Scottish Mining Website

1861 Fatal Accidents

Notes - The information in this page is mainly compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries - William Alexander for the Western District of Scotland and Robert Williams for the Eastern District of Scotland. Additional details from the main body of the report are given where available. Many accidents are not listed in these reports and additional names have been added from newspaper reports and other sources - information not sourced from the mine inspectors reports is indicated by a shaded gray background

We welcome information on deaths not listed on this page - please complete a submission form

Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report											Extra Details
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
1861	January	4				James Liddell			Not listed	Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages[NB This accident is probably the same as listed under the inspectors report for 1860 - December 28 to Thomas Liddle]
1861	January	7	Shotts Iron Works	Wishaw	Shotts Iron Co	George Kerr	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof at face of workings	Newspaper Report
1861	January	17	Polkemmet	Bathgate	Shotts Iron Co	James Swan	Miner		Falls of roof	Fall of stone from roof	Newspaper report
1861	January	21	No 14 Whifflet	Lanarkshire		Robert Jenkins			Not listed	Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages
1861	January	30	Kerse	Patna	Wilsons & Co	William Wilson	Collier	50	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof at the face
1861	January	30	Omoa Iron Works	Motherwell	Robert Stewart	Thomas Murphy	Miner		Falls of roof	Fall of coal at face of workings
1861	February	2	Bridisholm	Baillieston	John Stewart & Co	Thomas King	Labourer		Above ground	Struck by handle of crane From Main body of report: At Bridisholm Baillieston on 2nd February, where a labourer was struck by the handle of a crane whilst assisting raising pump rods
1861	February	2	Stanrigg	Airdrie	William Black	James Swan	Collier		Explosions	Explosion From Main body of report: February 2nd at Stanrigg, resulting in the death of one person, who went into an abandoned place of the working with a naked lamp	Newspaper Report
1861	February	4	Arniston	Dalkeith	John Christie	Matthew Alexander	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal at face of workings
1861	February	4	Gartgill	Coatbridge	William Baird & Co	George Samuel	Collier	34	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp From Main body of report: This accident happened in or near to the deceased's working-place, which he had been engaged driving forward to a "heading," not in course of extension. It would appear that he had formed a connexion with the "heading" three or four days previous to the accident, and that shortly after this communication had been made the overman and fireman very injudiciously took out the brattice, by which the air had previously been carried to the extreme "rise" of the heading, and the result of this was, a small quantity of firedamp accumulated between the point where the deceased formed the connexion with the "heading" and the space to the "rise" of it. The fireman explained that he had cautioned the deceased regarding this accumulation, and pointed out its range and the limit of safety. The result, however, proves the absurdity of attempting to work with an unprotected light in the immediate neighbourhood of fire-damp, and with no other protection than an imaginary line of safety formed by a current of air, changing with the varied conditions of the shaft and airways.	Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages
1861	February	9	Thornton	Kilmarnock	Archibald Finnie	David Wallace	Sinker	35	In shafts	A “seizing” of the pipes gave way while the deceased was engaged connecting the column of pumps with a lodgement
1861	February	13	Dundonald	Dunfermline	James A Naismith	Henry Allan	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of stone from roof
1861	February	16	Milnwood	Holytown	John Christie	Robert Pattison	Collier		Explosions	Explosion of fire damp From Main body of report: February 16th, at Milnwood, resulting in the death of two persons, who were working in the pit during the time the ventilating furnace was in course of being erected
1861	February	16	Milnwood	Holytown	John Christie	Daniel Sweeney	Collier		Explosions
1861	February	18	Burnbrae	Airdrie	John Russell	John Mackay	Collier		Miscellaneous	Crushed by hutch coming up an incline From Main body of report: At Burnbrae, near Airdrie, on February 18th where one person was killed by a hutch coming up an incline	Newspaper Report -New Monkland pages
