1888 Deaths

1888 Deaths listed in Mine Inspectors Report

This table is compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries. Unless stated otherwise, the extra details are from the main body of the report. Entries highlighted by gray shading are not in the Inspectors report.

Year	Month	Day	Name of Colliery	Where situated	Owner or Company	Person(s) killed	Occupation	Age	Category	Cause of accident and remarks	Extra details
1888	January	4	Westburn No 1	Cambuslang	Westburn Colliery Co	James Sneath	Bottomer	33	In shafts	The rope broke while the cage was descending	Accident took place during the new year holidays. The deceased, whose duty was to work a hand pump, was accompanied by his stepson, a boy 11 years of age, whom he took with him to keep him company, was being lowered in the cage when the rope broke, and they were both killed by the fall. The rope was of charcoal iron, 4 1/4 inches in circumference and had been in use 8 1/2 years. Although it did not show signs of excessive wear, yet at the point where it broke it was so eaten away by internal corrosion that it was quite unfit for use under any circumstances. Apparently no one suspected what its real condition was.
1888	January	11	Wellwood	Dunfermline, FIF	Thomas Spowart & Co Ltd	Geo. Ronaldson	Roadsman	--	Falls of roof	While repairing road; long wall	[NB Names is actually George Donaldson]
1888	January	12				Edward McInally					See 1887 report - injured on 3 Oct 1887, died 12 Jan 1888
1888	January	13	Morningside	Cambusnethan, LKS	Morningside Coal Co	Thomas Brown	Collier	--	Miscellaneous underground – falling into water	Deceased, while getting on cage to ascend, fell 15 fathoms down shaft into water. A cran rope was sent down to him, and while being raised on it, he fell off, and was drowned	Newspaper report
1888	January	17	Begg	Auchterderran, FIF	Goodall Bros.	Jas. Nicholson	Brusher	37	Falls of roof	At face of brushing; long wall
1888	January	21	Bogleshole No 2	Cambuslang	James Dunlop & Co	William Winning	Miner	45	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of coal
1888	January	27	Rosehall	Bothwell, LKS	Robert Addie & Son	Wm Maughan	Collier	46	Falls of roof	At face; long wall	Possible Newspaper report - William McMeechan or McMachon
1888	February	1	Braehead No 6	Cumnock	Eglinton Iron Co	Wm McGhee	Pony driver	15	Miscellaneous underground	Found dead under a full hutch while taking a “race” to the hutch
1888	February	1	Sundrum No 2	Coylton	Dalmellington Iron Co	Thos Douglas	Labourer	60	Above ground	Jammed between two waggons
1888	February	2	Cowdenbeath	Beath, FIF	Cowdenbeath Coal Co	John Currie	Oversman	51	Miscellaneous underground- suffocation by gases	Went into old road, and was overcome by black damp
1888	February	6	Brownlee	Carluke, LKS	Archibald Russell	Alex. Montgomery	Collier	24	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	February	15	Niddrie	Liberton, Edinburgh	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	Robert Ferrier	Collier	19	In shafts – falling from part way down	Pushed tub into open incline when carriage was not there
1888	February	16	Roadside	New Monkland, LKS	Robert McAllister & Sons	William Carson	Collier	50	Falls of roof	At face; long wall
1888	February	17	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	Malcolm McLeod	Collier	37	Falls of roof	At face; stoop and room
1888	February	21	Hurlford No 15	Hurlford	Merry & Cunninghame	Robert Currie	Miner	19	In shafts	The cage was supposed to stick in shaft and then drop away while he was being lowered in it	Newspaper report
1888	February	22	Earnock	Hamilton, LKS	John Watson	Peter Fox	Collier	21	Falls of sides	At face; stooping
1888	February	24	Netherhouse	Baillieston	John Young	George Galloway	Drawer	12	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof
1888	February	28	Haugh No 1	Kilsyth	Wm Baird & Co	John Hunter	Miner	17	Explosion of fire damp	Explosion of firedamp (other 3 person injured)	The deceased and the three injured men worked in contiguous walls in the Kilsyth coking coal. A few minutes after they commenced work in the morning, some firedamp ignited at one of their naked lights, and they were all injured by the resulting explosion. It was stated that the reddsmen were working in the place where the explosion happened up till within two hours of its occurrence and that the fireman while making his usual inspection found no firedamp in the working places, but got some lying in a disused working some 40 yards distant. The roof was unbroken in the vicinity of the point where the firedamp was said to have been ignited, and I was unable to ascertain that there had been any interruption of the air current, which passed from the working places to the point where the gas had been found by the fireman. The explosion might have been caused by one of the workmen going with his naked light to the place where the firedamp had accumulated, but there was no evidence of this having been done.
