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1889 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.

Year Month Day Name of Colliery Where situated Owner or Company Person(s) killed Occupation Age Category Cause of accident and remarks Extra details
1889 January 22 Dalmeny Linlithgow Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd Alex McGillvray Miner 32 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 January 26 Newliston No 29 Linlithgow Youngs Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co Ltd Alex Sharp Bottomer 30 Miscellaneous underground Crushed by carriage  
1889 January 26 Rosie No 1 Fife Bowman and Co James Taylor Miner 22 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal  
1889 January 29 Drumpeller No 4 Coatbridge Drumpeller Coal Co Alfred McCulloch Miner 34 Miscellaneous underground Struck by a runaway hutch while passing the foot of a heading  
1889 January 31 Kirkland No 4 Linlithgow Youngs Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Co Ltd James Duffy Miner 35 Explosion of fire damp Explosion of fire damp One man lost his life by an explosion of fire-damp in the Kirkland No. 4 Oil Shale Mine, county of Linlithgow, the property of Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company, Limited. Deceased, was engaged as a miner in stooping or removing pillars; he ventured into the waste or goaf, adjacent to his working place, for the purpose of obtaining water, and ignited some gas with his open light. It appeared that the fireman had not examined the part of the waste where the gas was ignited, as it was a place where no person was expected to be.
1889 February 7 Denbeath Fife Bowman and Co John Turnbull Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of rock  
1889 February 16 Ballochmyle Cumnock Wm Walker John Stevenson Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal  
1889 February 18 No 1 Pit, Bank Coatbridge Wm Dixon Ltd John Divens Miner 36 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at working face  
1889 February 20 Wester Gartshore No2 Kirkintilloch J & A F Wallace Robert Smith Bottomer 53 In shafts Pushed a hutch into the open shaft at a mid-working and fell after it Caused by the deceased bottomer leaving a gate open at a mid-working after sending the cage to the surface, and then pushing a full hutch into the open shaft and falling after it.
1889 February 25 Cowdenbeath Fife Cowdenbeath Coal Co Michael Reilly platelayer 53 Above ground Run over by waggon  
1889 March 6 Rigside Lanark Rigside Mining Co James Lindsay Labourer 15 Above ground By bogie on surface  
1889 March 14 Kingseat Fife Wallace Bros David Campbell Miner 35 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 March 18 Cowdenbeath Fife Cowdenbeath Coal Co Charles Baxter Miner 64 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal  
1889 March 18 Newbattle Edinburgh Marquis of Lothian Archibald Hadden Miner 23 Miscellaneous underground Explosion of a shot Three persons lost their lives by shots exploding unexpectedly. Two of the cases at Newbattle and Loanhead Collieries were accompanied by very similar circumstances; two shots were arranged to be fired together in the same heading by two miners; one fuse was ignited, and it was thought that the other was not ignited ; after one shot had exploded a return was made when the other exploded
1889 March 19 Bankend Lanark Owners of Chapelhall John Harrison Miner 51 Miscellaneous underground Crushed by a “cuddie”  
1889 March 19 Elgin & Wellwood Fife Thomas Spowart & Co Ltd Francis German Miner 34 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 March 27 Prestongrange Haddington Prestongrange Coal & Firebrick Co Ltd James Selkirk Fireman 30 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 March 27 Swinhill Lanark George Miller John Devlin Miner 46 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 April 1 Bankhead Sanquhar James I McConnel Angus Love Miner 21 Falls of roof & sides Fall of a “pot bottom” at working face  
1889 April 4 Gauchalland No 4 Galston Gauchalland Coal Co George Paton Miner 45 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at face  
1889 April 5 Lumphinnans Fife Cowdenbeath Coal Co William Butler jr Shunter 21 Above ground Struck by waggons  
1889 April 8 Muiredge Fife Bowman and Co Joseph McGill Sinker 55 In shafts Kettle falling down shaft At Muiredge Colliery, where a shaft was being deepened, the pit-head man, about 3 a.m. on a dark and tempestuous morning, had his attention diverted by the wind extinguishing a lamp. On returning to the shaft he forgot that he had removed a sliding table; he pushed forward a bogie and kettle, both of which fell to the bottom of the shaft where four sinkers were working. Fortunately the death of only one of them was caused. The top of a sinking shaft can be fenced so as to preclude the possibility of an accident of this nature. Shafts in the course of sinking require fencing even more than a shaft in ordinary use, as in the former there are persons working in the bottom. Although I was not satisfied with the mode of fencing the shaft, it did not appear to be a case for a prosecution for a breach of general Rule 19, as this rule provides for the "temporary removal of the fence for the purpose of repairs or other operations if proper precautions are used." The owners of the mine altered the mode of fencing.
1889 April 11 Lanemark No 2 New Cumnock Lanemark Coal Co George Nisbet Miner 13 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof in road while it was being secured  
1889 April 13 Fordell Fife Fordell Trust William Johnstone Surfaceman 65 Above ground Struck by runaway waggon  
1889 April 15 Drumpeller No 4 Coatbridge Drumpeller Coal Co Jas. McGinty Fireman 31 In shafts The engineman raised the cage instead of lowering it, and he jumped off and fell down the shaft  
1889 April 18 Eglinton No 10 Kilwinning A Kenneth & Son Robert Black Miner 44 Miscellaneous underground He ignited the powder in a squib instead of the match and the shot killed him  
1889 April 23 Craigneuk Lanark Owners of Chapelhall William Collins jr Miner 16 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 April 23 Little Raith Fife Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd Thomas Marrs Contractor brusher 32 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone Beath accident pages
1889 April 27 Clackmannan Clackmannan Clackmannan Coal Co James Thompson

