Notes - The information in this page is mainly compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries. 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
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Year | Month | Day | Name of Colliery | Where situated | Owner or Company | Forename | Surname | Occupation | Age | Category | Cause of accident and remarks | Extra details |
1887 | January | 8 | Clydeside | Bothwell, Lanark | Provanhall Coal Co | Samuel | Ralston | Collier | 18 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
1887 | January | 8 | Ferniegare | Hamilton, Lanark | Arch. Russell | Robert | Wands | Labourer | 18 | Miscellaneous on surface | Crushed by waggons | |
1887 | January | 11 | Burnt Broom | Mount Vernon | Dunn Brothers | Edward | Watson | Stone miner | 34 | Falls of roof & sides | Stone fell from timbering upon him | |
1887 | January | 12 | Dalzell | Dalzell, Lanark | John McAndrew & Co | Wm. | Anderson | Pitheadman | 45 | In shafts falling from part way down | At midworking; pushed tub into shaft | |
1887 | January | 17 | Bothwell Park | Bothwell, Lanark | William Baird & Co | James | Gilchrist | Engineman | -- | In shafts overwinding | The cage went into the engine house and killed him | |
1887 | January | 17 | Dalzell | Dalzell, Lanark | John McAndrew & Co | Hugh | Cullen | Bottomer | 15 | In shafts falling from part way down | Gate open, pushed tub into shaft | |
1887 | January | 18 | Newbattle | Newbattle, Midlothian | Marquis of Lothian | Robert | Buchan | Carter | 74 | Miscellaneous on surface | Ran over by waggons | |
1887 | January | 18 | Wellshot No 1 | Cambuslang | James Dunn | Maitland | Kelly | Collier | 13 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof at face | |
1887 | January | 18 | Whitehill | Lasswade, Midlothian | Arch. Hood | ---- | Sutherland | Banksman | 67 | Miscellaneous on surface | Ran over by locomotive | |
1887 | January | 19 | Greenfield | Hamilton, Lanark | Archibald Russell | Rob. | Richardson | Bogie-boy | 14 | In shafts falling into shaft from surface | Engineman raised cage 1ft 6 in too high. Boy alarmed jumped off and fell down the shaft. | |
1887 | January | 20 | Loanhead | Lasswade, Midlothian | Shotts Iron Co | William | Chellew | Engineman | 42 | In shafts ropes and chains breaking | Rope broke. It had only been in use for six months | Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
1887 | January | 21 | Cowdenbeath | Beath, Fife | Cowdenbeath Coal Co | George | Lumsden | Driver | 14 | Miscellaneous underground by tubs and trams | Fell in front of tubs. | |
1887 | January | 22 | Law | Carluke, Lanark | John Wilson | John | McCallum | Screenman | 28 | Miscellaneous on surface | Fell in front of waggons | |
1887 | January | 25 | Newton No 2 | Cambuslang | James Dunlop & Co | Andrew | Dunn | Underground engineman | 22 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof while redding a fall | |
1887 | January | 27 | Carberry | Inveresk, Edinburgh | Deans & Moore | John | Moore | ---- | 19 | By sundries underground | Crushed by pump rods | |
1887 | February | 1 | Pollok | Pollokshaws | John Wilson | W. | MacFarlane | Drawer | 16 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof on road | |
1887 | February | 7 | Tollcross | Tollcross | James Stokes | Patrick | Scally | Collier | 19 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | |
1887 | February | 10 | Auchinraith | Blantyre. Lanark | Merry & Cunningham | Pat | Devine | Stone miner | 33 | Miscellaneous underground explosions of gunpowder | He went back before shot went off | |
1887 | February | 11 | Barr No 2 | Beith | Barr Coal Co | Alex. | Colquhoun | Collier | 40 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof at working face (roof) | Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages |
1887 | February | 16 | Newbattle | Newbattle, Midlothian | Marquis of Lothian | David | Ross | Collier | -- | Falls of sides | At face; long wall | |
1887 | February | 21 | Bothwell Park | Bothwell, Lanark | William Baird & Co | Frank | Dawson | Collier | 26 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
1887 | February | 26 | Niddrie | Liberton, Edinburgh | Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd | John | Coulter | Engineer | 36 | By sundries underground | Mistake of signals. Men were let back into sump amongst water | Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
