Scottish Mining Website

Fatal Accidents in Mines in Scotland - 1904- 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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Date of Accident			Mine	County	Owner or Company	Name	Age	Occupation	Category	Cause of accident & remarks	Extra Information
1904	January	11	Auldton No 1	Lanark	Brand & Co	John Meiklewham	24	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of stone from the side of the shaft. From Main body of report: Caused by stones falling from the side of the shaft 50 fathoms above the pit bottom and striking the two deceased as they were entering the cage, in which other five men had already taken their places to ascend to the surface. Previously, such an accident was classed under the heading " shaft accidents." The stones fell from a point where the strata, which consisted of soft blaes, were not secured by barring. In most new shafts barring is put in from top to bottom, irrespective of the kind of strata passed through, and this practice has much to commend it.
1904	January	11	Auldton No 1	Lanark	Brand & Co	Wm Dyette	50	Miner	Falls of side
1904	January	12	Dalquhandy No 3	Lanark	Waddell & Son	Philip Devereux	28	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal and clay while taking it down.
1904	January	19	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	Patrick O'Rourke	26	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased was a drawer from a stooping place to the top of a short brae, dipping 1 in 4. He brought his loaded tub from the face, and getting in front appears to have turned it on the plates opposite the rails with a view to running it, when it came forward and running over the top pushed him in front crushing and firmly fixing him to the roof. The block which consisted of a piece of bridge rail had not been in.
1904	January	20	Leven	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	John Wilson	31	Repairer	Falls of roof	Deceased and his father were sent to brush and re-timber a portion of a horse road. They were instructed to begin at the outbye end, but thought it would be better and safer to commence inbye and work outwards. They had taken down 9 ft. of brushing, and were preparing to set timber, when a large stone fell upon deceased causing injuries which resulted fatally two days afterwards.
1904	January	22	Shawfield	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	William Wotherspoon	15	Filler	Falls of roof	Deceased was filling a tub with coal when a stone suddenly fell from the roof upon him.
1904	January	22	Ellismuir No 3	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Robert Pinkerton jr	18	Drawer	Other haulage accidents	In putting his hutch on the rails he strained himself. The accident wan not reported until after his death in August.
1904	January	22	East Plean No 4	Stirling	Plean Colliery Co	Martin McArthur	51	Labourer	On surface – by machinery	The rope came off a hoist pulley and the cage came down on him.
1904	January	22	Houldsworth	Ayr	Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd	John Myers	42	Sinker	Shaft accidents -things falling from part way down	Knocked off a scaffold by buntons which were dislodged by a column of pipes slipping through glands which suspended them. From Main body of report: The position of a column of pipes was being changed, and they were temporarily suspended between wooden glands or clamps. The pipes slipped a few inches through the glands, and a flange knocked out a bunton above where three men were at work on a scaffold. This bunton seems to have knocked out several others, and one of them knocked the deceased off the scaffold, while another injured one of the other men.
1904	January	23	Portland No 8	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Andrew Hood	36	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place.
1904	January	25	Blantyre Ferme	Lanark	A G Moore & Co	Constantine Eccles	35	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof from brushing face. The brushers were taking down loose stones when he went below them.
1904	January	25	Whiterigg	Linlithgow	R Forrester & Co Ltd	Peter Connoly	17	Drawer	Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	Deceased was being raised, after his shift was over, and when near the top scaffold he put his head outside the cage and was crushed against a beam.
1904	January	26	Rosehall No 14	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	John Sneddon	32	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face.
1904	February	1	Meiklehill No 2	Dumbarton	United Collieries Ltd	Jas Connelly	24	Miner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	While illegally drawing a full hutch down an incline, and being in front he got run over by the hutch.
1904	February	2	Greenhill	Lanark	Greenhill Colliery Co Ltd	Thomas Buchanan	24	Miner	Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	While lifting a piece of coal at his working place it broke and a part injured the forefinger of his right hand severely. He and his brother ceased work and proceeded to the shaft bottom for home, and on arriving there he complained of being faint; after getting a drink he revived, and he accompanied by his brother and another workman stepped on to the cage to be raised, and when 12 ft. from the surface he again took ill and fell on the cage, and before either of the men could grip him he had slipped past the side and fell to the bottom, a distance of 56 fathoms. From Main body of report: Case was of rather a sad nature. While working at the coal face, a miner had a finger badly injured causing him to leave off work, on reaching the shaft to be raised to the surface he felt faint, but after some attention and a rest he got on to the cage : with him was his brother and a drawer and while being raised and when near the surface he apparently fainted and falling he slipped past between the cage and side of the shaft and was precipitated to the bottom.
1904	February	3	Ross No 1	Lanark	Thos Barr's Trustees	Jas Cox	63	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face. He was working at a point which he was instructed not to touch and which was not propped in terms of the regulations,	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	February	7	James Brown - see entry under 9 Nov 1903
1904	February	9	Polton	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	John Stevenson	48	Washer attendant	On surface – by machinery	Deceased had charge of the engine and machinery connected with the washing and cleaning of the coal. He was missed for some time, and a search being made he was discovered, close to a driving belt off main shaft of engine, quite dead and his clothing torn to shreds On the shaft driven by the belt part of his clothing adhered, and it was evident he had been caught by the revolving shaft. To get to the place of accident was difficult and no one can say why he had gone there at all.
1904	February	9	Ferniegare No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell	John Kelso	49	Manager	Miscellaneous underground – by machinery	Caught by the cutting bar of a Hurd's coal cutting machine. From Main body of report: The manager of Ferniegare Colliery, Lanarkshire, lost his life by a Hurd's bar coal-cutting machine worked by electricity. Some alterations were being made on the machine, and at the time of the accident the cutter bar had been turned round so as to be almost clear of the holing. The manager was standing close to it, and seeing a piece of loose coal about to fall he reached over the cutter bar to prevent it from falling. While doing this the coal slipped down, and losing his balance he fell upon the revolving cutters and received fatal injuries. It was an injudicious proceeding on his part to act as, he did, and he ought to have known better than run such a risk.
1904	February	11	Armadale	Linlithgow	United Collieries Ltd	William Stirling	45	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased was engaged at stooping, and while withdrawing props after the stoop had been extracted a stone fell from the roof upon him.
1904	February	13	Riddochhill	Linlithgow	Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd	Peter Aitken jun	14	Trimmer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased's duties were to trim the dross waggons. The waggons are partly filled at one screen and are moved forward to another screen to be loaded out; in moving from one screen to the other they pass under a beam used as a support for part of the coal cleaning plant. A waggon had been partly loaded and was moved forward by the waggon-shifter, the boy had been inside the waggon spreading the dross and remained there while it was being moved, and apparently he had leaned over the end while it passed under the beam and was crashed. The space between the top of waggon and beam was 4 inches.
1904	February	16	Earnock No 1	Lanark	John Watson Ltd	Peter Savage	22	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	While connecting the firing cable to the fuse of a roburite shot the shot-firer, thinking he had retired, fired the shot. From Main body of report: The shot-firer, instead of connecting the cable to the fuse of the shot himself as he was instructed to do by the manager, told the miner to do it, and thinking that he heard the latter retire behind the bratticing he fired the shot and fatally injured him while still in his working place.
1904	February	16	Douglas	Lanark	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	James Whitefield	66	Coal cleaner	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased was walking in the main line near the screens when a train of empty waggons, pushed in front of a locomotive engine, ran him down and passed over him. The guard of the train was on front waggon and cried to him but apparently the noise of the cleaning plant prevented him hearing the cry.