1861	February	19	Stevenston	Holytown	Stevenston Coal Co	Alexander Roberts	Waggon driver		Above ground	Crushed by waggons From Main body of report: At Stevenson, near Holytown, where a young man was crushed by waggons on branch railway
1861	February	27	Woodend	Bathgate	Coltness Iron Co	Alexander Weir	Miner		Falls of roof	Fall of stone	Newspaper report
1861	February	28	Eastfield	Rutherglen	Thos. G Buchanan	John Jackson	Drawer	14	In shafts	By falling down a “blind” shaft or staple	Newspaper report
1861	February	28	Garthamlock	Baillieston	James Panton	Daniel Martin	Collier	44	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof	Newspaper report
1861	March	1	Torbanhill	Bathgate	James Russell & Son	Thomas Chalmer	Pitheadman		In shafts	Falling down pit from surface	Newspaper report
1861	March	6	Braehead	Cumnock	William Baird & Co	John Copeland	Miner	21	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of ironstone
1861	March	6	Dixon	Cumnock	William Baird & Co	Patrick Monachan	Miner	27	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of ironstone
1861	March	8	Campsie Mine	Lennoxtown	Hurlet & Campsie Alum Co	John Bennie	Drawer	55	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	March	8	Dreghorn	Irvine	Archibald Kenneth	George Martin	Collier	34	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	March	9	Kinneil Iron Works	Bo'ness	William Wilson & Co	Owen Scully	Engine fireman		Above ground	Explosion of steam boiler From Main body of report: On March 9th, at Kinniel Iron Works, where an engine fireman was killed by the explosion of a steam-boiler
1861	March	12	Stevenson	Holytown	Stevenson Coal Co	John Baird	Collier		Miscellaneous	Crushed by hutch where he was working at bottom of pit From Main body of report: At Stevenson, near Holytown, on 12th March, where a man was crushed by a hutch, where he was working at bottom of pit
1861	March	21	Alloa			John Hunter			Not listed	Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Clackmannan pages
1861	March	22	Braehead	Cumnock	William Baird & Co	John Clark	Fire-boy	15	Ironstone mines – above ground	Boiler bursting From Main body of report: The Procurator Fiscal in this case charged the engineman with culpable homicide, and with culpable violation or neglect of duty; he was tried at the Ayr Circuit Court in September last, by Lord Cowan and a jury, and after a careful examination of witnesses practically acquainted with the working and construction of boilers, and others who proved the state of the boilers and the previous working of them, the jury found the accused guilty as libelled, and his lordship sentenced him to six months' imprisonment.	NB - The engineman was John Wyllie, age 24, Auchinleck, Ayrshire - source NAS catalogue
1861	March	22	Braehead	Cumnock	William Baird & Co	John Hanning	Labourer	--	Ironstone mines – above ground
1861	March	29	Drummillan	Denny	William Baird & Co	Michael Campbell	Miner	55	Ironstone mines – in shafts	By a fall of stone in a sinking pit
1861	March	30	Espieside	Coatbridge	William Baird & Co	Hugh Kay	Drawer	13	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	April	1	Portland	Kilmarnock	Portland Iron Co	William Kennedy	Bottomer	42	In shafts	Fall of materials in the shaft
1861	April	15	Abercorn	Paisley	Merry & Cunningham	Robert Richardson	Collier	21	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	April	16	Bartonholm No 2	Kilwinning	William Baird & Co	Samuel Carr	Drawer	14	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	April	17	Braehead	Baillieston	Charles Tennant & Co	Robert Clarkson	Drawer	12	Above ground	His cravat got entangled with the spindle of a screwing machine and caused strangulation From Main body of report: Occasioned by the deceased's cravat getting entangled with the revolving shaft of a small screwing machine, and causing strangulation. The deceased was the son of the foreman of blacksmiths at the colliery, and he had been employed about the works, assisting in the smiths' shop and otherwise, for nearly 12 months. On the day of the accident he had been engaged screwing nuts at a small screwing machine, near to the workshops, driven by hand. There was no person close by him at the time the accident happened ; but it was evident from the state in which he was afterwards found that it had been occasioned by his cravat getting entangled with the spindle when it was revolving, and being wound round it, he had got stupefied or strangled before the impetus of the fly wheel could be controlled. The machine is exceedingly simple in construction, easily worked, and entirely under the control of the person engaged at it.