1887 | March | 2 | Earnock | Hamilton, Lanark | John Watson | Alex. | Brown | Collier | 30 | Falls of sides | At stoops; stoop and room | |
1887 | March | 4 | Lochgelly | Auchterderran, Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | David | Haxton | Waggon shunter | 18 | Miscellaneous on surface | Crushed while passing between waggons | |
1887 | March | 5 | Gauchalland No 4 | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | Wm. | Henderson | breaksman | 26 | Miscellaneous underground | Caught by the drum at top of a blind pit From Main body of report: Happened to a breaksman at the top of a blind pit down which coals were lowered from one seam to another by means of a cage and a back balance. He was found dead behind the drum which had jammed him against a beam of wood. The cage was found to have got out of the slides, and as the break handle was raised so as to take off the break, it is supposed that he had been attempting in some way to relieve the cage when he was caught. | Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages |
1887 | March | 10 | Hill of Beath | Beath, Fife | Ord. Adams | Jas. | Beveridge | Hanger-on | 14 | Falls of roof | On horse road; long wall | Newspaper report - Beath pages |
1887 | March | 11 | Calderbank | Baillieston | Provanhall Coal Co | Wm. | Kelly | Labourer | 79 | Above ground | Run over by waggons | |
1887 | March | 12 | Kirkwood No 2 | Coatbridge | Kirkwood Coal Co | Adam | Hamilton | Bogie boy | 13 | Miscellaneous underground | Run over by a race of hutches on a haulage road | |
1887 | March | 17 | Collyshot | Cambusnethan, Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | David | Hughes | Roadsman | 42 | Falls of roof | Repairing haulage road; stoop and room | |
1887 | March | 21 | Garriongill | Cambusnethan, Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | David | Purse | Drawer | 17 | Miscellaneous underground by tubs and trams | Stumbled and tub ran over him | |
1887 | March | 28 | Pentland | Loanhead, Edinburgh | Clippens Oil Co Ltd | Peter | Anderson | Greaser | -- | In shale mines | Killed by tubs on incline while on duty | |
1887 | March | 31 | Bredisholm | Bothwell, Lanark | Provanhall Coal Co | James | McKay | Brakesman | 18 | Miscellaneous on surface | Locomotive left the rails, and first waggon came over on foot-plate where deceased was standing | |
1887 | April | 4 | Netherjohnstone | Dalzell, Lanark | Wishaw Estate | William | Tough | Horse-keeper | -- | In shafts whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Fell off cage while ascending | Newspaper Report - Lanarkshire pages |
1887 | April | 6 | Oakbank | West Calder, Edinburgh | Oakbank Oil Co Ltd | John | Smiles | Miner | -- | In shale mines | Shot went off prematurely | |
1887 | April | 15 | Eddlewood | Hamilton, Lanark | Eddlewood Colliery Co Ltd | Thomas | Laird | Collier | 58 | Falls of roof | At stoops | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
1887 | April | 20 | Kilgrammie | Maybole | McHarrie & Couper | James | Harvie | Collier | 64 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | |
1887 | April | 26 | Balbirnie | Markinch, Fife | John Balfour | John | Mackie | Collier | 50 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
1887 | April | 28 | Balbardie | Bathgate, Linlithgow | Walker & Cameron | Joseph | Short | Collier | 34 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
Hugh | Leggie | Collier | 18 | |||||||||
1887 | April | 29 | Alloa | Gartmorn, Clackmannan | Alloa Coal Co | John | Black | Plasterer | 57 | On surface by machinery | Crushed by bellcrank while repairing engine seat | |
1887 | April | 29 | Lochgelly | Auchterderran, Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | William | Galloway | Collier | 42 | Falls of sides | At face; stoop and room | |
1887 | May | 7 | Stonehead | Whitburn, Linlithgow | Peter Thornton | David | Sheppard | Collier | -- | Falls of sides | At face; long wall | |
1887 | May | 11 | Oakbank | West Calder, Edinburgh | Oakbank Oil Co Ltd | John | Bird | Miner | 27 | In shale mines | At face. | Newspaper report - Lothian pages |