1888	February	28	Little Raith	Auchtertool, FIF	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	Thomas Adamson	Prop cutter	72	On surface – miscellaneous	Run over by waggons	Newspaper report
1888	March	1	Carberry	Inveresk, Edinburgh	Deans & Moore	John Fullerton	Collier	--	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room	Newspaper report
1888	March	2	Mauldslie	Carluke, LKS	Waddell & Son	Jas. Buchanan	Collier	33	Falls of sides	At face; stooping
1888	March	5	Harthill	Shotts, LKS	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	James Grant	Drawer	14	In ironstone mines	While riding in empty tub n road with slight dip, it left the rails, and he was thrown out.
1888	March	9	Birkenshaw	Larkhall, LKS	Birkenshaw Coal Co	Alex. Davidson	Fireman	60	Explosion of fire damp	Went into place where gas was lying with naked light
1888	March	10	Limerigg	Slamannan, STI	Limerigg Coal Co Ltd	Arthur Mulholland	Collier	35	Falls of roof	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	March	14	Morningside	Cambusnethan, LKS	Morningside Coal Co	William Main	Bottomer	54	In shafts – falling from part way down	At midworking; pushed tub into shaft
1888	March	14	Shawfield	Carluke, LKS	John Wilson	Arch. Bowman	Driver	20	Miscellaneous underground- by tubs and trams	Fell in front of loaded tub
1888	March	17	Galawhistle	Muirkirk	Cairntable Gas Coal Co	Hugh Clark	Miner	27	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of coal
1888	March	20	Balmalloch No 2	Kilsyth	Brown & Rennie	Robert Briton	Roadsman	30	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof
1888	March	20	Lodge	Slamannan, STI	John Watson	Robert Allan	Collier	15	Falls of roof	At face; long wall
1888	March	21	Burntisland	Burntisland, FIF	Burntisland Oil Co Ltd	Francis Morgan	reddsman	40	In shale mines	On drawing road	Newspaper report
1888	March	26	Newton No 2	Cambuslang	James Dunlop & Co	Robert Kelley	Brusher	27	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof
1888	March	27	Donibristle	Aberdour, FIF	Donibristle Colliery Co	Andrew Seath	Collier	36	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	March	27	Legbrannock	Bothwell, LKS	Legbrannock District Collieries Co Ltd	William Adam	Trimmer	--	On surface – miscellaneous	Crushed by waggons
1888	March	31	Lochgelly	Auchterderran, FIF	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	Thomas Howie	Collier	15	Falls of roof	At roadhead; long wall
1888	March		Bothwell Castle			Unknown					Newspaper report
1888	April	5	Dalzell	Dalzell, LKS	Wishaw Coal Co	Wm Hamilton	Blacksmith	--	On surface – by machinery	Caught by pinion wheel
1888	April	11	Bellfield No 1	Hurlford	Merry & Cunninghame	John Hutton	Contractor	40	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof while making a horse road	Newspaper report
1888	April	12	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	Henry Murphy	Collier	16	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	April	17	Newbattle	Newbattle, Edinburgh	Marquis of Lothian	Peter Henderson	Collier	44	Falls of roof	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	April	20	Foulford	Beath, FIF	Cowdenbeath Coal Co	Ebenezer Bowman	Collier	23	Falls of sides	At face; long wall
1888	April	20	Wemyss	Wemyss, FIF	R G E Wemyss	John Rodger	Stone miner	36	Miscellaneous underground- explosions of gunpowder	He went back before shot went off
1888	April	27	Gilbertfield No 2	Cambuslang	Cambuslang Coal Co	James McLachlan	Chain runner	20	Miscellaneous underground	While riding in front of the dook “race” he was jammed against a steam-pipe which crossed the road
1888	May	2	Dykes No 1	Cumnock	Eglinton Iron Co	James McCluskie	Miner	54	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of road at working face while “stooping”
1888	May	19	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	John Paterson	Collier	36	Falls of sides	At face; stooping	Newspaper report
