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Fatal Accidents in Mines in Scotland 1897

Notes - The information in this page is mainly 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. Many accidents are not listed in these reports and additional names have been added from newspaper reports and other sources - these are indicated by a shaded gray background.

Go to January to June 1897

Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report
 Extra details
Year Month Day Name of Colliery Where situated Owner or Company First Name Surname Occupation Age Category Cause of accident and remarks
1897 July 3 Dalmeny (Oil shale) Linlithgow Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd Wm. Williamson Oncostman 26 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Deceased and another oncostman went through a fence into an abandoned rising road to get rails, when gas was kindled by their naked lights. The explosion at Dalmeny Oil Shale Mine was caused by an accumulation of fire-damp in an abandoned exploring place, being ignited by one of the open lights of two oncostmen, who had entered it for the purpose of lifting rails. The place was fenced off and known to contain gas, and it appeared that the existence of gas in it was known to the oncostmen, who should not have entered the place until authorised by the fireman, but, as in a conversation with the undermanager and fireman the place had been mentioned, amongst others, as containing rails, they may have thought themselves justified in going into it.
1897 July 6 Whitehill Edinburgh Lothian Coal Co Ltd James Brown Miner 42 Falls of roof Deceased and another were driving a 12-feet place through a stoop. They had taken out the coal for a distance of about 5 feet in advance of the lip of the brushing, under which they had set two props. In taking down their last cut of coal, they had relieved a lype. Deceased was filling some coal into a tub, when a quantity of blaes fell upon him, crushing him so severely that he died on the following day.  
1897 July 7 Eddlewood Lanark John Watson Ltd John McLauchlan Labourer 25 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Deceased was cleaning weeds off the engine road between the screening sheds, when he was run down by a tank locomotive, which passed over both of his legs. He succumbed to his injuries on the following day.  
1897 July 7 Lochgelly Fife Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd Chas. Fitzsimmons Oiler 60 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes While attending to his duties on an endless rope haulage road a rake of full hutches became detached from the rope, and ran back to deceased and crushed him.  
1897 July 9 Neilsland Lanark John Watson Ltd James Richardson Roadsman 20 Falls of roof Deceased and some others were drawing the props in a road which had been cut off, deceased being in charge. While knocking out a prop, a large flat stone suddenly fell from the roof, its edge striking him, and causing injuries to which he succumbed on the following day.  
1897 July 31 Cowdenbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd David Westwood Miner 48 Falls of sides Fall of coal at face of heading.  
1897 July 31 Struther Lanark Struther Coal Co William Russell Miner 28 Falls of roof Deceased was engaged wedging down coal, when the roof suddenly fell and buried him and his neighbour. The stone fell away from a lype unseen,and the baring of the coal left it inadequately supported.  
1897 August 1 Shotts Lanark Shotts Iron Co Ltd Andrew Duncan Joiner 40 In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery New wheels were being put in at shaft bottom for haulage and deceased was engaged at the frames; he had occasion to ascend the shaft to get some parts connected with the frames, and while being raised he by some means unknown fell off the cage. Newspaper report
1897 August 4 Clyde Lanark Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd John Rowan Roadsman 56 Falls of roof Deceased was engaged alone doing some repairs on a disused horse road, and while so engaged the roof fell and pinned him to the ground. He was discovered alive about fifteen hours afterwards. A fireman passed near to the place while he was under the stone, but did not hear his cries for help.  
1897 August 4 Hallside Lanark Jas Dunlop & Co Ltd Gavin Marshall Miner 17 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report
1897 August 5 Glenboig (Fireclay) Lanark Glenboig Union Fireclay Co Ltd Frank Armstrong Driver 25 Falls of roof Deceased was proceeding down the horse dook, leading his horse, when the roof which was a brick arch gave way, and fell on him.  
1897 August 6 Donibristle Fife Donibristle Colliery Co Jane Paterson Pithead worker 23 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Run over by waggons on the colliery siding.  
1897 August 7 Portland No 8 Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd James Scobie Miner 53 Falls of roof Fall of roof and coal.  
1897 August 11 Wemyss Fife Wemyss Coal Co Ltd Samuel McNeish Sinker 28 Falls of sides Deceased was drilling a shot hole at the face of a crossent mine when a large stone suddenly fell upon him, killing him almost instantly. The stone had probably been shaken by some shots fired about four hours previously, although deceased's fellow workmen failed to see any indication of danger.  