1887 | May | 17 | Tannochside | Bothwell, Lanark | Monkland Iron Co Ltd | James | Lennon | Waggon shifter | 50 | Miscellaneous on surface | Crushed by waggons | |
1887 | May | 23 | Bogleshole No 4 | Cambuslang | James Dunlop & Co | Patrick | Murphy | Roadsman | 28 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | |
1887 | May | 24 | Shawfield | Carluke, Lanark | John Wilson | Patrick | Moore | Labourer | 45 | Miscellaneous on surface | Crushed by waggons | |
1887 | May | 26 | Trabboch No 2 | Ayr | John Galloway & Co | Adam | Young | Collier | 23 | Explosions of fire damp | He entered an old road without authority to do so, and ignited some gas. From Main body of report: The deceased without having authority to do so, went a few yards off his drawing road into a place which was not being worked, and his naked light ignited some fire damp. The consequence was that he was so severely injured by the explosion that he died from the effects of it. The entrance to this old road, which was also the airway, was not fenced, and for failing to have it fenced as required by the General and Special Rules, the fireman was prosecuted, but the Sheriff found the charge "not proven." | |
1887 | May | 28 | Udston | Hamilton, Lanark | Udston Coal Co Ltd | 73 killed [see Newspaper reports] | ---- | ---- | -- | Explosions of fire damp | Newspaper reports - Udston 1887 page | |
1887 | May | 30 | Clelland, Townhead | Bothwell, Lanark | Clelland Coal Co | John | Glachan | Runner | 14 | In shafts falling into shaft from surface | Pushed empty hutch into shaft when gate was standing open | |
1887 | June | 4 | Deans | Bathgate, Linlithgow | West Lothian Oil Co Ltd | Sam | Maywood | Miner | -- | In shale mines | Gas fired by shot | |
1887 | June | 6 | Gauchalland No 2 | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | James | Scobie | Waggon shifter | 45 | Above ground | While spragging a waggon the sprag struck and knocked him down in front of the wheels | |
1887 | June | 7 | Dalzell | Dalzell, Lanark | John McAndrew & Co | John | Short | Pitheadman | 47 | In shafts whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Engine got out of gear while men were descending. It had not been properly secured. | Newspaper Report - Dalziel page |
Ed. | Collins | Sinker | 42 | |||||||||
George | Smith | Sinker | 38 | |||||||||
Ed. | Wheelan | Sinker | 40 | |||||||||
1887 | June | 9 | Bredisholm | Bothwell, Lanark | Provanhall Coal Co | Thomas | Fisher | Collier | 38 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
1887 | June | 14 | Stonelaw | Rutherglen | F R Reid | Alexander | Rae | Collier | 46 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | |
1887 | June | 15 | Devon | Alloa, Clackmannan | Alloa Coal Co | James | Hunter | Roadsman | 50 | Explosions of fire damp | Went into a place for rails where there was gas, with a naked light. Fireman convicted | |
1887 | June | 17 | Galawhistle Pit | Muirkirk | Cairntable Gas Coal Co | John | Dunbar | Collier | 51 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | Newspaper Report - Muirkirk pages |
1887 | June | 21 | West Longrigg | New Monkland, Lanark | James Gemmell | John | Black | Locomotive driver | -- | Miscellaneous on surface | Locomotive left the rails and waggons jammed him | Newspaper Report - Lanarkshire pages |
1887 | June | 22 | Auchenharvie | Ayrshire | William | Baird | Death not listed in Inspectors report | |||||
1887 | June | 25 | Limerigg | Slamannan, Stirling | John Nimmo & Son | Hugh | McCreary | Oversman | -- | In shafts overwinding | Engine ran out of gear. Cage came into engine house and killed him | |
1887 | June | 28 | Gilmilnscroft No 3 | Auchinleck | Gilmours, Wood & Anderson | John | Rooney | Trimmer | 50 | Above ground | Fell off a waggon | Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages |
1887 | June | 28 | Stonelaw | Rutherglen | F R Reid | David | Hart | Roadsman &c. | 42 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | Newspaper Report - Lanarkshire pages |
1887 | July | 4 | Dysart | Dysart, Fife | Earl of Rosslyn | Jas. | Penman | Engineman | 49 | In shafts falling into shaft from surface | While oiling pulley. | |
1887 | July | 7 | Arniston | Newbattle, Midlothian | Arniston Coal Co Ltd | Wm. | Armstrong | Greaser | -- | Miscellaneous on surface | Fell into a tub on cage which was leaving pithead | |