Bottomer

50 In shafts Crushed by cage At Clackmannan Colliery a bottomer was found dead under a cage. No person saw the accident happen, and there were no defects, except that the bar on the bottom of the cage, used to secure the hutches while the cage is running in the shaft, had one of the lugs broken off, and could not, as was intended, be worked by the foot. It appeared to me possible that this had some connexion with the accident, and that the deceased may have attempted to give the necessary turn to the bar with his hand as the bottom of the descending cage passed him, and had been caught while doing so.
1889 May 9 Drummuir No 3 Dreghorn Merry & Cunninghame Wm. Duncan Miner 30 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at face  
1889 May 10 Devon Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co William Hunter Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal  
1889 May 11 Calderhead Lanark Shotts Iron Co Ltd James Goldie Miner 46 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal and blaes  
1889 May 16 Loanhead Edinburgh Shotts Iron Co Ltd George Scott Miner 32 Miscellaneous underground Explosion of a shot Three persons lost their lives by shots exploding unexpectedly. Two of the cases at Newbattle and Loanhead Collieries were accompanied by very similar circumstances; two shots were arranged to be fired together in the same heading by two miners; one fuse was ignited, and it was thought that the other was not ignited ; after one shot had exploded a return was made when the other exploded
1889 May 17 Gartsherrie No 1 Woodend Coatbridge James Nimmo & Co Wm Findlay Drawer 35 In shafts Pushed a hutch into the open shaft at a mid-working and fell after it The fence at a mid-working, where only some six men were employed, consisted of a bar of iron 1 ½ inches in diameter, and the bottomer, a boy only 15 ½ years of age, had gone to the surface, leaving the miners to place their own hutches on the cage and give the signals in his absence. The so-called fence having been taken off without being replaced, a miner, evidently being under the impression it was there, pushed his hutch into the shaft and fell after it. The bottomer for leaving his post and three miners for putting hutches on the cage and signalling in the bottomer's absence, contrary to the Special Rules, were prosecuted and convicted, and the manager was very properly severely censured by the sheriff for appointing a boy of 15 ½ to act as bottomer.
1889 May 31 Gartcraig Shettleston Gartcraig Fireclay Co Wm Gaughan Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal  
1889 June 6 Douglas Park No 1 Bothwell John Wilson Samuel Wright Miner 27 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof while drawing props  
1889 June 9 Knockterra No 1 Cumnock Eglinton Iron Co Thomas Davidson Fireman 30 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof while drawing props (injured on 21st ultimo)  
1889 June 10 Bellsdyke Lanark Bellsdyke Coal Co Henry Paterson Miner 22 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 June 18 Calderbank No 2 Baillieston Provanhall Coal Co Andrew Smith Miner 30 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at face  
1889 July 10 Merryton Lanark Merryton Coal Co Robert Adams Miner 27 Miscellaneous underground Crushed by tub Newspaper report 
1889 July 12 Clyde Lanark Clyde Coal Co Ltd James Kelly Miner 13 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone Newspaper report {NB Name actually Constantine Kelly]
1889 July 13 Bog Lanark Hamilton McCulloch & Co John O'Donald Shaft repairer 39 In shafts Fell down shaft

At Bog Colliery a shaft repairer fell down a winding shaft from the surface. Deceased opened a door and stepped into the shaft at the low scaffold, apparently under the impression that he was stepping into the cage, which he had left at that point a short time before but which had in the interval been used by another person, and was then at the bottom of the shaft.