1897 August 12 Garturk, Bank No 1 Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd James Thom, jun Miner 17 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report
1897 August 17 Neilston No 3 Mine Stirling James Wood Ltd John Monachan Drawer 17 Miscellaneous underground – By ropes and chains breaking By the breaking of a rope on a "cuddie-brae," the "cuddie" ran away and struck deceased.  
1897 August 18 Common No 6 Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd James Brown Miner 45 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives After lighting the match of a shot and retiring round a corner, he looked back to see if the match was burning, when the shot went off, and he was struck by a stone.  
1897 August 18 Herbertshire No 3 Stirling Robt Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd Frances Donachie Drawer 16 Miscellaneous underground – By trams and tubs A drawer allowed his hutch to run away on an incline, and it struck deceased at the foot.  
1897 August 21 Sanquhar, Gateside Pit Dumfries J I McConnell Archd. Wilson Fireman 40 Falls of roof Fall of roof while drawing props at the stooping. Newspaper report
1897 August 26 Blantyre No 3 Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd Thos. McDonald Miner 27 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working place at stoops. Newspaper Report
1897 August 31 Limerigg Stirling John Nimmo & Son Ltd Allan Farmer Drawer 18 Falls of roof Deceased was filling a hutch at a point in an old road where a new place was broken off, when the roof above where the coal had been extracted fell over on to him.  
1897 September 3 Broomhouse Lanark Haughhead Coal Co Ltd Edward Cameron Drawer 17 Miscellaneous underground – By ropes and chains breaking While walking up the dook, worked by an endless rope, the rope broke, and he was run over by a full hutch. Newspaper report
1897 September 3 Clackmannan Clackmannan Clackmannan Coal Co David Muir Brusher 34 Falls of roof Deceased and another were brushing a slope road head. Deceased knocked out the props which supported the brushing, and thereafter tapped it; and, although it was cut along the centre by a longwall break, considered it to be safe, and was passing out underneath it when it fell upon him, inflicting injuries which resulted fatally two hours later. Deceased might readily have got out by passing along the longwall face to the nearest branch road.  
1897 September 4 Devon Clackmannan Alloa Coal Co David Anderson Drawer 22 Falls of sides Deceased had gone inbye to a working place for a tub, and while the miners were completing the loading of it, he began to shear the coal. A large block came away suddenly from a foul cleavage plane and rolled over him, fracturing his pelvis. The miner had sounded the coal immediately before, and believed it to be safe.  
1897 September 8 Fairholm Lanark Larkhall and Fairholm Collieries Co Ltd John Hodge Brusher 26 Falls of roof Deceased and some others were brushing a slope road. He was setting brushing trees when a large stone suddenly fell upon him causing injuries to which he succumbed two days after.  
1897 September 11 Auchlochan Lanark W C S Cunningham William Barrie Fireman 60 Falls of roof Deceased and two others were brushing a short piece of a main road which had become too low. He had driven a wedge into the brushing and stepped back a few feet to lift a crowbar, when a quantity of fireclay slipped off the roadside and fell upon his legs, breaking them in several places. He succumbed to his injuries 5 days later.  
1897 September 20 Viewpark No 1 Lanark R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd Joseph Currie Miner 29 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report
1897 September 28 Bothwell Castle No 3 Lanark Wm Baird & Co Ltd James McGregor Brusher 26 Falls of roof Fall of roof at brushing face. Newspaper Report
1897 September 29 Dechmont No 1 Lanark Dechmont Colliery Co Ltd Andrew Millar Chain runner 25 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes Crushed against the roof while riding up dook on front of "race." Newspaper Report
1897 September 29 Drumpeller, Nos 3 and 4 Pits Lanark Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co Bernard Rodgers Fireman 60 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust While making his morning inspection with a naked light, he ignited an accumulation of fire-damp. The second fatal explosion happened in Nos. 3 and 4 pits, Drumpeller, and was caused by an old fireman, 60 years of age, making his morning inspection with his naked light. While looking for gas in this manner he found it, and paid the penalty of his rashness with his life. Old Monkland Accidents
1897 October 5 Cowdenbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd James Bryden Pony driver 13 Miscellaneous underground – By trams and tubs Deceased had apparently been standing up in a tub of an empty rake while rake was proceeding in-bye, and his head had come into contact with the roof gearing, whereby he was thrown back among the tubs and crushed.  