1887 | July | 7 | Broxburn | Broxburn, Linlithgow | Broxburn Oil Co Ltd | Andrew | Beith | Contractor | -- | In shale mines | They went into a place which had not been examined, and gas fired at their naked lights | Newspaper report - Lothians pages |
William | Wilson | Oversman | -- | |||||||||
1887 | July | 9 | Polkemmet | Shotts, Lanark | Shotts Iron Co | John | Morris | Collier | 18 | Falls of sides | At face; long wall | |
1887 | July | 18 | Braehead | Robert | Waddell | Not listed (suicide) | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper Report - Old Monkland pages | ||||
1887 | July | 25 | Pentland | Loanhead, Edinburgh | Clippens Oil Co Ltd | William | Reid | Horse-feeder | 25 | In shale mines | Struck by bogie while walking down incline | |
1887 | August | 3 | Newbattle | Newbattle, Edinburgh | Marquis of Lothian | Lawrence | Baxter | Miner | 40 | In metalliferous mines | Went back too soon on shot | |
1887 | August | 5 | Woodend | Torphichen, Linlithgow | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | William | McLure | Collier | 32 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
1887 | August | 6 | Douglas Park | Bothwell, Lanark | John Wilson | Cormack | Passmore | Collier | 20 | Falls of roof | At face; stoop and room | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
1887 | August | 30 | Morrisonhaven | Prestonpans, Haddington | Prestongrange Coal & Firebrick Co Ltd | Frederick | Curtis | Collier | 35 | Explosions of fire damp | Fireman took two colliers with him, who had naked lights with them | Newspaper report - Prestongrange page |
Francis | Curtis | Collier | 14 | |||||||||
James | McEwan | Fireman | 44 | |||||||||
1887 | August | 31 | Cowdenbeath | Beath, Fife | Cowdenbeath Coal Co | James | Hunter | Roadsman | 59 | Miscellaneous underground on inclined planes | Inclined chain broke and tub came back and struck him | Newspaper report - Beath accidents |
1887 | September | 7 | Denork | St Andrews, Fife | Williamson & Co | Wm. | Williamson | ---- | 17 | Miscellaneous underground on inclined planes | Hutch got detached from incline rope | |
1887 | September | 8 | Morningside | Cambusnethan, Lanark | Morningside Coal Co | James | Brown | Oversman | -- | Miscellaneous in shafts | Cage stuck in shaft and it fell on him while he was relieving it. | |
1887 | September | 8 | Wemyss | Wemyss, Fife | R G E Wemyss | David | Reid | Drawer | 25 | Falls of roof | On drawing road; long wall | |
1887 | September | 10 | Portland No 8 | Hurlford | Eglinton Iron Co | Andrew | Main | Collier | 40 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof at face | Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages |
1887 | September | 19 | Common No 15 | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | Dougald | McDougald | Miner | 43 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof at face (Injured on 9th March) | |
1887 | September | 19 | Lumphinnans | Ballingry, Fife | Cowdenbeath Coal Co | Alex. | Foote | Brusher | 54 | Falls of roof | While brushing road; long wall | |
1887 | September | 22 | Shawfield | Carluke, Lanark | John Wilson | Daniel | Ryan | Stooper | 30 | By sundries underground | Struck by a prop which a stone knocked out. | |
1887 | September | 26 | Bathville | Bathgate, Linlithgow | James Wood | Hugh | McKendrick | Bottomer | 25 | In shafts falling from part way down | Mistake of signals. Engineman raised cage and man ran tub into open shaft | |
1887 | September | 30 | Little Raith | Auchtertool, Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | David | Hunter | Hanger-on | 12 | By sundries underground | Struck by a prop which was knocked out by a tub | |
1887 | October | 3 | Thankerton | Bothwell, Lanark | Monkland Iron Co Ltd | Edward | McInally | Collier | 30 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall. Died 12th Jan 1888 | Newspaper report- Bothwell pages |
1887 | October | 4 | Hamilton Palace | Bothwell, Lanark | Bent Colliery Co Ltd | William | McNair | Stone miner | 28 | Falls of roof | While filling a tub of debris, stone fell from roof | Newspaper report - Bothwellhaugh pages |
1887 | October | 5 | Allanton | Cambusnethan, Lanark | Morningside Coal Co | Robert | Wilson | Collier | -- | Falls of roof | While making road through stoop | |
