| 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 |
| 1867 | January | 2 | Netherton No 4 Pit | Wishaw | Scott & Gilmour | John Gallocher | Stoker | 21 | In shafts | Falling part way down shaft. Something went wrong with the pumps, and instead of sending for the overman, one of the enginemen went down to repair them, taking with him the deceased, who fell off the cage while they were ascending. There was nothing wrong with the cage. | Newspaper Report |
| 1867 | January | 7 | Pather | Coltness | Coltness Iron Co | John Smith | Collier | 35 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp on a Monday morning. MacNeil took Smith with him to examine the pit, they had both safety-lamps and naked lights, some fire-damp ignited at the latter and killed them both. The ventilating furnace was "out" for 40 hours. The fireman neglected the 22nd and 27th Special Rules of the Colliery. | Explosion No. 2 was caused by the fireman going his rounds in the morning with his naked light, instead of using a safety lamp only as directed by the Special Rule No. 21. Davy lamps do not give much light, and firemen are tempted to take a naked light when they think there is no danger. That Special Rule should be rigidly enforced, but a large safety lamp, in addition to the Davy lamp, might be given to the fireman, which would give additional light, and take away the temptation to use a naked light. The fireman could also have kept the furnace burning continuously from Saturday to Monday, which would in all likelihood have prevented the accumulation of gas. Newspaper Report |
| Alex MacNiel | Fireman | 40 | |||||||||
| 1867 | January | 8 | Niddrie | Edinburgh | John Grieve | Archibald Hunter | Drawer | 16 | Miscellaneous | He fell with his tub out of a level into an incline in the edge seams, and was crushed by the ascending trucks | |
| 1867 | January | 9 | Hill of Beath | Dunfermline | Orde Adams | George Kinniel | Sinker | -- | In shafts | Fell off cage while repairing slides | |
| 1867 | January | 11 | Sunnyside | Wishaw | Archibald Russell | Alexander Adams | Collier | 25 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof while “stooping”. The roof was cracking, and he was drawing the rails | |
| 1867 | January | 11 | Boghead | Bathgate | James Russel & Son | Alex. Bennet | Watchman | 70 | -- | Fell over loading place on railway (not on list) | |
| 1867 | January | 15 | Annandale No 8 | Kilmarnock | Archibald Finnie | Jas Howie | Collier | 35 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1867 | January | 16 | Dungeonhill No 2 | Baillieston | Forester & Robson | Mattw. Morris | Collier | 35 | In shafts | Was raised by the cage when partly crossing the pit | |
| 1867 | January | 21 | Carsehead No 2 Pit | Dalry | Eglinton Iron Co | Robert Dunsmuir | Miner | 17 | Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | January | 29 | Hurlford, Comet Pit | Hurlford | Allan Gilmour & Co | Jas McGregor | Collier | 25 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | January | 30 | Souterhouse No 1 | Coatbridge | Trustees of John Wilson | David Martin | Collier | 20 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | Newspaper report |
| 1867 | January | 31 | Greenfield | Hamilton | Hamilton Coal Co | David Black | Sinker | 38 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. They were blown into the pit by the concussion, and falling about 16 fathoms were killed by the fall | Newspaper report |
| Alexander Millar | Sinker | 38 | |||||||||
| 1867 | February | 1 | Bartonholm No 3 | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | John Cochrane | Boy | 15 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp |
The "Kilwinning main" seam, which is the only one at
present worked from this pit, is found at 90 fathoms deep. The
roof is unusually tender, falls are of frequent occurrence in
the roads and airways, and small accumulations of gas collect
after these falls in the high parts of the roof, where it is
scarcely possible to have the air of the mine passing so as to
sweep it out at all times. The deceased, a boy, worked with his
father, in one of the usual working places of the pit. It was
known that one of these holes, in the roof of their roadway,
not far from the face, contained a little gas ; precautions were
taken by them to guard against it, but it unfortunately happened
that one of the roadsmen went into an old road, about 90 yards
distant from where the deceased was employed, and ignited a small
quantity of gas, and it is supposed that the concussion, acting
at that distance upon the gas that lay in the roof of the deceased's
roadway, forced it out, and into contact with his unprotected
light, by which he was injured. The injury at first was not considered
serious, but he died from the effects of it a few days after.