1904	February	17	Philpstoun (Oil shale)	Linlithgow	James Ross & Co	Peter Murray	42	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	Deceased prepared three shots, two in top portions of seam and one in the bottom and it appears he had intended lighting all the shots and for some reason he had been delayed, and on realising his danger he attempted to get away to a place of safety, but failed to get out of harms way and was struck by the flying debris projected by the shots. The bottom shot did not fire.
1904	February	18	Clyde Colliery, Backmuir No 2	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	David Morrison	66	Screen man	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	When redding up coal between two waggons at the screen the shunter brought forward other waggons, and he was crushed between the buffers.
1904	February	18	Lightshaw No 4	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	John Dempster	55	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of head coal (roof). Props were not set as required by the regulations.
1904	February	18	Michael	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	David Davidson	18	Filler	Other haulage accidents	Deceased was running a loaded tub down a wheel brae. A large link in the chain jammed on the brake stick, and the consequent jerk caused the wheel tree, to give way at the foot, although it had been sunk about four inches into the pavement. The wheel or the tree struck deceased, causing injuries which terminated fatally two days later.
1904	February	19	Kippsbyre	Lanark	Strain Bros	James Jamieson	15	Miner	Falls of roof	While working at the roadhead the roof fell and buried him. The place was nearing the " crop out" and the fall went right up to surface.
1904	February	22	Cults (Limestone)	Fife	Trustees of the late James Martin	John Neil	51	Miner	Metalliferous mines	Deceased was taking down a bad stone, when it fell upon him and he was killed instantly.
1904	February	22	Ladylands Colliery	Lanark	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	James McMaster	70	Miner	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	After quarelling with his son he went to the setting tank and threw himself in. Suicide by drowning.
1904	February	23	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	James Hamilton	34	Brusher	Falls of side	While engaged taking off brushing some distance back from the face a stone fell off the side and crushed him.
1904	February	24	Blairhall	Fife	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	Hugh Doohan	51	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	While separating inferior stone from ironstone, a spark flew into the eye of deceased. He died on 17th June, 1904. A post-mortem examination was made, and the medical men reported that death was directly due to the injury to the eye.
1904	February	24	Udston No 2	Lanark	Udston Colliery Co Ltd	James Barr	36	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on road while passing along it.	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	February	26	Craighead No 1	Lanark	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Joseph Robertson	28	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on drawing road while walking along it. Another man was injured.
1904	February	28	Bowhill	Fife	Bowhill Coal Co Ltd	Andrew Baird	18	Pony Driver	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased was injured about the head by tubs on 20th June, 1902 and died through his injuries.
1904	February	29	Meiklehill No 5	Dumbarton	United Collieries Ltd	Jas Horne	32	Chain runner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	Apparently when riding in front of a ''race " being drawn up a dook he wan caught against the roof. The roof was too low for any one to have been allowed to ride on the " race."
1904	February	29	Cousland (oil Shale)	Linlithgow	Pumpherston Oil Co Ltd	William Anderson	29	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	Shots were prepared at the face, one for “bursting” and one for “bairding”; the former was charged with 2lbs. of gunpowder and the latter with 1lb. Deceased had lighted both shots, and on his way to reach a place of safety and when 9 ft away one or probably both exploded and he was struck with the flying shale. He was in the direct line of the bursting shot when discovered. By some means apparently delay had been occasioned in lighting the fuses. The fuse used was black tape and runs 1 foot for 30 sec.	Newspaper report - Lothians pages
1904	February	29	Gateside	Lanark	Flemington Coal Co Ltd	David Neilson	46	Labourer	On surface – sundries	Collapse of an insecure gangway from the pithead to the dirt bing. Other four men were injured. From Main body of report: The men were on a gangway capsizing a hutch of debris which had gone off the rails, when they were precipitated to the ground, a distance of 24 feet, by the gangway collapsing. The men were in the middle of a span of 38 feet, and the strength of the gangway depended on three pairs of railway rails, each pair being jointed by fish plates. As might be expected, it was the fish plates which gave way It seems that originally there had been vertical posts set beneath the fish-plated joints, but these had been removed, and it was known that the gangway was in consequence unsafe to use.
1904	February	29	Quarter No 8	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Hugh Kyle	45	Haulage engineman	On surface – by machinery	Caught in some unknown manner by the haulage engine when putting tar on the rope.
1904	March	1	Douglas Park	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	John Carr	50	Waggon shifter	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	When leaning on the buffer of a waggon another waggon came down and crushed him.
1904	March	2	Niddrie	Edinburgh	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	Robert Brown	41	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased had apparently been in front of the coal while taking out a sprag when a portion fell from the face on him.
1904	March	3	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	John Davidson	16	Coupler	On surface – miscellaneous	The loaded tubs are run from the bottom deck of cage by gravity, and by means of a ''creeper" are raised to the weighbridge. In moving round to the "creeper" they pass close to a steel stay used to support the pithead frame. The deceased was attempting to control the speed of a loaded tub, and when passing the stay his head was crushed between them.
1904	March	3	Wallyford	Edinburgh	Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd	David McNeil	65	Miner	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased stepped on to a cut chain brae from his drawing road, and was about to proceed down when he was overtaken by a loaded tub running on the brae.
1904	March	11	Fauldhead	Dumfries	Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd	William Sim	60	Brusher	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	He is said to have been inserting unthawed gelignite cartridges into a shot hole when the charge exploded. Another man was injured.
1904	March	18	Caprington No 42	Ayr	Caprington & Auchlochan Collieries	Jas Nisbet	26	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place. Apparently it had not been propped as required by the regulations.
1904	March	19	Bent No 3	Lanark	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	Wm Naismith	62	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place. His hip joint was dislocated and he died while under chloroform. The working place was not propped as required by the regulations.
1904	March	20	Darngavil	Lanark	Darngavil Coal Co Ltd	Thomas McNally	15	Coal picker	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	This boy was employed at the colliery, and on the Sunday evening was about a pit which is only used for pumping ; while the boiler fireman was moving a waggon the boy got among the wheels and was run over.
1904	March	21	Kirkwood	Lanark	Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co	Jas Rodgers	54	Pump attendant	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	When walking up a dook with a double line of rails, in some unknown manner he was run over by the hutches.
1904	March	23	Viewpark No 2	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	Wm Love	30	Brusher	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on road while repairing it. Another man was injured
1904	March	29	Bowhill	Fife	Bowhill Coal Co Ltd	Charles Taylor	36	Dook runner	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased was riding on the rake as usual in ascending a dook when the tubs left the rails, and apparently he jumped off to pull the signal to stop when the first tub crushed him against a prop.
1904	April	2	Lindsay	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	William Kennedy	39	Engineman	On surface – by machinery	Deceased had charge of two engines and three motors inside one engine-house, and it was part of his duties to oil the machinery. He was found by his neighbour, who came to relieve him at the end of his shift, lying in the flywheel hole of engine, which worked two dynamos, quite dead. From the position in which he was found and other evidences it was apparent he had been among the machinery oiling the parts when he was caught by the crank shaft.
1904	April	8	Dalquhandy No 3	Lanark	Waddell & Son	Robert Drain	24	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of head coal (roof).
1904	April	11	Hattonrigg No 4	Lanark	Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co	Frank Mahon	32	Bottomer	Shaft accidents – miscellaneous	When cleaning the cage seat the cage came down on him. From Main body of report: The second fatal accident occurred at Hattonrigg Colliery, Lanarkshire, to the bottomer, who apparently, without giving any notice to the engineman, went into the cage seat to clean it out, when the cage was lowered upon him.