1888	May	28	Drumpeller No 1	Coatbridge	Drumpeller Coal Co	Edward Devine	Drawer	17	Miscellaneous underground	Fall of a dook “race” on which he was riding contrary to regulations
1888	May	31	Cadzow	Hamilton, LKS	Cadzow Coal Co Ltd	Richard Curwood	Stone miner	28	Miscellaneous underground- explosions of gunpowder	Shot went off prematurely	Newspaper report [Dated 21 May 1888]
1888	June	2	Dalzell	Dalzell, LKS	Wishaw Coal Co	Alex Robinson	Trimmer	19	On surface – miscellaneous	Crushed by waggons
1888	June	12	Marledge	Dalserf, LKS	McLean, Dalziel & Co	Allan Murphy	Collier	35	In shafts – falling from part way down	At midworking; pushed tub into shaft
1888	June	12	Tannochside	Bothwell, LKS	Owners of Chapelhall	Francis Degnon	Collier	36	Falls of roof	On drawing road; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	June	13	Broomhouse	Broomhouse	Haughhead Coal Co	Archd. Burns	Drawer	13	In shafts	Fell down a blind pit	Happened to a boy while crossing over the top of a blind pit instead of passing round it. The top of the shaft was fenced by sparred flat "policemen" and the deceased fell through between two of the spars, the opening being 26 inches long by 10 inches wide. Newspaper report
1888	June	14	Lochgelly	Ballingry, FIF	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	William Scobbie	Collier	55	Falls of sides	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	June	16	Hurlford No 15	Hurlford	Merry & Cunninghame	Oliver Houston	Miner	20	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof at stoops	Newspaper report
1888	June	16	Hurlford No 15	Hurlford	Merry & Cunninghame	William McCormick	Miner	29	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof at stoops	Newspaper report
1888	June	18	Hurlford No 18	Hurlford	Merry & Cunninghame	Thomas Woods	Miner	27	In shafts	Fell after his hutch down the shaft from an unfenced midworking	Happened to a miner who pushed his hutch at a mid-working into the shaft when the cage was not there, and fell with it to the bottom; The entrance to the shaft was not fenced in terms of General Rule 19, and for this offence proceedings were taken against both the manager and the overman, who were fined for their negligence. Newspaper report
1888	June	21	Drumchapel No 1	New Kilpatrick	Wm Dixon Ltd	Alexr. Millar	Fireman	28	Miscellaneous underground	While riding on a self-acting incline the chain broke and caused a collision
1888	June	21	Garriongill	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Duncan Livingstone	Hutch mender	70	On surface – miscellaneous	Another waggon ran against the one he was in, and he was crushed at the screens
1888	June	26	Pumpherston	Mid Calder, Edinburgh	Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd	John Jeffrey	Miner	21	In shale mines	Struck by piece shale which came down incline
1888	July	4	Haugh No 1	Kilsyth	Wm Baird & Co	Matthew Patrick	Miner	13	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof at face
1888	July	7	Vogrie	Borthwick, Edinburgh	Vogrie Colliery Co	Jas. Morrison	Collier	16	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	July	9	Shotts	Shotts, LKS	Shotts Iron Co	Arch. Johnstone	Runner	18	On surface – miscellaneous	Fell in front of waggons	Newspaper report
1888	July	11	Fence	Lesmahagow, LKS	Nitshill & Lesmahagow Coal Co	Chas Maddock	Fitter	30	Miscellaneous underground – by sundries underground	Stumbled, and fell on a rail
1888	July	13	Stonelaw	Rutherglen	F R Reid	John Moffat	Miner	32	Miscellaneous underground	While firing a shot he failed to escape in time and was struck on the head	A shot went off while a miner was lighting his squib and before he had time to escape. This man apparently lost his life owing to the defective construction of the squib, as the end of it, which was simply flattened and twisted, appears to have opened out and allowed the grains of powder to run out to the extremity where the light was applied.