Newspaper report

1889 July 13 Muiredge Fife Bowman and Co Robert Campbell Miner 19 Miscellaneous underground Slipping of cousie wheel  
1889 July 17 Merryton Lanark Merryton Coal Co Hugh Logan Miner 25 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 July 23 Bothwell Park No 2 Bothwell Wm Baird & Co Jas. McCann Brusher 40 Explosion of fire damp Explosion of firedamp (other 4 men injured) Occurred in a pit which is worked entirely with safety lamps, and resulted in the death of one man and the injury of other four. The night fireman fired a shot in a road which was being brushed, and left the brushers to put in the buildings. On his again approaching the place three hours after, the explosion happened. A break in the roof extended from the point where the shot was fired to the side of the working place, six yards distant, where there appears to have been a feeder of gas, and it is probable that the break being full of gas the shot ignited the feeder, which continued to burn unnoticed until it ignited an accumulation of firedamp.
1889 July 29 Hayscraigs Linlithgow Broxburn Oil Co Ltd William Bell Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 July 30 Hill of Beath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd William Bett Bottomer 18 In shafts Fell from cage At Hill of Beath Colliery a bottomer fell down the shaft. It is supposed that he had attempted to signal from the cage while it was running in the shaft, and that this had caused his fall. He entered the cage at a mid working intending to be lowered to the bottom, but the signal received by the engineman was to raise the cage; this was done, and after the cage had moved a few fathoms a second signal was given. The cage was stopped. Deceased was found lying at the bottom of the shaft, and his cap was found on the cage.
1889 August 2 Clyde Lanark Clyde Coal Co Ltd Andrew Kyle Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 August 5 Tannochside No 1 Uddingston Owners of Chapelhall James Rae Chainman 24 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof in lye in dook  
1889 August 8 Gilmilnscroft No 1 Auchinleck Gilmour, Wood & Anderson Andrew McGuiness Labourer 48 Above ground Struck by the handle of a hand crane while changing the speed (injured on 10th January)  
1889 August 10 Linridge Lanark Linridge Coal Co Thomas Stangoe Miner 50 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 August 10 Longrigg Lanark James Nimmo & Co James Montgomery Haulage boy 14 In shafts Fell down shaft At Longrigg Collierv, a boy employed underground came to the surface, before his work was completed, by a ladder way by the side of the winding section of the shaft and partially divided from it by boards. He was last seen alive when entering the top of the ladder way to return to his work. He appears to have fallen from the ladder way into the winding section of the shaft, as his body was found on the cage top at the bottom of the shaft. At one point of the ladder way there was a board wanting. Deceased had no business to leave his work and make use of the ladder way, which I was informed, was not intended as a travelling road for workmen.
1889 August 12 Castlehill Lanark Shotts Iron Coal Co Ltd John Gordon Miner 32 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal  
1889 August 13 Whitehill Edinburgh Archibald Hood Alex. Black Miner 12 Miscellaneous underground By tub  
1889 August 15 Dalbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd John Kay Bottomer 18 In shafts Crushed by cage At Dalbeath Colliery a bottomer was found dead under the cage. It is not known how he got there, but it is supposed that he was adjusting a " barge " or plate of sheet iron at the shaft bottom used for keeping shaft water off the bottomer, and had been caught by the descending cage.
1889 August 16 Dalmeny Linlithgow Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd John Grant Miner 50 Falls of roof & sides Fall of shale  
1889 August 16 Eddlewood Lanark Eddlewood Coal Co Ltd Henry Brown Miner 45 Falls of roof & sides Fall of coal and stone  
1889 August 19 Dysart Fife Earl of Rosslyn James Grant Miner 33 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 August 20 Lodge Stirling John Watson John Allen Brusher 39 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 August 22 Bent Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd James Cleland Miner 45 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 August 26 Meiklehill No 2 Kirkintilloch Jas Gardner & Sons John Doran Miner 40 Miscellaneous underground A shot went off before he retired from it  
1889 September 5 Penicuik Edinburgh Shotts Iron Co Ltd 63 men ---- -- Miscellaneous underground Suffocation by smoke See main site
1889 September 10 Lodge Stirling John Watson Alexander Gibb Miner 20 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 September 14 Springhill No 4 Dreghorn Archd. Finnie & Sons Robert Gold Miner 19 Falls of roof & sides

"Fall of fireclay above coal at his working face

"