1904	April	15	Bellside	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Thomas Jack	61	Bottomer	Shaft accidents - falling from part way down	Deceased was bottomer at a mid working 19 1/2 fathoms below surface and 11 fathoms above pit bottom. He had signalled for a cage, which was then at pit bottom to be raised to the mid landing, and in doing so the engineman stopped the descending cage at surface level to get a load of props. Deceased heard the safety-gate at pithead landing upon the plates, and at once opened the gate at the mid landing, pushed forward a tub and fell with it down the shaft, receiving injuries which terminated fatally six hours afterwards. The signalling apparatus in engine house indicated that the gate was being opened and the engine-man was in the act of ringing the return signal bell in terms of Additional Special Rule (2) when the accident took place.
1904	April	22	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	James Fraser	43	Repairer	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased met an accident on 1st February by an explosion of gas, and recovered. He subsequently died, and result of post-mortem examination was to the effect that his death was not due to the accident.
1904	April	26	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	Adam Keross (Pole)	25	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	While pushing a loaded tub toward the lye it left the rails and up-ended, and his fingers were crushed against the roof. Lockjaw set in and he died 15 days afterwards.
1904	April	29	Townhill	Fife	West of Fife Coal Co Ltd	Patrick Curran	23	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased worked alone and was discovered dead by a miner who worked close by, under a large fall. He apparently was " backening" coal to the roadhead when the roof fell. The stone came away from lypes, only one to the outside was visible before the full.	Newspaper report
1904	April	29	Wilsontown	Lanark	William Dixon Ltd	John Storeman (Pole)	28	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased knocked out a prop from under the brushing to give room to build the debris, and just as he did so the roof fell; he was partly under the stone, which fell as he knocked out the prop.
1904	May	2	Bardykes No 2	Lanark	Merry & Cunninghame Ltd	Wm Scott	30	Brusher	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at road head.
1904	May	4	Whistleberry No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell	Wm Wilson	22	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of head coal while working beneath it. It was not propped as required by the regulations.
1904	May	4	Kenmuirhill No 2	Lanark	Glasgow Coal Co Ltd	John Sneddon	35	Miner	Falls of roof	While illegally riding on hutches drawn by a pony the roof fell on him Another man was injured.
1904	May	5	Lightshaw No1	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Daniel Gilfillan	25	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal
1904	May	7	Newcraighall	Edinburgh	Niddrie & Benhar Coal Co Ltd	William Leslie	45	Roadsman	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	Deceased was drawing timber when a stone from the roof to the rise fell, and in its descent toward the level it struck a prop, knocking it out and propelling it with great force, it struck his head. The seam is highly inclined.
1904	May	7	Caledonia Mine (Fireclay)	Renfrew	Spiers, Gibb & Co	Fergus White	31	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	When arching a stone mine his naked light ignited fire-damp in a large cavity in the roof. From Main body of report: The first fatal explosion took place in Caledonia Fireclay Mine, Paisley. A stone mine was being arched at a point where the roof had fallen up to the Hurlet coal, a height of about 20 feet. Another fall occurred, and thereafter the deceased miner climbed up on the top of the debris, when his naked light ignited an accumulation of fire-damp. The fireman, who was present, alleged that he inspected the cavity some time before the deceased ignited the gas, and he found it all clear.
1904	May	11	Quarter No 8	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	James Smith	44	Brusher	Falls of side	Fall of roof and side in working face.
1904	May	14	Rosebank	Fife	John Nimmo & Son Ltd	Joseph Young	45	Bottomer	Shaft accidents – miscellaneous	There are two stopping places, one in the lower bottom and one five fathoms above, where coal is ''dugged," and deceased was in charge of the former. The arranged signal was given by him when north cage arrived at lower bottom to rest it, and he took off the empty and was putting on a loaded one when the cage was raised, apparently without a signal, and he was fatally crushed at the door heads. At the time of the accident, and for a short time before, the winding-engine was being worked by a person under 22 years of age From Main body of report: The most important prosecution arose through a fatal accident at Rosebank Colliery, Fife. The facts leading up to the case were that the fireman at the pit, a young man 19 years of age, was in the habit of winding minerals while the engineman in charge was at his breakfast, and while doing so he apparently raised the cage without the necessary signal, and the bottomer was fatally crushed. After the inquiry held under the Fatal Accidents Inquiry Act, the engineman in charge was prosecuted for breach of Special Rule 29 in allowing the fireman to interfere with the engine ; in the course of the trial it came out that the manager, if not exactly sanctioning the fireman to wind minerals, was aware that he did so, as he was present in the engine house on at least two occasions when such was done and did not prohibit it. The Procurator Fiscal, acting on the instructions of Crown Counsel, took proceedings against the manager for contravention of Section 49, General Rule 24, in permitting a person under 22 years of age to work the machinery, &c., two complaints on separate occasions were taken, and the Sheriff Substitute dismissed both, the latter on the ground that notwithstanding the fireman's age it was competent for the manager to allow him to lower or raise material, and that it was not necessarily a contravention of the General or Special Rules. On the second occasion the judge was asked to state a case for appeal which he did. and after reviewing the evidence submitted the following questions of law for the court to decide :— 1. Is the complaint relevant ? 2. Is a colliery manager, who allows or permits a person under 22 years of age, in the circumstances set forth in the above findings, to raise material by means of the winding engine when it is in charge of a winding engineman, guilty of failing to the best of his power to enforce Section 51 of said Act and said Special Rule 29, so as to prevent contravention of or non-compliance therewith ? 3. On the facts stated was the respondent rightly acquitted ? Before finally deciding on the appeal, the Crown Counsel asked for my opinion, and I had no hesitation in holding that General Rule 24 did not allow any person under 22 years of age, to work the winding engine employed in lowering and raising persons in a mine usually entered by machinery, and that in terms of Special Rules 20, 21, 27, 29, and 30 (given below) applicable to engineman, no one but the competent person, 22 years of age, was entitled to interfere or work the engine. Winding Engineman. 20. The Engineman at the Pithead shall, during the hours of his shift, remain in charge of, and so near his engine, as at all times to have it completely and entirely under his control. 21. He shall attend for the purpose of lowering and raising persons in the Mine during the whole time that any person is below ground in the Mine. 27. He shall throughly acquaint himself with, and shall watch and attend to, the various signals made for raising or lowering the Cage, whether laden with persons or materials or when empty. He shall carefully and exactly stop the Cage at the landing places. He shall observe the Indicator attached to the Machinery, showing the position of the load in the shaft, and manage the Brake connected with the Engine. He shall further attend to and see that the Indicator shows the position of the Cage in the Shaft, and that the Indicator, Brakes, and other fittings of the Engine, and any Steam and Water Gauges, and Safety Valves attached to the Steam-Boilers, are kept in good order. 29. He is prohibited from allowing any person whatever to interfere with the Engine, in any way, while being wrought, and from allowing or permitting any person other than those authorised by the Owner, Agent, Manager, Under-Manager, or Overman to enter or remain in the Engine-house. 30. If the winding apparatus is not provided with some automatic contrivance to prevent overwinding, he shall see that the cage, when men are being raised, is not wound up at a speed exceeding three miles an hour after the cage has reached a point in the shaft not less than the circumference of the drum from the surface. The appeal was heard on 15th December 1904, before the Lord President (Lord Kinross), Lord Adam, and Lord Kinnear, who decided in favour of the appellant.
1904	May	17	Mossbeath	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	James Davie	--	----	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	This man was looking for work, and when at the colliery he was run over by a train of waggons.