1897 October 5 Fairlie Colliery, Windyedge Pit Ayr W C S Cuninghame John Fulton Miner 43 Falls of side Fall of coal while holing. Due to want of sprags.  
1897 October 11 Newliston (Oil shale) Linlithgow Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co Ltd John Walker Drawer 19 Explosions of fire damp or coal dust Deceased and another were driving a slope road up through some stoops near to the outcrop. While the latter was charging a shot, the former went up an adjoining upset for a private purpose, and ignited some gas with his naked light. The upset had been inspected by the fireman about eight hours previously, and reported clear; and his chalk mark was subsequently found in it. The explosion at Newliston Oil Shale Mine was due to the ignition of fire-damp by the open light of a drawer, who had gone into an old place for a private purpose.
1897 October 16 Merryton Lanark Merryton Coal Co John Smith Miner 55 Falls of roof Deceased were driving a place alongside a stoop when a large stone fell on them. Newspaper report
James Smith Miner 15
1897 October 18 Garturk, Bank pit Lanark Wm Dixon Ltd John McLaren Miner 50 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face while holing.  
1897 October 19 Ballochmyle Nos 5 & 4 Ayr Wm. Walker Hood Robert Cree Overman 47 In shafts – falling from part way down While descending the shaft, a fall of roof took place at the mouth of an air-drift at the ground level, and the falling stones crashed through the cage cover. The two deceased and another man fell out of the cage, while a fourth, who remained in the cage, was injured. The third fatal accident happened at Ballochmyle Colliery, and by it the overman and a miner were killed, and the fireman and another miner were injured. The downcast shaft is 10 feet in diameter and lined from top to bottom with 10 inch brickwork. At the ground level there is a drift extending from the shaft to the open air outside the pithead retaining wall. The roof of this drift was composed of timbering, and the space between the timbering and the plates on the pithead, a height of 12 feet, was filled with stones and debris. While the cage containing the 4 men was being lowered, the timbering above the drift gave way close to the shaft, and the result was that the debris poured down the shaft, broke the cage cover and knocked out three of the occupants who fell to the bottom of the shaft.
Jos. Calligan Miner 26
1897 October 20 Hamilton Palace Lanark Bent Colliery Co Ltd John McGroarty Miner 18 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes While travelling out to pit-bottom, he was run over by an empty hutch on the haulage road. Newspaper report
1897 October 22 Walkinshaw No 2 Renfrew Merry & Cunninghame Ltd John Rennie Drawer 15 In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery While descending the shaft with other seven persons, he fell out of the cage. The fourth fatal accident was caused by the deceased falling out of the cage in some unexplained manner while being lowered in the shaft along with other seven persons.
1897 October 25 Redding Stirling James Nimmo & Co Ltd James Ritchie Brusher 33 Falls of roof Deceased and his neighbour were engaged building the stones blasted down from brushing, and while doing so the roof fell and crushed his head on a part of the building.  
1897 October 26 Earnock Lanark John Watson Ltd John Miles Pithead worker 49 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Crushed between an empty and half-loaded waggon at the screens. Newspaper report
1897 October 28 Foulshields Linlithgow Loganlea Coal Co Ltd John Barrons Bottomer 55 In shafts – falling from part way down Deceased pushed a loaded hutch into the shaft at a mid-working when the cage was not there. The gate at the mid-working was connected with an indicator in the engine-house as required by Special Rules, but the Rules appear to have been disregarded as to the working of the gate as it was kept open constantly.  
1897 October 29 Shieldhall Stirling Carron Co John Thomson Miner 63 Falls of roof While proceeding inbye with an empty tub, and when near his working place the roof suddenly fell, part striking the tub and part striking deceased.  
1897 November 11 Cowdenbeath Fife Fife Coal Co Ltd Archibald Penman Labourer 35 On surface – By machinery Deceased was engaged with others in putting a belt on a pulley in connection with a coal washing machine, and in returning he passed through another belt and, stumbling, he was caught and drawn into the pulley.  
1897 November 13 Pollock Lochinch Pit Renfrew Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd Thos. Urie Furnaceman 45 On Surface – Miscellaneous Collapse of a brick retaining wall. The only fatal accident which did not happen on a railway was caused by the collapse of a brick wall in front of a range of boilers, the wall having been unable to withstand the pressure of the dross heaped up behind it.
1897 November 15 Kames No 1 Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd John Blyth Roadsman 55 Falls of roof Fall of roof on horse road while repairing it.  