1861	April	19	Old Monkland area			Thomas Corkran				Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages NB Newspaper gives name as Cockerall
1861	April	20	Townhill	Dunfermline	Andrew Christie	William Broggein	Bottomer		In shafts	Crushed betwixt cage and bottom of pit	Newspaper report
1861	April	22	Comrie			Condie Leitch Chalmers				Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report
1861	April	27	Palacecraig	Airdrie	William Baird & Co	Owen Buttle	Brusher	29	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	April	30	Palace Craig No 2	Airdrie	William Baird & Co	Joseph Paterson	Fireman	29	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Suffocated by going into a body of firedamp From Main body of report: Though the waste connected with this pit is extensive, the workings are now limited and nearly exhausted. The deceased was fireman, and it would appear that on the morning of the accident he had discovered firedamp in one of the working places; in company with the oversman he had afterwards endeavoured to dislodge it, and restore the ventilation so as to allow the miners to go to their work. The current of ventilation at this particular place was conducted in part along the face of the ironstone and partly out the drawing road. The firedamp lay along the face of the ironstone. Finding they could proceed only a short distance with a safety lamp, they had rashly attempted to travel a few yards in the dark, thinking there might be some interruption, easily removed, which prevented the ventilation from making its usual circuit along the " Cundie" leading back from the wall face. The presumption is, that the deceased in attempting to travel round the air-course, was suffocated by inhaling the irrespirable gases ; and his body was found six hours afterwards, a short distance from where he had abandoned the safety lamp. The oversman was taken out in a state, of unconsciousness, but afterwards recovered.	Newspaper Report -New Monkland pages
1861	April	30	Ranbogg	Airdrie	D & J Young	James Nelson	Collier		In shafts	Crushed by cage at bottom of pit
1861	May	6	Woodhill	Kilmarnock	Merry & Cunningham	James Stewart	Collier	22	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	May	8	Upper Wellwood	Muirkirk	William Baird & Co	George Loggie	Collier	16	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	May	11	Gauchland	Galston	Kinloch Gibb & Co	William Steven	Drawer	11	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	May	11	Stanrigg	Airdrie	William Black	Michael Gallaghan	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of stone from roof at face of working
1861	May	16	Greenbank	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	John Ronalds	Drawer	33	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof
1861	May	16	Palace Craig No 3	Airdrie	William Baird & Co	James Miles	Miner	17	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of ironstone
1861	May	25	Townhill	Dunfermline	Andrew Christie	William Dow	Labourer		Above ground	Coming into contact with crank of pumping engine	Newspaper report
1861	June	6	Kilbirnie No 29	Dalry	Merry & Cunningham	John Douglas	Miner	33	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of roof
1861	June	10	Drumbathie	Airdrie	J & W Brown	Joseph Lochrin	Miner		Explosions	Explosion of fire damp From Main body of report: June 10th, at Drumbathie, resulting in the death (about six weeks after the accident) of one person, who was working in the pit
1861	June	19	Warrickhill	Dreghorn	Merry & Cunningham	William Spence	Collier	45	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof	Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages
1861	June	22	Bargeddie	Baillieston	Anderson & Young	William Gray	roadsman	35	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp From Main body of report: I understand that the fireman on the morning of the accident had found the ventilation incomplete. Firedamp had accumulated in different parts of the working, and was not dislodged by the general ventilation. The deceased and one of the miners named Kelly had commenced to "waff" out the firedamp which lay in one of these places ; and while in the act of doing so, either the firedamp which they were in the act of displacing, or gas which the fireman and a collier were clearing out in another part of the mine, a short distance back, came in contact with the deceased and Kelly's unprotected lights, which they had left at a supposed safe distance behind them. According to the special rules of the colliery, it was the duty of the fireman to examine every working-place, before the workmen were allowed to enter; and "In case firedamp or other impure air shall be discovered in any working-place, road, or level, the fireman shall in the first instance clear the same of such impurity, if that can be done easily, and shall thereupon report to the colliers that the working-places are apparently safe ; but if the impurity cannot be readily or at once cleared out, the colliers shall not be permitted to enter any such working places, roads, or levels until the impure air shall have been by further appliances entirely dispelled," &c. The pit or at least part of it, seems to have been in an unworkable state for want of ventilation and under the circumstances, it was clearly the duty of the fireman to prevent the workmen from entering it; but independent of this, it was reckless and absurd on his part to allow the deceased and a neighbouring workman to be engaged displacing firedamp in a "room" with their naked lights sitting behind them, while he and one of the colliers were forcing the firedamp from a working-place, a short distance back, right upon their unprotected lights. The Procurator Fiscal charged the fireman with a contravention of the 21st special rule of the colliery; a sort of plea was raised, but which the court dealt with as a plea of guilty and after a suitable admonition a limited fine of 30s was imposed. One of the owners of the colliery was next charged with a contravention of the first general rule of the statute 23 & 24 Vict. c. 151, in not providing an adequate amount of ventilation in the said pit on the occasion referred to; and after a protracted trial, Sheriff Logie, Airdrie, found the case proven, but limited the fine to £10. The agent for the defence lodged several objections, and the case has been appealed.