This pit has been notorious for non-fatal accidents, and I believe
more visits of inspection have been made to it than to any other
throughout the district. I admit there are difficulties in dealing
with these openings in the roof, which sometimes reach to a considerable
height above the pavement. It would be comparatively easy to
deal with the openings themselves, but they get connected, in
"longwall working," by rents and openings formed by
the falling and shattered roof, which, until the roof becomes
wholly collapsed, form receptacles for gas. In roadways of this description the proper way to work them is to compel the drawers who require to travel them to use safety-lamps. |
| 1867 | February | 9 | Bo'ness | Bo'ness | James Pollok | Phil. Hoolican | Drawer | -- | Miscellaneous | Run over by hutch | |
| 1867 | February | 28 | Jelliston No 2 | Dalmellington | Dalmellington Iron Co | Michl. Downs | Sinker | 50 | In shafts | Was caught on the “mid-wall” whilst ascending | |
| 1867 | March | 2 | Wishaw No 2 Pit | Wishaw | Scott & Gilmour | John McMichael | roadman | 30 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof while knocking out trees to make new road | |
| 1867 | March | 5 | Wemyss Pit | Kirkcaldy | Mr Wemyss' Trustees | Alex Morgan | Engineman | 55 | In shafts | He was in the shaft watching the start of a new pumping engine, when owing to a defective casting about 300 feet of the new pipes fell down the shaft, and some of them struck them | |
| 1867 | March | 6 | Fernigare | Hamilton | Archd. Russell | John Smith | Collier | 49 | Explosions | Breach of 1st General Rule and of 22nd Special Rule | A fatal explosion of fire-damp happened in a common working place in which fire-damp accumulated. Instead of putting in brattice to carry air forward to the face, the fireman "waffed" out the fire-damp every morning before the men entered, and it did not collect so as to be dangerous while they remained in the place. On the morning of the accident, however, he examined the face and found fire-damp as usual, but went away without dislodging it, and the deceased, who entered shortly afterwards, was severely burned; he died some days afterwards. The owner was prosecuted for breach of the 1st General Rule, and the fireman for breach of the 22nd Special Rule of the colliery. A conviction was obtained on both charges. Sheriff Veitch found that the 1st General Rule had not been adhered to by the owners. "It was not," he said, " merely necessary that the working places should be free from fire-damp while the workmen were actually employed in them, but the nature and arrangement of the ventilation must, under ordinary circumstances, be such as at all times to prevent the accumulation of fire-damp or impure air, and no other system would effectually guard against accidents." He also held that the fireman should have dispelled the fire-damp when he found it on terms of the 22nd Special Rule. Newspaper report |
| 1867 | March | 8 | Maidenbank | Muirkirk | Eglinton Iron Co | James Espie | Collier | 26 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1867 | March | 11 | Bogleshole No 3 | Tollcross | James Dunlop & Co | Chas McAuley | Collier | 40 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1867 | March | 11 | Heathery Knowe No 2 | Baillieston | Heathery Knowe Coal Co | Alex. Buchanan | Collier | 39 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1867 | March | 14 | Easterhill No 1 | Tollcross | David Roxburgh | B McCartney | Labourer | 36 | Above ground | Caught by the connecting rod of the pumping engine when unnecessarily stepping over it |
The deceased was a labourer, and assisted generally about the
colliery, On the day of the accident it appears that he and a
neighbour workman were engaged cleaning a boiler. For some purpose
he had left the boiler; it is supposed to call the manager's
attention to the state of it, and in passing through the engine-house,
instead of going out by the stairway, he attempted to step over
the connecting rod of the pumping engine, which was in motion
at the time, and got caught between it and the crank. It unfortunately happens too often that workmen employed about collieries expose themselves unnecessarily by going too near to the moveable parts of the machinery. In this case it was a very simple matter to step over the connecting rod when the crank was under, or at its lowest level, and without much risk ; possibly the engine-man had done it hundreds of times; but the proper and safe way to pass from the boilers through the engine-house was by the ordinary stairway, clear of machinery, and if the deceased had done so in this case no accident could have happened. |