1904	May	17	Michael	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	John Tevendale	33	Wheeler	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	Deceased had landed a set of three empty tube at the top of a wheel brae, and had then run down a distance of 33 yards to point out to a roadsman where a previous set had been derailed. Unfortunately, in his hurry he neglected to close the blocks behind the empty tubs. His assistant, failing to observe this, uncoupled the first tub and was lowering the others to rest them on the blocks. They passed over on to the brae and ran away. Deceased failed to get clear in time and was fatally injured.
1904	May	23	Quarter	Lanark	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Wm Coyle	20	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	When taking an empty hutch down a dook another hutch let away by two drawers ran down on him.
1904	May	24	Gateside	Dumfries	Sanquhar & Kirkconnel Collieries Ltd	Robert Love	32	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	He returned to a shot of compressed gunpowder, the fuse of which his neighbour stated he had failed to ignite, when it went off.	Newspaper report - Dumfriesshire pages
1904	May	24	Ross	Lanark	Thos Barr's Trustees	John Bond	39	Chain runner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	A race of empty hutches on a dook got unhooked from the rope and ran down on him.
1904	June	1	Blantyre No 3	Lanark	Wm Dixon Ltd	James King	23	Pony Driver	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	Empty hutches ran back down an incline and ran over him.
1904	June	4	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	James Henderson	23	Wheeler	Haulage – run over or crushed by trams & tubs	The wheeler at the top of a short brae drew the block and allowed a loaded tub to run down without the chain ; deceased got behind the empty at the foot of the brae, and loaded tub struck the empty driving it against the wall side where he was crushed.
1904	June	9	Boghead	Linlithgow	Gavin Paul & Sons Ltd	Robert Brownlee	19	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased had gone into a neighbour's place to assist him to turn over a large piece of midstone into the goaf. While doing go a wedge-shaped piece of sandstone, 14 ft. by 4 ft. by 2 ft. 9ins. at extremes, suddenly fell from the roof. The apex struck deceased fracturing hie skull.
1904	June	13 or 14	Allanshaw No 1	Lanark	Allanshaw Coal Co	Edward Harrison	20	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	The cause of the explosion has not been disclosed. The safety lamps were found locked, but a key was found in a coat pocket. From Main body of report: The second fatal explosion occurred in Allanshaw Colliery, Hamilton, and by it two miners lost their lives. These miners worked alone on the afternoon shift, and were engaged taking out a stoop about 130 yards to the dip of the shafts in the Splint coal seam. They worked with safety lamps. A pump attendant stated that about 2 o'clock he was in the engine-house near the pit bottom when he heard something moving, and on going out found the pony used by the miners for drawing their coal up the dook standing on the road and singed. He went up the pit and informed the under manager that something was wrong, and on the latter going down the dook, which is the intake airway, he found at a point 90 yards distant from the pit bottom one of the miners lying dead at the side of a full hutch and the other insensible behind it. One locked safety lamp was lying beside one of the miners, and the other, also locked, was found 16 yards farther down the dook. A key for unlocking safety lamps was afterwards found in the pocket of a coat lying in their working place. The manager stated that fire-damp had not been found in this seam for five years, and it is not known where the gas accumulated or how it became ignited. The day following the explosion I found a very feeble current of air circulating, owing to the waste workings, through which it had to pass before entering the return airway, being closed.	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	June	13 or 14	Allanshaw No 1	Lanark	Allanshaw Coal Co	Patrick Harrison	50	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust		Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	June	17	Mossbeath	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	George Young	45	Labourer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased was in the engine shed, situated between two lines of rails, taking a meal, and after finishing stepped out in front of a train of waggons which knocked him down and passed over him.
1904	June	21	Cadder No 17 (ironstone)	Lanark	Carron Co	Hugh Stewart	20	Drawer	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	A hutch being filled at a heading face ran down and crushed him against the side.
1904	June	21	Polquhairn	Ayr	Polquhairn Coal Co Ltd	Matthew Robertson	30	Bencher	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	Crushed against a prop by hutches on a dook.
1904	June	22	Woodmuir	Edinburgh	United Collieries Ltd	Edward Doyle	14	Greaser	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Two loaded trucks were being run forward from the screens to the weighing table. Deceased was observed passing in the opposite direction, but immediately afterwards, as the shunter was about to insert a snibble in the wheel of the leading truck, he observed the trucks were slowing down, and on looking back saw deceased lying between the wheels of the rear truck. The shunter tried to stop them, but failed; and the rear wheel passed over deceased's thighs, causing injuries which resulted fatally four hours after. A number of pit props were lying about as well as some pointed snibbles, but although several of the officials were on the spot within a few minutes no effort appeared to have been made to ascertain what deceased had been doing, or to preserve the props and snibbles for inspection.
1904	June	24	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	William O'Brien	14	Coupler	Other haulage accidents	The system of haulage for Carrington dook is endless rope, and the wheel 8 feet diameter, for empty side was placed overhead, and above lines of rails for sidings. Deceased and his brother Thomas were standing close by the outside line of rails when the wheel fell and the rope drew it toward the boys, and it struck William on the head killing- him instantaneously. The cause of the wheel falling was the shaft breaking close in to the neck of the journal.
1904	June	24	Hamilton Palace	Lanark	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	John Cook	18	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal	Newspaper report - Bothwellhaugh pages
1904	June	25	Auchinraith	Lanark	Merry & Cunninghame Ltd	George Dick	68	Labourer	On surface – sundries	When unloading trees from a waggon he fell and a tree fell over on him.
1904	June	27	Arniston	Edinburgh	Arniston Coal Co Ltd	Walter Inglis	70	Hutch repairer	On surface – miscellaneous	Deceased was taking an empty tub off the cage at the laigh scaffold, and when it was partly off, the cage was raised, and the tub was thrown on to the plates and struck deceased. It appears that deceased inadvertently gave the signal to raise the cage.
1904	June	28	Leven	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Thomas Orchison	17	Labourer	On surface – miscellaneous	Deceased was partly on the cage apparently cleaning the coal from it, when it was suddenly dropped, and he was caught between it and the ventilating shutter. The engineman had seemingly started to lower the cage without having received a signal.
1904	June	29	Castlecary (Fire clay)	Stirling	John G Stein & Co	Frank Cordiner	42	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased had prepared a shot, and just as he was about to light the fuse a piece of clay fell off the face above and fatally injured him.
1904	June	29	Tannochside No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell	George Hunter jr	19	Miner	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	While illegally drawing in front of a full hutch he was crushed against an empty hutch at the foot of the road.
1904	June	30	Lochhead	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	David Stevenson	45	Trimmer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased and three other workmen moved a loaded waggon from a screen the latter pushed and the former walked alongside pulling. When the moving waggon reached another on the same line of rails it collided and the latter began to move forward and in turn collided with the last waggon of a train which had spring buffers, the result being that it rebounded and moved back to meet the approaching waggon, and when near each other deceased stepped in between to couple them and was crushed between the buffers.
1904	July	2	Little Raith	Fife	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	James Frail	55	Roadsman	Falls of roof	Deceased had set a new wheel tree at the face of a short heading, and was lengthening the chain to suit the altered conditions when the roof, which consisted of a thick sandstone, suddenly burst out above him killing him instantly. Several bars and a prop were broken or swung out by the falling rock.
1904	July	2	Herbertshire No 3	Stirling	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	Joseph Melvin	19	Drawer	Haulage – ropes or chains breaking	As he was walking up a dook behind a full ''race" of hutches a drawbar broke and the hutches ran down on him.
1904	July	4	Whiterigg	Linlithgow	R Forrester & Co Ltd	James O'Donnell	30	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased was holing when part of the face fell out from an unseen lype between two props. The part which fell was fireclay above the coal which is usually propped up for some distance.
