the part of the shaft where the stone fell from, and by which the two unfortunate sufferers were fatally injured, was about seven fathoms from the pit-bottom, where a small "lype," not readily observed, crossed the " dip" end of the shaft. Under any condition, sinking is a dangerous occupation, and the only security from falls of stones or otherwise is to keep up a regular and careful system of examination. |
| Carrick Hamilton | Sinker | 22 | |||||||||
| 1866 | June | 26 | Ellismuir | Baillieston | Bredisholm Coal Co | Dennis Coogans | Drawer | 18 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof in his drawing road | |
| 1866 | July | 10 | Kippsbyre | Airdrie | Robertson & Eddie | E Donolly | Drawer | 16 | Explosions | Explosion. The lad had gone into a place standing ""up-stoop"" with gas in it. | |
| 1866 | July | 11 | Hill of Beath | Dunfermline | Ord Adams | W Erskene | Drawer | 13 | Miscellaneous | Crushed by tubs | |
| 1866 | July | 16 | Hurlford | Hurlford | John Howie | Cunninghame Reid | Collier | 24 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | July | 18 | Annandale | Kilmarnock | Archibald Finnie | James Neil | Collier | 46 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | Newspaper report |
| 1866 | July | 18 | Coltness | Wishaw | Coltness Iron Co | R Sneeldon | Collier | 25 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof while removing pillars | |
| 1866 | July | 18 | Wheatyfauld | Bath | Merry & Cunningham | Wm Cunninghame, boy | 15 | In shafts | Fell down the shaft by pushing the hutch in to the wrong side | The deceased was a young lad about 15 years of age, and it was his business to assist the pitheadman. On the day of the accident he had been engaged with others taking off some hutches of "redd" from the " rise" cage at the low scaffold. These hutches required to be taken a short distance from the pit-mouth to be emptied, when they were afterwards pushed back and placed upon the cage in the ordinary way, The low scaffold is from 15 to 20 feet below the upper scaffold, and I understand that the " rise" cage had been raised during the absence of the deceased to the upper scaffold. In returning with the empty hutch, unfortunately, he had neglected to observe the changed situation of the cage, and pushed the "hutch " into the shaft, and fell with it to the pit-bottom a distance of 54 fathoms. | |
| 1866 | July | 20 | Capeldrae | Lochgelly | Robert Aytoun | W Farme | ---- | 4 | Above ground | This child was going with his father's dinner, and fell in among machinery | |
| 1866 | July | 26 | Cardowan | Shettleston | Andrew Yeates & Co | Daniel Haggarty | Collier | 13 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | August | 2 | Motherwell | Wishaw | John Watson jun | R McDougal | Labourer | -- | Above ground | Killed by crane running amain and the handle striking him | |
| 1866 | August | 4 | Heathery Knowe | Baillieston | Blochairn Iron Co | John Mathieson | Bottomer | 55 | In shafts | Fell down the shaft from a mid working | In this case it was the duty of the bottomer to see the hutches placed properly upon the cage and to make the appointed signals necessary for regulating the ascent of the same. I understand that at the time of the accident a cage had been lowered to the level of the "mid-working," and the deceased had taken the empty or return hutch off it, but in removing a full hutch to be sent up on the cage, he had inadvertently pushed it into the wrong division of the shaft, where of course there was no cage to receive it, and fell with it to the pit-bottom a distance of 12 fathoms. |
| 1866 | August | 6 | Wellwood | Dunfermline | Thos. Spowart & Co | James Thomson | Collier | 42 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | August | 14 | Bourtreehill | Dreghorn | Bourtreehill Coal Co | James Anderson, boy | 14 | In shafts | Caught between the cage and side of shaft. Cage lifted without a proper signal | The pit is 38 fathoms deep. The deceased was a young lad about 15 years of age. It appears that on the morning of the accident he had been at the pit-bottom along with others, and for the purpose of getting to the pit-head to arrange for some empty hutches, he had made the usual signal three, which, according to the special rules, is the proper signal to make when men are requiring to be raised. The engineman did not make a return signal, but commenced to raise the cage, and the deceased, when he saw that it was about to be raised, attempted to get on to it and was drawn away partly in the cage to a distance of about 10 fathoms, when he fell back to the bottom. The signal one, and afterwards the signal two, were made from the pit-bottom for the purpose of arresting the cage and causing it to be sent back, but without effect. It was wrong on the part of the boy to go on to the cage before he received a proper back-signal, but the engineman failed altogether in his duty : first, in lifting the cage without having given and received the proper signal for men to be raised ; and second, in not stopping the engine without delay, after having got the proper signal to do so. The Procurator Fiscal, Kilmarnock, charged the engineman with culpable homicide; he was tried by Sheriff Anderson and a jury, found guilty, and sentenced to two months' imprisonment. | |