 
1889 September 16 Earnock Lanark John Watson John Crozier Waggoner 49 Above ground Run over by waggon  
1889 September 23 Newton No 1 Cambuslang James Dunlop & Co James Hughes Waggon shifter 43 Above ground Crushed between waggons  
1889 September 24 Niddrie Edinburgh Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd William Dennitts Roadsman 30 In shafts Fall in brake incline At Niddrie Colliery a roadsman was killed while making use, against the rules, of a cage in a brake incline or blind pit intended only for lowering mineral. No cover was provided on the cage deceased made use of, and he was struck by the fall of some substance down the brake. The brake was in the seam of coal which is here nearly vertical.
1889 September 25 Westburn No 1 Cambuslang Westburn Colliery Co Thomas McCann Miner 18 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at stoops  
1889 September 26 Twechar No 1 Kilsyth Wm Baird & Co Patrick Tourley Bencher 55 Miscellaneous underground Run over by hutches on self-acting incline  
1889 September 27 Bogleshole No 2 Cambuslang James Dunlop & Co Wm Dunn Miner 40 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at roadhead  
1889 September 27 Dalquharran Maybole F T R Kennedy Matthew McQuilton Miner 42 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at stoops (Hugh Bryden also injured)  
1889 September 27 Kirkhill No 2 Cambuslang Kirkhill Coal Co Alexr. Fleming Miner 17 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof on road  
1889 September 28 Blackston Paisley Blackston Mineral Co John Farmer Pithead labourer 34 In shafts Fell down shaft  
1889 September 29 Greyrigg Stirling Greyrigg Coal Co William Bennie Joiner 26 Above ground Crushed by waggon  
1889 October 7 Ballochmyle No 7 Cumnock Wm Walker Charles Sneddon Contractor sinker 47 In shafts Was lowered in a sinking pit into black damp and fell out of kettle The shaft he was sinking was 19 1/2 fathoms deep, and as black damp had frequently been found, he was instructed by the manager whenever there was a cessation of work to lower a light before venturing down again. Work had been stopped from Saturday till Monday morning, when the contractor got two of his men to lower him in the shaft without having taken the precaution of first sending down a lighted lamp, and without even taking a lighted lamp with him. When about half-way down he encountered black damp, and being overcome by it, he fell out of the kettle.
1889 October 9 Champfleurie Linlithgow Linlithgow Oil Co Hugh McKechnie Miner 32 Miscellaneous underground Explosion of shot At Champfleurie Oil Shale Mine a miner ignited two shots together; one exploded, and after waiting 10 minutes he returned, when the second shot went off. This was a breach of the special rule, which requires 30 minutes to elapse before returning to a shot that has missed fire.
1889 October 12 Lanemark No 2 New Cumnock Lanemark Coal Co John Reynolds Miner 29 Explosion of fire damp Explosion of fire damp The fatal explosion was caused by a naked light igniting some firedamp in a working place in which it was said gas had never been seen before.
1889 October 15 Craighead No 1 Bothwell Wm Baird & Co John Hogg Pony driver 17 Miscellaneous underground Fell off a “race” of hutches drawn by an engine while riding in front  
1889 October 16 Ross No 1 Lanark Thomas Barr John Wright Miner 63 Falls of roof & sides Fall of head coal  
1889 October 23 Brownieside Lanark Wm Black & Sons Andrew Grierson Drawer 18 Miscellaneous underground Crushed on engine plane  
1889 October 24 Sundrum No 4 Ayr George Taylor & Co James McCluskie Chain runner 33 Miscellaneous underground While sitting in front of a “dook race” his head struck the roof  
1889 October 25 Blantyre No 3 Blantyre Wm Dixon Ltd Hugh Hailey Foreman brusher 50 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof while knocking out a prop  
1889 October 31 Burnt Broom Mount Vernon Dunn Brothers Charles Dawson Contractor brusher 35 Miscellaneous underground Explosion of compressed powder from a spark falling off his lamp  
1889 November 1 Cornsilloch Lanark Cornsilloch Coal Co Edward McClusky Miner 34 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  
1889 November 2 Grangemouth Stirling Grangemouth Coal Co Simeon Dalgliesh Pony driver 13 Above ground Run over by waggon  