1861	June	23	Lochgelly Iron Works	Dunfermline	Lochgelly Iron Co	Duncan Campbell	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal	Newspaper report - Fife pages
1861	July	9	Eglinton	Kilwinning	Archibald Kenneth	Thomas Mackay	Drawer	13	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	July	11	Kinneil Iron Works	Bo'ness	William Wilson & Co	James Stones	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal from face of workings
1861	July	16	Kelvinside	Glasgow	Montgomery & Fleming	Alexander Aitken	Miner	47	Miscellaneous	Inundation from an adjoining waste From Main body of report: This unfortunate occurrence was occasioned by an irruption of water from an abandoned waste, forming part of the same colliery (old Sheep-mount pit, abandoned for the last 12 years), and lying near to the going works. The workings from the " upper doors" of the new Sheep-mount pit were principally confined to a dook west of the slip marked 27 feet down to west, and the only extension from the " lower doors" was the stone mine. Aitken, one of the deceased, and a man named Develin worked in the stone mine (situated about three fathoms below the "upper doors"). It appears that shortly before the accident they had been blasting, and on discovering that an excess of water was rushing through the openings and crevices in the rock at the face of the mine, they had abandoned their work, and were in the act of being raised by the engine, when, unfortunately, a "hutch," which had been standing near to the pit bottom, was driven by the force of the water between the cage and the side of the shaft, and for sometime prevented the cage being raised. Develin scrambled on to the cover of the cage, and kept himself above the water, and was rescued; but Aitken appears to have got jammed between the "hutch" and the cage, and. must have been drowned in a few moments after. The water rose rapidly in the shaft, closing up the entrance into the " upper doors". At this time only four persons were engaged in the workings leading off at the " upper doors." They soon discovered their helpless situation, and after being inclosed 112 hours, three of them were safely rescued. It is uncertain whether the boy Fagan was drowned at the pit bottom, by the water closing in upon him unexpectedly, or that in attempting to reach it, he had got entangled with some projecting part of the mine, which cut off or retarded his retreat. The workings from the old Sheep-mount pit were known to be standing full of water. In nearing this dangerous accumulation it does not appear that the underground manager took the usual and necessary precaution of surveying the mine to know its relative position to these works, or of causing boreholes to be made, as provided by the 15th general rule of the Mine Inspection Act, which, under the circumstances, he was bound to do. The Procurator Fiscal charged the underground manager with culpable homicide in neglecting to adopt due precautions to prevent the flooding of the workings. The case was tried at the Glasgow Autumn Circuit Court, before the Lord Justice Clerk and a jury. After a lengthened trial the jury found the accused guilty as libelled ; but in respect of his good character, they strongly recommended him to the leniency of the Court. In passing sentence, the Lord Justice Clerk said, " It was painful to him to have to deal with a charge of such a kind against a person who occupied the position of the manager of a coal work, and, above all, against one who previous to the unfortunate occurrence bore a very excellent character. Unfortunately, his duty left him no alternative but to pronounce such a sentence as would sufficiently mark the sense which the Court entertained of the offence. However, believing that the failure of the panel to do his duty was merely the result of thoughtlessness, and was not intentional; and that notwithstanding the apparently reckless manner in which the work was conducted, the panel believed it possible to carry it through without serious consequences. It was because he (his lordship) believed that, and because the sentence he would pronounce, without being severe, would operate as a warning to the panel at all times, and would show the public that the lives of persons in employment were not to be trifled with, that he would restrict the sentence to four months imprisonment."	NB Manager charged with culpable homicide was Alexander Laird, age 36, coal pit manager, address: Bellshaugh, Govan - source NAS catalogue Newspaper report