| 1866 | August | 21 | Holmes | Galston | John Horne | William Nisbet | Collier | 28 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | August | 22 | High Possil | Glasgow | M Wallace & Co | Charles Aitken | Collier | 60 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal and roof | |
| 1866 | August | 25 | Thornton | Kilmarnock | Archibald Finnie | John Humphrey | Collier | 19 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | August | 29 | Sunnyside | Wishaw | Archibald Russell | R Stark | Collier | 45 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof while removing pillars | |
| 1866 | September | 5 | Cadder No 9 | Bishopbriggs | Carron Iron Co | James Moore | Miner | 36 | Ironstone mines – explosions | Explosion of fire damp | The deceased and his boy worked in an isolated part of the mine. I understand that the fireman had examined it on the morning of the accident, and found it in a workable state. It appears that the manager had also gone into it shortly after the deceased commenced to his work, and afterwards passed up to a dislocation, which lay along the " rise" side of the place, and along which the return aircourse was formed. In returning his lamp ignited some gas which had collected in a high part of the roof by which he was slightly burned. The deceased, who it appears had left his working place and was near to the manager, was also burned. The quantity of gas in this case must have been very limited, and it is supposed that death resulted from injuries received when struggling to get back out of the airway, which being formed over a dislocation was steep and somewhat difficult to travel through. |
| 1866 | September | 8 | Gauchalland | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | Michael McGee | Collier | 22 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | September | 10 | Espieside | Coatbridge | William Baird & Co | William Aitken | Pony driver | 15 | Miscellaneous | Fell before a train of loaded hutches and was run over by them | |
| 1866 | September | 10 | Lochside | Kilburnie | Merry & Cunningham | James Cook | Miner | 50 | Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of ironstone at face | |
| 1866 | September | 13 | Eliza Pit | Lochgelly | Lochgelly Iron Co | M Power | Collier | 45 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | September | 15 | Cleugh | Wilsontown | William Darling | M Morgan | Miner | -- | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | September | 21 | Coney Park | Denny | John Barr | William Hannah, boy | 12 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | ||
| 1866 | September | 29 | Blair | Dalry | Eglinton Iron Co | Patrick Doolan | Brusher | 50 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while engaged working under it | |
| 1866 | October | 1 | Bogleshole | Tollcross | James Dunlop & Co | James George | Bottomer | 43 | In shafts | Fell down the shaft from a mid working | |
| 1866 | October | 3 | Neilston Mine | Kilsyth | William Baird & Co | William Jamieson, boy | 15 | Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | Got entangled with an empty hutch upon an incline | ||
| 1866 | October | 4 | Commonhead | Baillieston | Forester & Robson | John Edwards | Sinker | 45 | In shafts | Was injured in a sinking pit by the kettle falling upon him | |
| 1866 | October | 16 | Pather | Wishaw | Boyd & Spencer | R Robertson | Driver | 20 | Miscellaneous | Found dead under his loaded tub | |
| 1866 | October | 19 | Chapelhall | Airdrie | Monkland Iron Co | James Smith | Joiner | In shafts | He was taking measurements at the pit mouth, and incautiously leaning over, was struck by the descending cage | ||
| 1866 | November | 24 | Braidhurst | Motherwell | Gavin Addie | David Millar | Fireman | -- | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp | |
| 1866 | November | 26 | Gauchalland | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | Colin Rankine | Oversman | 20 | In shafts | Caught between the cage and the shaft while being lowered | |
| 1866 | November | 27 | Woodside | Hamilton | James Smith & Son | John Currie | Miner | 46 | In shafts | A piece of wood was being sent to him on a hand line | |
| 1866 | November | 28 | Fauldhouse | Whitburn | Wm Dixon | R Whitefield | Drawer | 15 | Ironstone mines – falls of roof | Fall of roof in road | |
| 1866 | November | 29 | Hall Pit Shotts | Wishaw | Shotts Iron Co | James Glencorse | Collier | 45 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1866 | November | 30 | Wishaw No 7 Pit | Wishaw | Wishaw Iron Co | Hugh Boyd | Collier | 30 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| John Hitchin | Collier | 23 | |||||||||
| 1866 | December | 1 | Cuttlehill | Dunfermline | Henderson & Wallace | Wm Brand | Drawer | 16 | In shafts | A pick fell on his head while he was ascending | |
| 1866 | December | 7 | Stonecraigs | Coltness | Coltness Iron Co | J McCormick | Collier | 38 | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1866 | December | 8 | Woodhill | Kilmarnock | Merry & Cunningham | Thomas Lind, boy | 13 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof at the face | ||