1889 November 4 Meiklehill No 5 Kirkintilloch James Gardner & Sons Hugh Gallacher Fireman 40 Explosion of fire damp Explosion of firedamp (other 3 men injured) Happened in the Kilsyth coking coal seam, which is worked by the "long-wall" system. The south level off the pit bottom runs parallel with and close to a large fault. Firedamp was freely given off in this level, and on the day of the explosion, as well as the day previous, the miners working in it were provided with safety lamps by the fireman, although the miners in the adjoining walls to which the air current from the level went were allowed to work with naked lights, contrary to the requirements of General Rule 8. About 10.30 a.m., just as two surveyors, accompanied by the overman and the fireman, approached the level face, a sudden outburst of gas took place at the face. The fireman was sent to withdraw the miners in the adjoining workings, but before this could be done the firedamp, carried by the air current, ignited at the naked lights, with the result that the fireman and a boy lost their lives, and other three men were injured. With your sanction proceedings were taken against the manager for contravention of General Rule 8, and also of Special Rule 86, which provides that the lamp-room shall be on the surface. Although the safety lamps used in the south level were kept, lighted, &c. at the pit bottom contrary to this Rule, the sheriff substitute gave a verdict of not proved, the manager having declared that he instructed the deceased fireman not to give any miners safety lamps, but to send them home if their working places were unsafe to work with naked lights, and that consequently no lamp-room was required.
Peter Currie Drawer 17
1889 November 5 Enterkine No 9 Ayr George Taylor & Co Wm Frew Brusher 26 Miscellaneous underground Premature ignition of a shot by lighting the squib instead of the match  
1889 November 7 Busbie No 4 Kilmarnock Busbie Coal Co John McCrone Miner 22 Miscellaneous underground Explosion of powder by a lamp falling into cartridge box (another man injured)  
1889 November 11 Bredisholm No 1 Uddingston Provanhall Coal Co John Birmingham Waggon shifter 50 Above ground While spragging waggons he was thrown in front of wheels and was run over  
1889 November 14 Glengyron No 2 Cumnock Eglinton Iron Co Samuel Armstrong Brusher 37 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof while brushing  
1889 November 22 Quarter No 1 Denny Wm Baird & Co John Thomson Miner 45 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof at stoops  
1889 November 27 Hattonrigg No 4 Bellshill Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co Archd. Sinclair Brusher 50 Miscellaneous underground Premature ignition of a shot (injured on 16th October)  
1889 December 3 Blantyre No 4 Blantyre Wm Dixon Ltd Robt. Struthers Waggon shifter 15 Above ground Run over by a waggon while spragging it  
1889 December 6 Common No 11 Cumnock Eglinton Iron Co David Bryce Miner 39 In shafts Fell down the shaft from a midworking Took place where a seam of coal was being opened up off a shaft, and before a fence had been put up.
1889 December 6 Hartwoodhill Lanark Shotts Iron Co Ltd James Riley Brakesman 19 Above ground Crushed by waggons At Hartwood Hill Colliery, was caused by a switch fitted up to fall open, remaining closed, owing to some defect and consequently waggons came on to a line of rails where they were not expected to come, and crushed deceased.
1889 December 16 Dalbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd William Penman Brusher 24 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof  
1889 December 20 Barrwood No 1 Kilsyth Wm Baird & Co James Reid Brusher 33 Explosion of fire damp Explosion of firedamp (other 5 men injured) This fatal explosion also occurred in the Kilsyth coking coal seam, and resulted in the injury of six men, one of whom subsequently died. The men were brushers, and were returning to the pit bottom at 4.30 a.m. after their night's work was over, when some fire-damp, which had accumulated above the timbering in a horse road, ignited at their naked lights. The fireman stated that he had made an examination above the timbering at 10 o'clock the previous night, and found it clear of gas, and that he passed below it with his naked light on his head half an hour before the explosion.
1889 December 20 Udston Lanark Udston Coal Co Ltd Michael Daley Miner 37 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof Newspaper report
1889 December 23 Twechar No 1 Kilsyth Wm Baird & Co Wm Menzies Furnaceman 65 Above ground Fell off boiler heads, a distance of 9 feet  
1889 December 26 Kinnedar Fife Wm Paterson Robert Ramage Sinker 44 In shafts Fell down shaft At a sinking pit at Kinneder, while two sinkers were being raised from the bottom in which they had ignited a shot, the kettle caught a needle extending across the shaft and the bow broke ; the kettle and sinkers fell to the bottom, and shortly afterwards the shot exploded. Another kettle was lowered, and one of the men came up ; the other was dead.
1889 December 28 Douglas Park No 1 Bellshill John Wilson Hugh Corrigen Miner 18 Falls of roof & sides Fall of roof in road which was being enlarged  
1889 December 31 Prestongrange Haddington Prestongrange Coal & Firebrick Co Ltd Richard Campbell Miner 19 Falls of roof & sides Fall of stone  

 

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