1897 November 15 Niddrie Edinburgh Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd Alexander Milne Miner 25 Falls of sides Fall of coal at face. Deceased lay for some hours before he was relieved.  
1897 November 16 Grangemouth Stirling Grangemouth Coal Co Ltd Alex. Marshall Accident was included in 1898 report - see section on 1898 page
1897 November 22 Lassodie Fife Thos. Spowart & Co Ltd Patrick Condron Labourer 65 On Surface – On railways, sidings or tramways Deceased had finished his work for the day, and went to lift the jacket of another workman from off the drawbar hook of a waggon, when locomotive engine pushed another waggon up, and fatally crushed him. Newspaper report
1897 November 23 Polquhairn Ayr Polquhairn Coal Co Andrew Stuart Miner 17 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face.  
1897 November 24 Portland Nos 6 and 7 Ayr Wm Baird & Co Ltd Gilbert Aird Waggon trimmer 13 On Surface – On railways and tramways Crushed between top of waggon and scree.  
1897 November 30 Greenfield Lanark A Russell Joseph Chapman Miner 50 Falls of roof Deceased was engaged taking down coal, when the roof suddenly fell upon him. The stone was relieved when the coal was taken off.  
1897 December 8 Barrwood No 2 Stirling Wm Baird & Co Ltd David Marshall Brusher 41 Falls of roof Fall of roof at roadhead while brushing the pavement.  
1897 December 10 Hartwoodhill Lanark Shotts Iron Co Ltd John Graham Fireman 39 Falls of roof Deceased entered a longwall place for the purpose of making his second inspection for the day. He crawled under the brushing, and had just reached the face when a large stone suddenly fell upon him, killing him instantly.  
1897 December 11 Hareshaw Lanark Hareshaw Coal Co James Gillilin Miner 28 Miscellaneous underground – sundries Deceased had the fingers of his right hand slightly injured by his loaded tub roofing ; blood poisoning set in, and he died three weeks thereafter.  
1897 December 13 Loganlea Edinburgh Loganlea Coal Co Ltd Alexander Brown Bencher 14 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes Deceased was riding up an engine dook in front of a set of loaded tubs. He fell or was knocked off, and received injuries which resulted fatally about an hour after. He had not received permission to ride, and was warned against it by some fellow-workmen who saw him leave the landing.  
1897 December 13 Newbattle Edinburgh Lothian Coal Co Ltd William Campbell Repairer 22 Falls of roof Deceased and others were repairing a dook road when a stone fell from the roof on him.  
1897 December 17 Cumbernauld (Fireclay mine) Dumbarton Glenboig Union Fireclay Co Ltd James Blair Miner 37 Falls of side Fall of fireclay at working face.  
1897 December 18 Wemyss Fife Wemyss Coal Co Ltd George Laing Miner 56 Falls of sides Deceased was proceeding up the rise side of his place to take off his holed coal, when it fell on him.  
1897 December 21 Fordell Fife Fordell Trustees James Burt Wheeler 51 Miscellaneous underground – On inclined and engine planes Two loaded tubs were run from the top of a cut chain brae, and when down a short distance they stopped ; in order to restart them deceased began to "pump" the rope, and when they moved off suddenly the rope left the wheel and, breaking the frame, got entirely free of the wheel, the tubs on the brae consequently ran away dragging the rope with them, and deceased was struck with the rope as it passed down.  
1897 December 27 Glencraig Fife Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd John Glidden Bottomer 37 In shafts – falling from part way down Deceased pushed a loaded hutch into the shaft at a mid-working when the cage was not there. The gate at the mid-working had been connected with an indicator in the engine-house as required by Special Rules, but the wire forming the connection had broken during the previous shift and had not been repaired.  
27 December 1897 - James Wilson - died of natural causes Home Farm - see Newspaper Report
1897 December 28 Dechmont No 1 Lanark Dechmont Colliery Co Ltd John Mathieson Miner 40 Falls of roof Fall of roof at working face. Newspaper report
1897 December 30 Bridgeness Linlithgow Bridgeness Coal Co George Sneddon Contractor 38 Miscellaneous underground – By explosives A brushing shot was prepared in the pavement and charged with gunpowder. Deceased inadvertently lighted the gunpowder train of the squib instead of the wick, and the shot exploded on him before he got out of harm's way.  

Go to January to June 1897

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