1904	July	5	Milnwood No 2	Lanark	Coltness Iron Co Ltd	John Swan	33	Contractor brusher	Falls of side	Fall of side of brushing at road head.
1904	July	7	Wallyford	Edinburgh	Edinburgh Collieries Co Ltd	John Thain	17	Store keeper	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Deceased had examined a waggon at the screens to ascertain if any stores had been left in it, and stepped out to the main line and was run down by the locomotive. The noise made by the coal cleaning and separating plant prevented him hearing the approach of the engine.
1904	July	8	Fordell	Fife	Countess of Buckinghamshire	John Pearson	43	Repairer	Falls of roof	Deceased was enlarging a horse road for the purpose of converting it into a mechanical haulage roadway, and had put up some crowns to support the roof; under one crown he had a centre prop and when he had the crown secured he knocked out this prop, when the crown swung and part of the roof fell.	Newspaper report
1904	July	14	Darngavil	Lanark	Darngavil Coal Co Ltd	Francis O'Neil	34	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased was taking down the upper portion of the seam when the bottom coal, which he had shortly before holed, fell over on him.
1904	July	16	Maxwood	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	David Beggs	52	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	When taking a gunpowder cartridge out of his canister it exploded, having apparently being ignited by a spark from his lamp or his pipe.
1904	July	18	Buckhaven	Fife	Bowman & Co	John Foster	29	Engine cleaner	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased was the worse of drink, and wandered on to the main line of the colliery, and fell across the rails, and being unable to rise lay there until a train passed over him.
1904	July	25	Drumbow	Lanark	Darngavil Coal Co Ltd	David Butler	45	Fireman	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	See report From Main body of report: Occurred at Drumbow Colliery, Lanarkshire, in the lower section of Coxrod or Lower Drumgray coal seam. The shaft was re-sunk from the lower Splint coal, and as there was no second outlet between the seams the air-current passed down from the surface behind a midwall, or fenced off part of the shaft, to the lower Coxrod, and returned back on opposite side of midwall to the lower Splint coal level and after ventilating other workings passed on to the upcast shaft, at the top of which was a fan. Operations at the colliery ceased for the holiday and on the afternoon of the last working day the manager gave instructions that the fan was to be stopped and re-started on the night prior to the colliery being opened to resume work. On the morning when work was to be resumed the fireman arrived at the pit about six a.m. to make his inspection, and while preparing to go below, he was informed by the engineman on duty that the fan had not been started and to be careful ; he descended the shaft with a Davy lamp lighted in one hand, and a naked light on his cap, and after inspecting a portion of workings in an upper seam he was lowered to the bottom and soon after an explosion was heard. The Davy lamp carried by deceased was found a short distance inbye from the shaft in good condition, and near to it was found his open lamp. The explosion was very violent and much damage was done to the roadway and shaft. Gas had not been seen in the seam prior to the accident, but it appeared to be given off freely near some "troubles" and was not allowed to accumulate while work was in progress owing to the good current of air passing around the bratticing. The cause of the accumulation was the stopping of the fan which was contrary to the provisions of Section 49, General Rule 1. Deceased had undoubtedly carried his naked light into the gas, thinking it was safe to do so, and he was evidently misled by the fact that gas had not been seen previously.
1904	July	29	Lumphinnans	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Andrew Innes	31	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased was shovelling some coals down to his roadhead when a stone, 19 ft. long by 2 ft. in width, dropped from between two lypes converging upwards and close to coal face. Part of it fell upon him causing injuries which resulted fatally about an hour afterwards.
1904	July	30	Law	Lanark	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	James Campbell	31	Brusher	Falls of roof	Deceased was shovelling redd down along a longwall face to a neighbour who was topping out a building when a stone suddenly fell upon him killing him instantly. It had probably been shaken by the brushing shot.
1904	August	3	Blantyre No 4	Lanark	Wm Dixon Ltd	John Shearer	58	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of stone from working face. Accident was not reported until after his death on 29th December
1904	August	3	Polton	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	James Gibb	48	Screen attendant	On surface – by machinery	Deceased had apparently been taking a near cut to reach the picking table and to do so had to cross a revolving shaft which caught his clothes, and he became entangled in the machinery. There was no occasion for him to be near the place where he was found.
1904	August	4	Blantyre No 1	Lanark	Wm Dixon Ltd	John King	53	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal
1904	August	4	Tannochside No 1	Lanark	Archd. Russell	Wm Neil	35	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal. Another man was injured.
1904	August	11	Govan No 5	Lanark	Wm Dixon Ltd	Jas Moyse	65	Waggoner	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	When drawing forward waggons to the pit he was met by the locomotive on the adjoining line of rails. The horse took fright, sprang in front of the engine, and both man and horse were killed.
1904	August	15	Craighead No 2	Lanark	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Michael Savage	38	Miner	Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface	When ascending the shaft a wooden prop fell from the surface, struck him and knocked him out of the cage. From Main body of report: The next fatal accident caused the death of a miner who was ascending in the cage, he having been struck by a wooden prop which a pit head worker let slip out of her hands and roll into the shaft.
1904	August	18	Broomrigg-Bonnyrigg No 2	Stirling	Banknock Colliery Co Ltd	Robert Rutherford	50	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	A shot of gunpowder from an adjacent place blew through on him. he having failed to stand clear after being warned to do so.
1904	August	18	Monkland	Lanark	James Dunlop & Co (1900) Ltd	William Allan	35	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased was either holing or taking off coal when the roof suddenly fell away from between lypes and a hitch.	Newspaper report
1904	August	18	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	Charles Briggs	62	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased took down a piece of head coal at face and released a lype which was unseen, causing a stone to fall from the roof upon him. He died 18 days afterwards.
1904	August	25	Rosehall No 5	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	Andrew Morgan	26	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face.