1861	July	16	Kelvinside	Glasgow	Montgomery & Fleming	Henry Fagan	Labourer	17	Miscellaneous
1861	July	17	Hopeton	Bathgate	James Russell & Sons	Alex. Stevenson	Engine keeper		Above ground	Coming into contact with gearing of pumping engine
1861	July	19	Lumphinnans	Dunfermline	Trustees of Alex Christie	James Hunter	Collier		In shafts	Falling off cage whilst ascending shaft
1861	July	25	Newbattle	Dalkeith	Marquis of Lothian	James Robertson	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal from face of working
1861	August	1	Stevenson	Stevenson	Merry & Cunningham	Robert Wilson	Pitheadman	23	In shafts	Fell down the shaft when foolishly attempting to cross it on a plank
1861	August	3	Enterkine	Ayr	J T Gordon	John Stewart	Pitheadman	23	Above ground	Getting entangled with the pumping crank of an engine
1861	August	7	Dykehead	Hamilton	Wilsons & Co	McLeod Neilson (actually Glaude Neilson	Collier		Miscellaneous	Woodwork of pit taking fire which deranged the ventilation From Main body of report: At Dykehead near Hamilton, on 7th August; this accident, which resulted in the deaths of 13 persons, was caused by the brattice, woodwork, and framing of the shaft taking fire by coming in contact with a spark, it is supposed, from the ventilating furnace; there were 50 men and boys in the pit at the time this accident occurred, of whom 37 were got out alive, 12 were suffocated, and one died a few days after.	Newspaper report - Dykehead 1861 page
						Neil Thomson	Collier
						McLethie Baxter	Collier
						John Potter	Collier
						David Hamilton	Collier
						Alex. Hamilton	Collier
						Thomas Currie	Collier
						Thomas Miller	Collier
						John Craig	Collier
						Hugh Craig	Collier
						Thomas Potter	Collier
						David Maxwell	Collier
						Francis Cassey	Collier
1861	August	8	Drummillan	Denny	William Baird & Co	George McCaully	Miner	18	Ironstone mines – miscellaneous	Inundation from an old waste From Main body of report: The old workings to the "rise" of this pit had been proved in part by an adjoining working; they were found dry ; it was known however that a small portion of the waste, connected with these old works lay to the "dip" of this. There were no plans of the old waste, but the situation of the pit, the range of level course from it, and other details, could have been obtained, near enough for all practical purposes. The accident was occasioned by one of the walls being driven through upon the old workings at the extreme dip, and where a quantity of water had lodged.
1861	August	9	Polkemmet	Bathgate	Shotts Iron Co	Alexander Bell	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof
1861	August	19	Hurlford	Kilmarnock	Allan Gilmour & Co	Allan Syme	Collier	32	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	August	22	Redding	Falkirk	James Russell & Co	W McKenzie	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of stone	Newspaper report - Stirlingshire pages
1861	August	23	Possil	Glasgow	Wilsons & Co	John Craig	Miner	23	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fall of ironstone
1861	August	23	Towerlands	Irvine	John Watt	Andrew Strachan	----	14	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	August	24	Possil			Alexander Bunton				Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report
1861	August	24	Alloa	Alloa	Alloa Coal Co	Andrew Hunter	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of stone at working	Newspaper report - Clackmannan pages
1861	August	27	Titwood	Pollokshaws	Sir John Maxwell	John Cumming	Collier	45	In shafts	Walked into the shaft unknowingly from the surface From Main body of report: The deceased was a collier, and on the day of the accident I understand that he had gone to his work at the usual hour; but after remaining below for a short time he had requested to be taken up, and on leaving the cage at the surface in the usual way, instead of going from the pit, he had unknowingly turned and walked in to the contrary side, from which he was drawn up, and fell to the bottom. Moveable fences, worked by the cages, are now being slowly introduced ; I have frequently drawn attention to them; they are simple and inexpensive, and well adapted to prevent shaft accidents of a similar description.