| 1867 | March | 16 | Lumphinnans | Lochgelly | Lumphinnans Iron Co | Hay Hocking | Sinker | 29 | Miscellaneous | Premature explosion of a shot while he was “stemming” with an iron needle. Advised safety fuse to be used | Four deaths were caused by premature explosions of gunpowder in sinking pits and stone drifts……….. The other two deaths (one of them was in a sinking pit and the other in a stone mine) were caused by the premature explosion of the charge while tamping in gritty sandstone. The owners of the pits were advised to get their workmen to use safety fuse, which burns at an ascertained slow rate per minute, and affords time to get out of danger; and when it is used, the tamping-rod does not come into contact with the gunpowder. |
| 1867 | March | 21 | Bredisholm No 4 | Baillieston | Charles Tennant & Co | P Markley | Brusher | 48 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof while blasting | |
| 1867 | March | 21 | Dykehead | Larkhall | Summerlee Iron Co | Robert Wilson | Driver | 14 | Miscellaneous | Crushed with tubs (found dead) | Newspaper report |
| 1867 | March | 22 | Espieside No 3 | Coatbridge | W Baird & Co | A Bartin | Collier | 41 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1867 | March | 23 | Kennet | Clackmannan | Francis Greer | Wm Adamson | Collier | 23 | Falls of roof | Coal fell on him while holing | |
| 1867 | March | 26 | Kenneil Iron Works | Bo'ness | George Wilson & Co | David Muir | ---- | -- | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp | |
| 1867 | March | 27 | Binniehill | Slammanan | A C Brown | And. Rodney | Collier | 40 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | April | 1 | Binniehill | Slammanan | A C Brown | Wm Shaw | Collier | 19 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | April | 6 | Heathery Knowe No 2 | Baillieston | Heathery Knowe Coal Co | Andw Ramsay | Collier | 41 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1867 | April | 8 | Aitkenhead | Bothwell | Provanhall Coal Co | R Gamble | Collier | 19 | In shafts | Cage got out of slides while he was ascending and he fell down the pit | |
| 1867 | April | 11 | Cleland | Motherwell | William Dixon | Wm Winning | Collier | 40 | Falls of roof | Fall of top coal which he was working. He was caught while freeing the last portion which prevented it from falling | |
| 1867 | April | 15 | Haughead | Hamilton | Merry & Cunningham | John McKie | Drawer | -- | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. Bryce and McKie went down the pit to clear some fire damp out of a mine | With regard to accident No. 16, there is no evidence to show that Bryce had neglected any precaution, except seeing for himself that everyone was out of the pit. The place which contained the fire-damp had been shut off for weeks, and the removal of it might have formed the subject of consultation and more careful precaution. Newspaper report |
| Jas Campbell | Collier | -- | |||||||||
| Jas Bryce | Overman | -- | |||||||||
| 1867 | April | 20 | Aird's Green No 1 | Muirkirk | Eglinton Iron Co | Jas McMillan | Collier | 35 | Falls of coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | April | 25 | Townhead | Dunfermline | Townhill Coal Co | Wm Barclay | Collier | 30 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | May | 11 | Springbank | Airdrie | Springbank Coal Co | John Baff | Collier | 39 | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1867 | May | 13 | Addiewell | Lothians | William Mathers | Not listed | Newspaper report | ||||
| 1867 | May | 21 | Polkemmet | Bathgate | Shotts Iron Company | R. Scullion | Miner | 22 | Falls of roof | Fall of stone | |
| 1867 | May | 27 | Cambusnethan | Wishaw | John Sneddon | Jas Stevenson | Collier | 32 | Explosions | These men were allowed to examine the fire-damp in thier own place, and they went too far before using the Davy lamp. No proceedings were taken. The fireman specially appointed should examine the places before the workmen enter, and not the workmen themselves. | The accident No. 19 was caused by want of discipline of the same kind [as per Jan 7 1856, Pather], and in addition the men were allowed by the fireman to examine their own places for fire-damp. |
| 1867 | May | 27 | Cambusnethan | Wishaw | John Sneddon | Jas Short | Collier | 40 | Explosions | ||
| 1867 | May | 31 | Bank | New Cumnock | Bank Coal Co | Hugh Brown | Pithead-man | 31 | In shafts | Fell down the shaft by pushing a hutch in to the wrong division |
It appears that at the time of the accident, or a few minutes
before it, the deceased and the hillman were both engaged at
the pit-mouth taking a full hutch of coal off the "rise"cage.