1904	August	26	Eddlewood No 3	Lanark	John Watson Ltd	Michael McGuire	27	Pony Driver	Haulage – run over or crushed by tubs	He was crushed in some unexplained manner between hutches and the roof.	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	August	27	Lochore	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	James Mitchell	34	Sinker	Falls of side	Deceased and ten others were at work in the bottom of a rectangular shaft, 29 ft. by 11 ft. 6 in. inside dimensions. The last 36 fathoms of the sinking had been in whinstone, which had been blasted with gelignite. The barring through the whinstone consisted of pitch pine 3 in. in thickness, and extended practically to pit bottom. The lowest bunton was 36 ft. above the bottom of the barring, it having been considered necessary to keep the shaft clear for this distance to protect the buntons from the shots, and to allow of the slinging in and turning of the planks used for side bars. A large mass of whinstone suddenly slipped away from an irregular back on one side of the pit bursting through the lower 12 ft. of the barring. Deceased was killed and six others were more or less seriously injured. From Main body of report: This was a very unusual accident and was caused by a slip of whinstone from the side of the shaft. The shaft is 29' 0'' by 11' 6" internal dimensions, and is being sunk to the Dunfermline Splint coal lying at a depth of 700 yards. At the time of the accident 296 yards had been sunk, the last 72 yards in whinstone. The sides and ends were barred and had the usual wall-plate and buntons, and when the slip took place the barring was within a few feet of the bottom. The work was carried on by three shifts daily with an aggregate of 54 persons, divided in about equal numbers on each shift. Owing to the hard nature of the metals, Ingersoll drilling machines were in operation, and the blasting was heavy as many as 24 shots, charged with Gelignite, being fired in one round. On the afternoon shift 11 men were in the shaft bottom, and were preparing to stop work for the week end, when suddenly the shaft collapsed, and all were more or less covered with the debris. The cause of the collapse was due to a fracture in the east side of the shaft, which was unseen, and in the course of sinking the principal support at the bottom end of the fracture had been taken away ; the vibration caused by the heavy blasting tended to separate the mass at the fracture from the main body. The last bunton was some distance above the top end of the fracture, but it is very doubtful if the buntons put in at the usual intervals would have prevented the mass from slipping. Whinstone is a very hard substance, and it is not usual to bar it when it is met with in the course of sinking.	Newspaper report - Ballingry pages
1904	August	28	Melgund	Fife	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	William Gray	29	Repairer	Miscellaneous underground – by underground fires	See report From Main body of report: This accident was caused by deceased and a fellow workman being overcome by foul gas, the result of an underground fire, while making their way to a shaft to re-kindle a furnace used for ventilation purposes. The seams worked were the Lochgelly Splint and Parrot coals, the former lying 27 feet above the latter. The top portion of the Splint coal is "left on," and while it is known to give off black damp very largely, it is also liable to spontaneous combustion. The Melgund or winding shaft and Lochend Air shaft were, up to about nine months prior to the accident, downcast, and the Jenny Gray shaft was upcast, at top of which was a Guibal fan 20' x 6' extracting the air. At the time mentioned prior to the accident the workings in Lochend section of Splint coal were much troubled with black damp, and in order to have an adequate supply of air the ventilating system was altered. A furnace was put at the bottom of Lochend shaft while the fan was kept operating at Jenny Gray pit. Melgund shaft then became the downcast common to both upcasts, and the air current split at a junction 209 yards inbye from the downcast shaft, each split ventilating the workings on the way to the respective upcast shafts : this was the system in operation when the accident took place except that while the fan was kept constantly going, the furnace at Lochend shaft was allowed to go out on Saturdays by the instruction of the manager. On the night of the accident deceased and his neighbour descended the Melgund shaft at six o'clock, for the purpose of re-kindling the furnace at the bottom of Lochend shaft, and also to make the usual inspection under General Rule 4 (i) previous to the back shift beginning work at 10 o'clock. About 15 minutes afterwards both returned to the surface and stated that the "air was bad," and after supplying themselves with a "torch" lamp they again descended. At 10 o'clock, when the signal from the firemen was usually given for the shift to descend, the men of the back shift became anxious, and several went down the shaft and proceeded inbye on the haulage road, and on reaching the junction foul gas was met which extinguished the ordinary small lamps carried by them, and after sending a message for assistance some of the party bravely rushed along the roadway and discovered both men about 140 yards inbye from the junction, and with assistance they were brought out and conveyed to the surface. The area from Lochend shaft up to the junction was filled with foul gas, and the horses in the stables had succumbed. At the inquiry held under the Fatal Accident Inquiry Act it was stated that the person in charge of the horses was at the stables at nine a.m. as usual to give the horses a feed, and he did not then observe any foul gas. After making inquiry into all the circumstances I suspected that there was a fire in the vicinity of the Lochend shaft, and that the gases which filled the area between the points named were resultant gases from combustion, and although the management denied at the inquiry that such was possible, a few days later my suspicion was confirmed as a fire was discovered close by the Lochend shaft, and the miners in the section were withdrawn. When the furnace at Lochend shaft was allowed to go out, the fan at Jenny Gray pit pulled from said shaft, and this was proved from the fact that the gases came out to the junction, and on reaching that junction they met a strong current of air passing in from Melgund shaft on its way to the fan shaft, and they were rendered harmless.
1904	September	1	Roman Camp (Oil shale)	Linlithgow	Broxburn Oil Co Ltd	Patrick Keavney	28	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased had fired a shot and was pinching off the shale when a part of the "vees" of a hitch fell over on him.
1904	September	1	Blantyre Ferme	Lanark	A G Moore & Co	Wm Gallacher	25	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	The seam is worked with safety lamps. but as two tobacco pipes, a box of matches, and a burnt match were afterwards found at the point where the explosion happened, it is evident that the gas was ignited while the deceased and his neigh hour were smoking. His neighbour was injured. From Main body of report: The third fatal explosion took place in Blantyreferme Colliery, and by it one man was killed and another injured. These men worked with safety lamps in a narrow bratticed place in the Virgin seam in which a coal-cutting machine was being used. It was stated at the Inquiry by the injured man that they found an accumulation of gas at the face of the brushing, and instead of retiring and reporting this to the officials, they directed the compressed air hose upon the gas and then retired to a distance of 30 yards in the return airway to take their supper. While they were sitting in the return air the explosion occurred. At this point two tobacco pipes, a box of matches, and a burnt match were afterwards found. The deceased miner before his death admitted that one of these pipes shewn to him was his. The other man denied all knowledge of either pipes or matches, but it is evident that they had sat down to smoke and the air current carried the dislodged gas to them, and a match or their pipes ignited it.
1904	September	5	Bent No 3	Lanark	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	George Fleck	28	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal while knocking out sprags
1904	September	6	Broomhouse	Lanark	Haughhead Coal Co Ltd	Patrick McGinnes	40	Brusher	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	When entering a place to commence work his naked light ignited fire-damp. Another man was injured From Main body of report: The deceased brusher and his neighbour were entering a working place to commence work, two hours after it had been inspected by the fireman and reported to be all clear, when their naked lights ignited fire-damp. A strong feeder of gas was afterwards found issuing from a break in the roof.
1904	September	6	Dalmeny (Oil shale)	Linlithgow	Dalmeny Oil Co Ltd	William Harper	60	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	Deceased was assisting to repair a roadway, and while raising an iron girder to the roof it slipped and one end fell on him causing injuries to which he succumbed on 2nd April, 1905.
1904	September	7	Lochore	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Thomas Smith	38	Miner	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased was ill, and was being attended by a doctor. He had been visited as usual and as soon as the doctor left he went from his house direct to the sinking pit and threw himself down. The men at work in the pit bottom had a narrow escape.	Newspaper report - Ballingry pages
1904	September	8	Earnock No 1	Lanark	John Watson Ltd	Robert Bolton	23	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	The shot-firer fired by electricity a shot of roburite, but failed to first see whether or not the deceased had retired from his working place. From Main body of report: The shot-firer got the miner, contrary to instructions, to connect the firing cable to the fuze, and taking it for granted that the latter had retired behind the bratticing he fired the shot and killed him.
1904	September	8	Kenmuir	Lanark	J Dunn & Stephen Ltd	John Keenan	32	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof in working place. The part of the working place in which the accident happened was not propped as required by the regulations.
1904	September	8	Aitken	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Andrew Rumgay	36	Brusher	Falls of roof	While preparing to measure the breadth of the roadway for crowns the roof suddenly fell upon him.	Newspaper report - Beath pages
1904	September	9	Lochgelly	Fife	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	Patrick Bolan	49	Sinker	Shaft accidents – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	A circular shaft, formerly in use, was re-opened, and to do the necessary repairs a scaffold two feet less in diameter than the shaft was requisitioned. The scaffold was suspended with chains at corners, and two winding parallel ropes were used, and while travelling in the shaft four guide ropes kept it in position. The material, &c., was conveyed in tubs fixed on the suspension chain. Deceased and another workman were being raised at the end of their shift, along with a tub, which they did not fix, and on the way up the tub began to move, and deceased in endeavouring to steady it went too near the edge, which caused the scaffold to "cant," and he and tub were precipitated to the bottom, a distance of about 40 fathoms.