1861	August	27	Westmuir	Glasgow	Robt. Gray & Co	Charles Findlay	----	15	Above ground	Got crushed by the beam of the pumping engine
1861	September	3	Coltness Iron Works	Wishaw	Coltness Iron Co	James Kennedy	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal
1861	September	7	Fordell	Dunfermline	J W & M Henderson	Joseph Snadden	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal	Newspaper report - Fife pages
1861	September	17	Gartgill	Coatbridge	William Baird & Co	Robert Henan	Collier	46	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	September	26	Gartsherrie	Coatbridge	William Baird & Co	James McGaffery	Collier	40	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp From Main body of report: The sufferer in this case had on the day of the accident left his own working place and gone into a neighbouring workman's room. I understand that he remained there for a short time, eating his bread, and on returning went unknowingly into an intervening place, not in actual course of working and extension and there ignited a quantity of firedamp which had collected in it. It does not appear that the working part of this colliery were badly ventilated, but it was known to those entrusted with the management that the place not in actual course of extension, and where the accident happened, contained-firedamp. It was stated that the oversman had placed, on edge, a board across the pavement of the place to prevent any person from going into it ; such a precaution might in many cases have had the desired effect; but the result shows it was no fence, and if a proper fence had been constructed, say of two wooden rails, placed securely across the entrance, at eighteen inches and three feet from the pavement, it is reasonable to suppose that this unfortunate occurrence would have been prevented.
1861	October	1	Braehead	Baillieston	Charles Tennant & Co	John McEman	Brusher		Falls of roof	Fall of stone
1861	October	11	Railway line at Ayr colliery			Mary Cullibert				Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages
1861	October	17	Bonnyton	Kilmarnock	Merry & Cunningham	William Lindsay	Collier	45	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	October	17	Govan	Glasgow	William S Dixon	Thomas Dick	Collier	33	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	October	28	Alloa	Alloa	Alloa Coal Co	Joseph Patterson	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal at face of workings	Newspaper report - Clackmannan pages
1861	October	31	Faskine	Airdrie	William Baird & Co	John McIlvane	Bottomer	46	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fell from a mid-working From Main body of report: There are two seams of ironstone in this pit, the upper at 12 fathoms from the surface, and the lower at 40 fathoms. The deceased was bottomer in the upper seam, and it was his duty to put the hutches upon the cage, and to make the necessary signals. On the day of the accident, the bottomer had placed a loaded hutch on the cage and made the necessary signals for having it drawn up; when shortly after, he pushed forward another full hutch without taking the precaution to know whether the cage had been returned, and fell with it to the bottom of the shaft.
1861	October	31	Redding	Falkirk	James Russell & Co	Gilbert Stewart	roadsman		Falls of roof	Fall of stone from roof	Newspaper report - Stirlingshire pages
1861	November	2	Dysart	Dysart	Earl of Rosslyn	James Paton	Pitheadman		In shafts	Falling down pit from surface	Newspaper report
1861	November	9	No. 4 Pit Grange			Andrew Taylor				Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Lothian pages
1861	November	12	Drummore	Musselburgh	John Deans	Alex. Levenson	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper report - Lothian pages
1861	November	12	Todhill	Dalry	William Baird & Co	William Sharpe	Drawer	46	Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof	Fell from a mid-working From Main body of report: In consequence of a dislocation near to the bottom of the pit there are two loading places, the upper being 5 1/2 fathoms above the other. The deceased was a drawer, and as the works were near to the pit bottom, and merely preparatory, he drew from both mines. On the day of the accident he had gone in to the high mine to clear away the stuff which had accumulated in his absence; it was only a few yards off' the shaft, and it would appear that during the time he had been engaged filling his hutch, the cage had been lowered back to the bottom. On returning with the loaded hutch to the cage, he had not taken the precaution to observe whether it still remained at that level, and pushing forward, he fell with it to the bottom. Where seams are worked in a shaft at different levels, and where it is sometimes difficult to regulate the quantity from each, it may be convenient to keep the ropes winding both from the bottom. The practice however, is always attended with a certain amount of danger; and in cases where it cannot be avoided, the suggestions referred to in accident No. 35 (December 12, Craigie, Ayr ) might be advantageously practised.