1888	July	14	Denend	Auchterderran, FIF	Denend Coal Co	Robert Kirk	Roadsman	32	Falls of roof	While repairing horse road; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	July	18	Lightshaw No 3	Muirkirk	Eglinton Iron Co	Thomas Mathieson	Miner	25	In shafts	While descending the shaft was crushed between the cage and a bunton
1888	July	21	Collyshot	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Patrick McCourt	Drawer	53	Miscellaneous underground – by sundries underground	Fell on corner of tub
1888	July	24	Calderhead	Shotts, LKS	Shotts Iron Co	James Lawler	Collier	42	Falls of sides	At face; long wall
1888	July	25	Pennyvenie No2	Dalmellington	Dalmellington Iron Co	Wm Pettigrew	Waggon shifter	17	Above ground	Crushed between two waggons
1888	July	26	Mosside	Bathgate, Linlithgow	Gavin Paul & Sons	Michael Harkins	Collier	21	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	August	4	Kingseat	Dunfermline, FIF	Andrew Wallace	Charles Ferguson	Driver	14	Miscellaneous underground- by tubs and trams	Fell off rake, and was crushed between building and side of tubs	Newspaper report
1888	August	10	Afton No 1	New Cumnock	Lanemark Coal Co	Hugh McLatchie	Miner	35	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof while drawing props
1888	August	13	Dalmeny	Dalmeny, by Edinburgh	Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd	William Cain	Miner	--	In shale mines	Struck by piece shale
1888	August	14	Bonnyton No 8	Kilmarnock	Gilmour, Anderson & Co	Robert Nelson	Miner	36	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof at face
1888	August	16	Glengyron No 2	Cumnock	Eglinton Iron Co	John McCormick	Miner	34	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof at roadside while widening it	Newspaper report
1888	August	16	Parkhead	Lanarkshire		William Hamilton					Newspaper report
1888	August	31	Deans	Bathgate, Linlithgow	West Lothian Oil Co Ltd	William Brown	Miner	--	In shale mines	Shot went off prematurely
1888	September	11	Goatfoot	Galston	Gilmours & Co	Matthew Wallace	Miner	48	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of coal
1888	September	13	Westrigg	Shotts, LKS	Westrigg Coal Co	Alex. Hannah	Collier	29	Falls of roof	At face; long wall
1888	September	19	Tillicoultry	Tillicoultry, CLK	Alloa Coal Co	John Hunter	Brusher	27	Falls of roof	While brushing road; long wall
1888	September	22	Drumchapel	Duntocher	Wm Dixon Ltd	Thomas Moffat	Sinker	45	In shafts	A “kettle” in a blind pit became disconnected from the rope and fell on him
1888	September	28	Rawyards	New Monkland, LKS	Rawyards Coal Co Ltd	John Marshall	Collier	--	Falls of roof	At face; long wall	Newspaper report - NB deceased was actually John Marshall Carson
1888	September	29	Townhill	Dunfermline, FIF	Townhill Coal Co	John Henderson	Collier	47	Falls of sides	At face; long wall
1888	October	4	Westburn No 1	Cambuslang	Westburn Colliery Co	Robert Colquhoun	reddsman	25	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof
1888	October	8	Broxburn	Uphall, Linlithgow	Broxburn Oil Co Ltd	Richard Sneddon	Oversman	57	In shale mines	Struck with tubs, on incline
1888	October	11	Meiklehill No 4	Kirkintilloch	James Gardner & Sons	Andrew Barret	Drawer	15	In shafts	Fell off the cage while ascending the shaft
1888	October	15	Hillhead No 5	Airdrie	Wm Baird & Co	Alexr. Jarvie	Trimmer	15	Above ground	A sprag which he was inserting in the wheel of a waggon knocked him in front of the wheel of a following waggon
1888	October	17	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	Neil McGill	Contractor brusher	48	Miscellaneous underground – by sundries underground	While riding on top of loaded tub was crushed against the roof
1888	October	18	Straiton	Loanhead, Edinburgh	Clippens Oil Co Ltd	Wm Campbell	Miner	31	In shale mines	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	October	22	Ross	Hamilton, LKS	Thomas Barr	Robert Hamilton	Collier	18	Falls of sides	At face; stooping
1888	October	24	Foulford	Beath, FIF	Cowdenbeath Coal Co	John Kain	Labourer	60	On surface – miscellaneous	The blow-off cocks of four boilers were connected to one main discharge. One of them was suddenly opened, and the hot water rushed into the one he was cleaning out
1888	October	25	Fauldhouse	Whitburn, Linlithgow	William Dixon Ltd	James Murphy	Miner	40	In ironstone mines	At face; long wall
1888	October	25	Harthill	Shotts, LKS	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Peter Donachie	Drawer	17	In ironstone mines	Stone fell from tub while it was being raised to surface, and struck him in pit bottom
1888	November	8	Auchinraith	Blantyre	Merry & Cunninghame	John McLaren	brakesman	--	Miscellaneous underground – by machinery underground	Crushed by brake wheel	Newspaper Report
1888	November	8	Devon	Clackmannan, CLK	Alloa Coal Co	David Gillespie	Collier	29	Falls of roof	At face; long wall
1888	November	10	West Benhar	Shotts, LKS	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	Hugh Smart	Runner	14	On surface – miscellaneous	Crushed by waggons
1888	November	13	Bogleshole No 2	Cambuslang	James Dunlop & Co	Robert Cameron	Miner	65	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of roof at face