1904	September	12	Michael	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	Arthur Morgan	60	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	When fetching some boring drills from an adjoining working place, deceased slipped on the pavement which had an inclination of 1 in 4. His head struck the corner of a building, causing a slight fracture at the base of the skull, which resulted fatally half-an-hour afterwards.
1904	September	15	Clydeside	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Patrick Mckenna	23	Brusher	Falls of roof	Fall of roof from brushing face.
1904	September	16	Cowdenbeath	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Alex Currie	52	----	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased was the worse of drink and wandered on to the sidings, where he was run over by a waggon.	Newspaper report - Beath pages
1904	September	19	Wester Gartshore No 1	Dumbarton	J & A F Wallace	Wm Hawkie	45	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face.
1904	September	19	Begg	Fife	Walter Herd & Son Ltd	John Mackie	37	Miner	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Was injured by a fall of roof, and died from his injury on 15th Nov., 1905
1904	September	21	Boydsburn	Stirling	H & G Graham	David O'Donnell	46	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	When charging a shot hole in limestone with saxonite the charge exploded. Apparently the cartridges were not properly thawed.
1904	September	24	Quarter No 8	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Wm Ramage	41	shaftsman	Shaft accidents -things falling from part way down	When repairing the shaft he overbalanced himself and fell out of the cage. He was under the influence of drink. From Main body of report: The fourth fatal accident took place at Quarter Colliery, Lanarkshire. Two shaftsmen were engaged working in the shaft. The deceased was in the cage handing out a plank to the other man when he overbalanced himself and fell off the cage. He was under the influence of drink at the time, and this was known to the surface foreman and the pitheadman, who in terms of Special Rule 106 ought not to have allowed him to enter the cage.
1904	September	26	Rosehall No 14	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	Michael Curran	45	Fireman	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	He stated that when making his morning inspection his safety lamp went out, and that on striking a match to relight it fire-damp ignited. He appears to have also been carrying a naked lamp. From Main body of report: The fifth fatal explosion happened in Rosehall No. 14 Pit, Lanarkshire. It happened to a fireman when making his morning inspection. His statement was to the effect that when putting up a screen, which he found torn down, his light went out, and on striking a match to re-light it the explosion happened. He had in his possession at the time a naked lamp as well as a safety lamp, and, whether his statement is correct or not, it is evicted that he lost his life by violating the regulations.
1904	September	26	Arniston	Edinburgh	Arniston Coal Co Ltd	John Anthony	42	Farm servant	Deaths not comprised under Mines Act	Deceased was at the depot for coal with two carts, and while the locomotive was shunting he by some unknown means got between the waggons and was fatally crushed.
1904	September	28	Prestongrange	Haddington	Summerlee & Mossend Iron & Steel Co Ltd	Joseph Stafford	24	Brusher	Falls of roof	While engaged cutting " needle " holes in the side walls for crows the roof suddenly fell on him.
1904	September	28	Lassodie Mill	Fife	Rosewell Gas Coal Co Ltd	John Cumming	42	Miner	Other haulage accidents	Deceased and three other workmen arrived at the Dunfermline Splint coal dook to be lowered to their work by the engine. The rake consisted of five tubs, and when the dook rope was attached to the last tub the men boarded the rake, when the tubs were pushed over, four of them ran amain and all managed to get out but deceased who was in the fourth, at 112 yards down they came to a standstill, through some leaving the rails, and the fourth had struck a prop which carried away tho body and threw deceased into a man-hole. The tubs had not been coupled. Had the management provided a safety chain this accident could not have happened.
1904	September	30	Quarter No 7	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	John Robson	45	Miner	Falls of roof	When drawing props at the stoops the roof gave way and caught him.	Newspaper Report - Hamilton pages
1904	October	1	Leven	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	James Smith	26	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased was engaged taking down a piece of stone immediately above the bottom portion of the seam when another piece fell and fractured his left leg. He died from hie injury on 16th August, 1905.
1904	October	2	Swinhill No 2	Lanark	Darngavil Coal Co Ltd	Alexr Melvin	23	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	He went into a section of working not examined by the fireman and from which the ventilation had been cut off, and his naked light ignited fire-damp. From Main body of report: The deceased, without authority to do so, left the section of workings in which he was employed to get a pick in another ventilating district not examined by the fireman from which the ventilation had been cut off, and his naked light ignited fire-damp. This explosion happened on a Sunday, and the place in which it happened was ventilated by compressed air. The air compressor had been stopped for some time previous to the explosion, consequently adequate ventilation was not constantly produced as required by General Rule 1. Mine owners should clearly understand that they are not at liberty to stop their fans or other ventilating power while the mine is not being worked if by doing so accumulations of fire-damp or black damp are likely to collect.
1904	October	7	Cowdenbeath No 10	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	John Gorman	28	Drawer	Haulage – ropes or chains breaking	As soon as the loaded tub had been pushed over the top of a short brae the chain broke and the tub ran down and struck the empty driving it against the side wall and crushed deceased, who died from his injuries 16 days afterwards.
1904	October	14	Kenmuirhill No 2	Lanark	Glasgow Coal Co Ltd	Robert Galloway	24	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	He went back to a shot of compressed gunpowder when it went off. It was stated that he waited fifteen minutes after lighting the fuse, and until he had heard what he thought was the shot going off.
1904	October	15	Little Raith	Fife	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	James Russell	25	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased and two other workmen were preparing to put up a crown to a bad part of the roof when a large stone suddenly fell upon him.
1904	October	19	Queensberry, North Glencrieff Mine (Lead Mine)	Dumfries	Duke of Buccleuch	James Wilson	72	Pump attendant	Shaft accidents - falling from part way down	In some unexplained manner he seems to have fallen down a ladder.
1904	October	20	Hamilton Palace	Lanark	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	Wm Meeke	22	Oncost man	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	Collapse of a brick arch in course of being built. Apparently the centres gave way.	Newspaper report - Bothwellhaugh pages
1904	October	22	Broomhouse	Lanark	Glasgow Coal Co Ltd	Jas Forsyth	43	Under manager	On surface – sundries	The floor of the winding engine-house gave way and he fell through the opening, getting two of his ribs broken. The accident was not reported until after his death on 6th January, 1905.
1904	October	25	Westfield (Limestone)	Edinburgh	William Baird & Co Ltd	John Ferrier	16	Drawer	Metalliferous mines	Deceased was riding up the dook on the loaded rake, standing; on the coupling between the first and second tuba, at a low part of the roof he was caught and thrown off to the side crushed.
1904	November	8	Hallside	Lanark	Jas Dunlop & Co Ltd	Patrick Mellon	50	Brusher	Falls of roof	Full of roof at working face when preparing to put in a building. Apparently he was knocking out props and in consequence the roof was not propped in terms of the Special Rules.
1904	November	9	Blantyre No 2	Lanark	Wm Dixon Ltd	John Wright	46	Picking table foreman	On surface – by machinery	While oiling the machinery in motion he got caught by the shafting.
1904	November	9	Cadzow No 2	Lanark	Cadzow Coal Co Ltd	Jas Canaway	45	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face
1904	November	10	Tannochside No 2	Lanark	Archd. Russell Ltd	Patrick O'Neil	28	Brusher	Falls of side	Fall from side of road while enlarging it.
1904	November	11	Lochhead	Fife	Wemyss Coal Co Ltd	James Storrar	60	Jigger engineman	On surface – by machinery	Deceased was found dead in the jigger engine-house, and the floor beside the fly-wheel was torn up. He had duties to perform in the engine-house and it is thought he had been caught by the fly-wheel of the engine and thrown over and brought round under the floor. The fly-wheel was unfenced.