1861	November	17	Braehead	Baillieston	Charles Tennant & Co	John Lyle	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof	According to Newsaer reort,death occurred 7 Oct 1861 Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages
1861	November	19	No, 11 Pit, Drumpeller Colliery			Matthew Somerville				Death not listed in Inspectors report	Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages See article listed under 13 September 1859
1861	November	29	Stonelaw	Rutherglen	John R Reid	James McJones	Collier	61	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	December	4	Carnbroe Iron Works	Coatbridge	Merry & Cunningham	John Robertson	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of roof	Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages
1861	December	5	East Thornton	Kilmarnock	Archibald Finnie	Daniel Frew	Fireman	24	Explosions	Explosion of fire damp From Main body of report: The deceased was a fireman ; it does not appear that he had on any occasion neglected to examine the mines in the morning before the workmen were allowed to enter to their work; but on the day of the accident, and during the working hours, he had gone into a heading not in actual course of extension at the time, and known to contain a small quantity of fire-damp, with his naked light, and caused a slight explosion, by which he was burned, and died from the effects of it a few days after.
1861	December	5	Heathery Knowe	Baillieston	Blochairn Iron Co	John Waller	Sinker	40	In shafts	A stone fell from the side of the shaft	Newspaper report - Old Monkland pages
1861	December	9	Campsie Mine	Lennoxtown	Hurlet & Campsie Alum Co	William Gallacher	Collier	44	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of coal
1861	December	12	Craigie	Ayr	Robert Brown	George Dunlop	Collier	60	In shafts	By a hutch falling down the shaft from an upper working From Main body of report: There are two seams of coal at present being worked in this pit. The first at 15 fathoms from the surface, and the second at 51 fathoms. The cages work both to the pit-bottom, and when coals require to be put on at the upper seam a signal is made to the surface, and the cage is rested on "folding boards" constructed for that purpose. I understand that, on the day of the accident a drawer, who was engaged to put on the coal at the upper level, had been taking a full hutch towards the shaft, when he either pushed it too far or otherwise allowed it to run into the shaft, where the deceased and three workmen were being drawn up from the lower level on the cage. There was a check-gate and trap-door near to the shaft at this mid-working, and placed on the road along which the full hutches required to be drawn. If these had been kept shut it is difficult to understand how such an accident could have happened. Mid-workings, however, are always attended with a certain amount of such risk, and the only way to get rid of it is to set apart so much time during each day for drawing the coals from mid-workings, taking care that a grated moveable scaffold is placed over the pit at the time, close enough to prevent any person from falling through it; or to fix a scaffold at the required level, and provide a rope for the sole use of the workmen there engaged.	NB Thomas Fitzpatrick, married, age 22, drawer, address Wallace Street or Kilmarnock Street, Wallacetown, St Quivox was charged with culpable homicide, and culpable violation, or neglect of duty in connection with this accident - source NAS catalogue
1861	December	24	Grange	Bo'ness	Henry Cadell	William Kindred	Workman		Miscellaneous	Struck by racket wheel of windlass From Main body of report: On 24th December, at Grange, Bo'ness, where a man was struck by the crank-wheel of windlass
1861	December	27	Bartonholm No 3	Kilwinning	William Baird & Co	Charles George	Collier	60	Falls of roof and coal	Fall of roof
1861	December	31	Coltness Iron Works	Motherwell	Coltness Iron Co	Patrick O'Donnell	Collier		Falls of roof	Fall of coal from face of working	Newspaper Report

Last Updated 17th June 2012