I understand that they had taken it to the weighs close by, after
which the deceased had gone to place an empty hutch upon the
cage to be returned in the usual way, but instead of pushing
it on to the cage he had unaccountably run it forward in to the
"di " division, where of course there was no cage,
and fell with it to the bottom, a distance of 30 fathoms. It is needless to remark that if a self-acting guard had been in use this unfortunate occurrence would have been prevented. The contrivance is inexpensive, and easily applied; it is applicable to all collieries; I have called attention to it for the last 10 years, but I am afraid that something more than publicity is required to insure its general application. |
| 1867 | June | 2 | Muiredge | Kirkcaldy | Bowman & Co | J Marsden | Bottomer | 32 | In shafts | Fell from a mid-working. This death was caused by carelessness on the part of the manager, who caused the cage to be stopped, and to act as a bridge from one side of the shaft to the other. The deceased was returning an empty tub, but some one in his absence caused the cage to be lowered, and the deceased fell to the bottom of the pit. | With regard to shaft accidents, the accidents Nos. 20 and 40 in the list are avoidable accidents. It is evident that fence as you will people do fall from mid-workings, and as the existence of these is only a question of money, it is always possible to dispense with them. |
| 1867 | June | 3 | Windyedge | Motherwell | Robert Stewart | David Johnstone | Overman | 51 | Miscellaneous | The engineman lowered them into 15 fathoms water, and the cage being covered they could not get out. It seemed to me to have been caused soley by the engineman's neglect. He was tried for it before a jury and acquited | The accident No. 4 in list was a very melancholy one. The deceased were descending on the cage to change a bucket in a pit used for pumping water. Some misunderstanding appears to have arisen regarding the signals, for the engineman, instead of stopping at the proper place, lowered them slowly into the water at the bottom of the pit, and the cage being covered on the top, they were confined as in a trap, and drowned. Some minutes afterwards the engineman discovered, by the reduced size of the rope roll, that he had lowered them too far, and he brought the cage up again, but they were both drowned. The engineman was tried for manslaughter before Sheriff Veitch, of Hamilton, and a jury, but was acquitted. Covers on cages have saved many lives, but in this case there can be little doubt that if the cage had not been covered on the top, the deceased would have escaped by clinging to the buntons and slides of the pit. |
| Charles Strain | Roadsman | 48 | |||||||||
| 1867 | June | 4 | Mossend | Holytown | William Neilson | A Houston | Sinker | 23 | In shafts | Fell off kettle while ascending from a shot | |
| 1867 | June | 12 | Annbank No 2 | Ayr | J T Gordon | T Fitzsimon | Wagoner | 17 | Above ground | Jammed between waggons upon a railway siding | Took place at a railway siding, by the waggoner getting jammed between some railway waggons |
| 1867 | June | 12 | Craignethan | Lesmahagow | James Ferguson | G Caldwell | Engineman | 60 | Above ground | Oiling machinery in motion | |
| 1867 | June | 12 | Largoward | Largo | Brown & Kidd | Alex Brown | Collier | 53 | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1867 | June | 18 | Bellsdyke | Airdrie | Shaw & Pettigrew | Chas McGuade | Drawer | 16 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1867 | June | 18 | Millburn | Larkhall | Hamilton & McCulloch | G Burnside | Collier | 48 | Falls of roof | Fall of coal | Newspaper report |
| 1867 | June | 24 | Dalkeith | Dalkeith | Alex Gordon | Wm Brown | Collier | 28 | Falls of roof | Fall of roof in a long wall working | Newspaper report |
| 1867 | June | 30 | Brocklar | Ayrshire | Mr Nimmo | Not listed | Newspaper report |