1888	November	15	Cadzow	Hamilton, LKS	Cadzow Coal Co Ltd	Alex Penman	Collier	20	Falls of roof	At face; stoop and room	Newspaper report
1888	November	15	Little Raith	Auchtertool, FIF	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	Robert Beveridge	Oncostman	60	Miscellaneous underground – by sundries underground	Caught hold of haulage rope, and was drawn into pulley
1888	November	16	Newbattle	Newbattle, Edinburgh	Marquis of Lothian	Robert Clark	Shaftsman	53	In shafts – falling from part way down	Slipped off buntin and fell down shaft
1888	November	21	Auchinraith	Blantyre. LKS	Merry & Cunningham	Robert Donachie	Collier	44	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	November	22	Alloa	Alloa, CLK	Alloa Coal Co	Robert Mackie	Brusher	32	Falls of roof	At face, building; long wall
1888	November	26	Jellieston No 2	Patna	Dalmellington Iron Co	Wm Smith	Miner	--	Falls of roof & sides	Fall of coal
1888	November	30	Garriongill	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Alex. Wyper	Collier	53	Falls of sides	At face; stoop and room
1888	December	1	Niddrie	Liberton, Edinburgh	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	Thomas Morrison	Gate keeper	16	On surface – miscellaneous	Fell in front of waggons
1888	December	7	Dunnikier	Kirkcaldy, FIF	Walter Herd & Son	David Watters	Collier	54	Falls of roof	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	December	8	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	John McLachlan	Runner	14	On surface – miscellaneous	Caught hold of haulage rope, and was taken up into pulley	Newspaper report
1888	December	12	Foulford	Beath, FIF	Cowdenbeath Coal Co	Thos. Scotland	Collier	27	Falls of sides	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	December	14	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	Patrick McKenna	Collier	50	Falls of sides	At face; stooping
1888	December	14	Skerrington No 18	Hurlford	Merry & Cunninghame	Wm Reid	Labourer	50	Above ground	Struck on the head by a crane handle while changing the speed	Happened to a labourer, who, with four other men, was changing a hand crane from the slow to the fast motion with pump-rods, weighing nearly a ton, hanging on the rope. The disengaging of the one set of wheels reversed the direction of the strain on the handles, which broke free from the men's hands, and one of them in coming round struck the deceased on the head and killed him.
1888	December	15	Broxburn	Uphall, Linlithgow	Broxburn Oil Co Ltd	Robert Anderson	Drawer	15	In shale mines	Went into fenced-off upset, where there was gas, with naked light	Newspaper report
1888	December	18	Leven	Wemyss, FIF	Fife Coal Co Ltd	James McDonald	Collier	--	Miscellaneous underground- on inclined planes	While fixing “cut chain”, loaded tub came away from bench above
1888	December	19	Muircockhall	Dunfermline, FIF	Dunfermline Coal Co	John Sanders	Labourer	--	On surface – miscellaneous	Was in waggon disloading a crane, when a log rolled over, and he was knocked out with it.
1888	December	21	Bredisholm	Bothwell, LKS	Provanhall Coal Co	John Davis	reddsman	62	Falls of roof	Redding up stoop	Newspaper report
1888	December	22	Coltness	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Michael Hendry	Drawer	15	Miscellaneous underground- by tubs and trams	Was in front of loaded tub on a road with a slight dip, when it overpowered him
1888	December	24	Ashgill	Dalserf, LKS	Brand & Co	William Smith	----	--	In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	Fell off cage while ascending
1888	December	25	Bothwell Castle	Bothwell, LKS	William Baird & Co	Francis McKay	Bottomer	24	In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	Rope slipped off pulley and cage fell 14ft. He was thrown off	Newspaper report
1888	December	26	Eddlewood	Hamilton, LKS	Eddlewood Coal Co Ltd	John McNamara	Drawer	15	Miscellaneous underground- by tubs and trams	In trying to stop two loaded tubs he fell in front, and they ran over him
1888	December	27	Woodend	Torphichen, Linlithgow	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	James Laird	Collier	31	Falls of roof	At face; long wall	Newspaper report
1888	December	29	Portland No 5	Hurlford	Eglinton Iron Co	John Ross	Blacksmith	--	In shafts	Cage stuck in the shaft and dropped away with him in it
1888	December	--	Holmes No 3	Hurlford	John Horne & Sons	David Gray	Pony driver	--	Miscellaneous underground	Drowned while riding on a pony into water	He and another driver took their ponies for the sake of amusement to a part of the workings where water lay to a depth of several feet. One pony went into the water and would not come out again, whereupon the deceased mounted the other and rode into the water after it, following it round the corner of a pillar out of his companion's sight. What happened there is not known, but the deceased, after calling out once, made no reply to the repeated calls of his companion who, becoming alarmed, ran for assistance, and two hours elapsed ere the dead body was found in about 3 1/2 feet of water.

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Last Updated 4th August 2007