| 1866 | December | 13 | Summerlee | Coatbridge | Wilsons & Co | Hugh Carlin, boy | 13 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. Died a few days after | The workings of this pit are limited, and mostly of a preparatory kind. A stone mine has been in the course of extension for a considerable time, with the view of forming a communication with a second shaft, and about 100 fathoms from the pit the coal was intersected. A level was commenced in the coal for the purpose of completing the connection, and occasionally rents or openings in the strata, apparently in connection with one of the main dislocations of the district have been opened, from which gas is freely discharged. Shortly before the accident the work was partly interrupted by a small dislocation. The contractor for the mine was the only person engaged at the "face " on the day of the accident, clearing away coals which had accumulated, and he worked with a safety-lamp. According to his information, a short time before the accident happened, the gas became so strong at the face that he left it, and went out to what he supposed a safe distance and there uncovered his safety-lamp. As to how the gas ignited is doubtful; the contractor was of opinion that one of the boys who drew the coals from the end of the stone mine to the pit-bottom ignited it when returning with an empty hutch. Six of them were burned, it was considered slightly, but the deceased, a young lad, died a few days after from the effects of it. An opening, checked by canvas, had been formed off the side of the mine by the oversman a day or two previous to the accident. It must have had the effect of diminishing the ventilation at the face, and, under the circumstances, was an injudicious arrangement. There is always a risk in working places with mixed lights, and the present case is a fair illustration. The opening has since been extended to the required limit by the use of locked safety-lamps. | |
| 1866 | December | 15 | Cleland | Holytown | Robert Stewart | W Adams | redsman | 34 | In shafts | He was repairing slides, when by some mistake in signals the engineman raised cage, and he fell off | |
| 1866 | December | 26 | Alloa | Alloa | Alloa Coal Co | Allan Dawson | Drawer | 15 | Miscellaneous | He was in a tub, striking his horse | |
| 1866 | December | 26 | Riskend | Kilsyth | William Baird & Co | Alexander Connel | Collier | 50 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal and roof | |
| 1866 | December | 29 | Gauchalland | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | James White | Collier | 22 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1866 | December | 29 | Palacecraig | Airdrie | William Baird & Co | William Mulligan | Collier | 25 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1866 | December | 29 | Rosehall | Coatbridge | Robert Addie | John McKay | Collier | 17 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. Died 12 days after the explosion |
The deceased was employed along with two workmen (Newton and
Hunter) driving a mine over a dislocation, and the air was conducted
into it for a considerable distance by brattice. It appears that
they had been desirous of getting to their work early on the
morning of the accident, and had requested the fireman to make
an early examination of their place, so as to allow them to get
into it. The fireman asserts that he did make the examination
and found the place in working order. From some cause they did
not get to their work so early as they had anticipated; but two
workmen who were employed near to this mine, when they entered
to their work, observed that a fall of roof had partly destroyed
the aircourse or "brattice" by which the air was conducted
into Newton's mine, and they properly called the attention of
Newton and Hunter to it when they were passing to their work.
It appears that in working this mine a slight quantity of gas
was given off, particularly at the "veise" of the dislocation,
a few feet from the face, and the roof being high there, eight
to ten feet, it had a tendency to collect in it. Newton and Hunter
were practical men, and acquainted with the usual condition of
the mine, and I understand that when they became aware of the
broken brattice on the morning of the accident, they prepared
to pass in to a point where they kept a safety lamp (about seven
fathoms beyond the broken brattice), and one of them had reached
the lamp, with a naked light, by keeping it low, and was in the
act of preparing it for use when his neighbour, who followed
him, carrying his light either on his head or at a higher level,
ignited the gas which lay along the roof to the rise, when they
were all burned less or more, and the deceased, a young lad,
died from the effects of it about two weeks after. The workmen in this case exposed themselves unnecessarily, though it is apparent that if the second had taken the same amount of precaution as the first the accident would have been prevented. However, under the circumstances the proper and safe way would have been to call the attention of the oversman or fireman to the broken brattice, and remained out of the place till it was examined and reported safe to work in. |
| 1866 | December | 29 | West Hurlet | Hurlet | John Wilson & Sons | Andrew Stewart | assistant pitheadman | 33 | In shafts | Fell down the shaft by running a hutch in to the wrong side | The deceased was an assistant pitheadman, and it was his duty to take the loaded hutches off the cage at the pithead and to return the empty ones. It appears that at the time of the accident he had been engaged taking an empty or return hutch to the pit for the purpose of placing it upon the cage, when apparently from some momentary absence of mind, he pushed the hutch into the wrong division of the shaft and fell to the bottom with it. Renfrewshire accidents |