1887 | October | 8 | Dysart | Dysart, Fife | Earl of Rosslyn | William | Adamson | Collier | 20 | Falls of sides | At face; stoop and room | |
1887 | October | 10 | Gartcraig | Shettleston | Gartcraig Fireclay Co | James | Taylor | Miner | 30 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof at face | |
1887 | October | 12 | Eddlewood | Hamilton, Lanark | Eddlewood Colliery Co Ltd | Robert | Young | Drawer | 40 | By sundries underground | Jammed between roof and top of tub | |
1887 | October | 26 | Wilsontown | Carnwath, Lanark | William Dixon Ltd | George | Aitchison | Screenman | 40 | Miscellaneous on surface | Fell in front of waggons while spragging | |
1887 | October | 31 | Hillhead No 7 | Kilmarnock | J & M Craig | Alex. | Findlay | Oversman | 62 | Above ground | Crushed between waggons | |
1887 | November | 5 | Bogleshole No 2 | Cambuslang | james Dunlop & Co | John | Wright | Miner | 74 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof at face (injured on 24th October) | |
1887 | November | 9 | Little Raith | Auchtertool, Fife | Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd | John | Fyfe | Collier | 33 | In shafts whilst ascending or descending by machinery | Was found dead on cage | Newspaper report - Beath accidents |
1887 | November | 24 | Thankerton | Bothwell, Lanark | Monkland Iron Co Ltd | Bernard | Trayner | Brusher | -- | Explosions of fire damp | Went into an unfenced place with naked light. Manager convicted for not having place fenced off | |
1887 | November | 28 | Calderhead | Shotts, Lanark | Shotts Iron Co | Samuel | Boles | Collier | 15 | Falls of roof | At face; long wall | |
1887 | November | 30 | Wellwood | Muirkirk | Eglinton Iron Co | Owen | McEwan | Brusher | -- | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | |
1887 | December | 1 | Lassodie | Beath, Fife | Thomas Spowart & Co Ltd | Thomas | Reid | Brusher | -- | Miscellaneous underground explosions of gunpowder | He went back before shot went off | |
1887 | December | 3 | Pennyvenie No1 | Dalmellington | Dalmellington Iron Co | James | Geddes | Miner | 14 | Falls of roof & sides | Fall of roof | |
1887 | December | 6 | Hillhead No 12 | Kilmarnock | J & M Craig | Hugh | Brown | Drawer | 23 | Miscellaneous underground | Overtaken by a runaway hutch on an incline | |
1887 | December | 7 | Leven | Wemyss, Fife | Fife Coal Co Ltd | James | Gorman | Collier | 19 | Miscellaneous underground on inclined planes | Jammed with tub while lifting it on rails on incline | |
1887 | December | 7 | Wemyss | Wemyss, FIF | R G E Wemyss | John | Baxter | Engineman | 58 | Miscellaneous underground by machinery underground | Fell into bellcrank | |
1887 | December | 15 | Holmes | Uphall, Linlithgow | Holmes Oil Co Ltd | William | Linn | Miner | 27 | In shale mines | Went back before shot went off | |
1887 | December | 22 | Garriongill | Cambusnethan, Lanark | Coltness Iron Co Ltd | Philip | Burns | Collier | 15 | Miscellaneous underground by tubs and trams | Stumbled and tub ran over him | |
1887 | December | 22 | No 2 Carsehead Pit | Ayrshire | Hugh | Callaghan | Not listed | Death not listed in Inspectors report | With thanks to Rita Campbell for this information Newspaper report - Ayrshire pages | |||
1887 | December | 23 | Gilmerton | Liberton, Edinburgh | Gilmerton Gas Coal Co. | James | Brash | Sinker | 25 | In shafts falling from part way down | Fell off kettle | |
1887 | December | 27 | Springhill No 1 | Baillieston | Wm Baird & Co | Constantine | O'Neil | Waggon shifter | 59 | Above ground | Crushed between a waggon which he was shifting and a stationary one | |
1887 | December | 29 | Westburn No 2 | Cambuslang | Westburn Colliery Co | John | Cowan | Pony driver | 18 | In shafts | While crossing the cage seat the cage came down on him From Main body of report: Took place three days before the close of the year. The deceased was a pony driver, and at the end of his day's work was crossing from one side of the shaft to the other to get a pail of water for his pony. Instead of going round the end of the shaft or through the division in which one cage came the length of an upper seam only, he was stepping through the cage seat, when the other cage was lowered upon him. |