1904	November	11	Drumshangie	Lanark	Drumshangie Coal Co	James Cairns	44	Miner	Falls of roof	A hitch had been crossed, and deceased was ripping the pavement to make the road have an easy grade; the debris made was thrown into the space above the timbers. A crown broke and the debris fell on deceased while he was boring a hole for a shot. The crown, which was a plank 9 ins. by 3 ins. with 8 ft. span, appeared to be fresh, but there was an old bolt hole at the part where rupture took place.
1904	November	14	Minto	Fife	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co Ltd	James Penman	23	Sinker	Shaft accidents – falling into shaft from surface	The sinking had been completed, and a temporary set of pumps in use in one of the winding spaces was being withdrawn, and at the time of the accident about 12 fathoms of pipes and rods had been raised to the surface. Owing to the length of the rods, 40 ft., they had to be hoisted up through the top scaffold of pithead to enable them to be taken off at the bottom scaffold, and for that purpose a hole 3 ft. 5 ins. by 3 ft. 2 ins, was made. Deceased was about to begin his work with the others, and had occasion to go to the top scaffold, when he inadvertently stepped into the hole and fell to the bottom scaffold, 30 ft., arid from thence he passed through a space of about 2 ft. into the shaft. He was found 12 fathoms down across the oollarings and pipes.	Newspaper report - Auchterderran pages
1904	November	17	Glencraig	Fife	Wilson's & Clyde Coal Co Ltd	William Murray	34	Miner	Falls of roof	Deceased was building some debris, which had fallen from the face of the brushing, in the dip side of his working place when the roof suddenly fell upon him.	Newspaper report - Ballingry pages
1904	November	18	Herbertshire No 3	Stirling	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	John Foy	28	Pit bottomer	Miscellaneous underground – sundries	Shock of electricity from leakage in a power cable. From Main body of report: The electric power plant is a duplicate of that in use at Rosehall No. 5 Pit in which two men lost their lives by electric shock the previous year, the dynamo being a three-phase alternatin current generator working up to 550 volts. From the bottom of the shaft the three cables are carried overhead at a height of about 6 feet 4 inches above the iron plates on the pavement. For a short distance from the shaft bottom each cable consisted of a strand of 19 copper wires of No. 16 gauge, and insulated. The deceased was a bottomer, and had been in the habit of standing on the plates and taking hold of one of these cables at a point about 6 feet distant from the shaft with one hand and touching the ear and face of fellow workmen with the other hand in order to give them a shock of electricity, there apparently having been a slight fault in the insulating material surrounding the cable at this point. The deceased had just descended the shaft with other workman, when he took hold of the cable with his right hand in the manner described, and got a charge of electricity which killed him instantaneously. It was afterwards found that the insulating material of the cable where his hand had touched it was burnt through. The deceased bottomer had been forbidden by the overman to touch the cables the day previous to the accident.
1904	November	19	Rosehall No 13	Lanark	R Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd	Archd Johnston	18	Waggon trimmer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	Crushed in some unknown manner between two waggons.
1904	November	21	Aitkenhead No 2	Lanark	George Crookston & Son	Robert Laird	37	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal, due to want of sprags.
1904	November	21	Wellsgreen	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	William Anderson	21	Labourer	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	The dirt from the picking tables is thrown into a hopper and falls into a tub on the surface level and within a few feet of the main line of railway to the colliery. The tubs are hauled across the line of rails to and from a hoist and the loaded tubs are raised and debris deposited on dirt bing. Deceased was about to pull a loaded tub from under hopper when the front of a train of empty waggons caught him and fatally crushed him. The locomotive was behind pushing the waggons in front, and the brakesman was beside the driver instead of on the leading waggon. The driver whistled as he approached the screens, but apparently by reason of the noise made by the coal cleaning machinery, deceased did not hear the whistle. The arrangement for crossing the line of rails with the tubs was a bad one.
1904	November	21	Neilsland No 1	Lanark	John Watson Ltd	Angus Mathieson	23	Brusher	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at road head while brushing it.
1904	November	24	Quarter No 7	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	John Baird	41	Brusher	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	Struck by a stone projected by a shot of arkite ; having failed to take proper shelter. From Main body of report: Caused by the deceased brusher failing to take proper shelter, when he was struck by a projected stone.
1904	December	1	Eddlewood No 3	Lanark	John Watson Ltd	Wm Shapotch	37	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal and stone, due to want of sprags.
1904	December	7	Cleland Townhead No 40	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	David Pearson	59	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal, due to the want of a sprag.
1904	December	8	Fordell	Fife	Countess of Buckinghamshire	John Lockhart jun	17	Miner	Falls of side	Deceased was filling coal into a tub when a part of the head coal fell and striking him he was killed instantly.
1904	December	9	Newbattle	Edinburgh	Lothian Coal Co Ltd	Walter Pearce	32	Pit bottomer	Shaft accidents – miscellaneoussurface	Deceased stepped forward to cage to adjust some of the tubs when a piece of parrot coal weighing 12 lbs. struck the cage cover and rebounding off it came with terrific force on his head. The coal came off a tub which had just reached the surface and fell a distance of 1,650 feet.
1904	December	13	Greenfield	Lanark	Archd. Russell Ltd	George Glen	36	Roadsman	On surface – railways, sidings or tramways	When crossing a siding he was run over by two waggons which the waggoner was shunting.
1904	December	13	Common No 15 (ironstone)	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	James Steel	16	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of stone from working face. Apparently he was working below it without sprags.
1904	December	13	Dysart	Fife	Earl of Rosslyn's Collieries Ltd	Richard Grubb	33	shaftsman	Falls of side	Deceased and another workman were ascending the shaft on the cage cover after doing some necessary work about a pump, when a stone fell from the side of the shaft, about 20 fathoms .above, and striking him he was knocked off the cage and fell into the shaft at the bottom of which were 20 fathoms of water. The part of shaft from whence stone fell was not lined.
1904	December	17	Dunnikier	Fife	Walter Herd & Son Ltd	William Dickson	30	Drawer	Other haulage accidents	Deceased was assisting another to run a rake of three loaded tubs on a brae dipping 1 in 8. As the tubs went over he ran back to the wheel to apply the brake, and in passing the brake ring his trousers caught a projecting bolt and he was drawn in, and had his leg fractured. He died from his injury on 20th January, 1905.
1904	December	17	Blantyre Ferme	Lanark	A G Moore & Co	David Currie	25	Blacksmith	Shaft accidents – miscellaneous	When attempting to enter the cage at the pithead after it started he got caught and fell to the low scaffold. From Main body of report: The last fatal accident happened at Blantyreferme Colliery to a blacksmith, who in a most reckless manner attempted to jump into an empty hutch in the cage at the pithead after it had commenced to descend. He got caught, and his body fell to the low scaffold.
1904	December	19	Calderbank	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Jas Davidson	25	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of stone from working face.
1904	December	20	Berryhill No 3 (ironstone)	Ayr	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Chas McAuslane	45	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof on road while laying rails.
1904	December	21	Sundrum	Ayr	Dalmellington Iron Co Ltd	Jas Connelly	54	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at working face
1904	December	28	Craighead No 2	Lanark	Wm Baird & Co Ltd	Wm Couldliskie	26	Miner	Falls of roof	Fall of roof at stoops. Other two men were injured. The roof was not propped in terms of the Special Rules	NB Death cert gives name as Wincas Gulbis
1904	December	29	Aitken	Fife	Fife Coal Co Ltd	John Stirling	28	Miner	Miscellaneous underground – by explosives	Deceased worked in a mine cross cutting the metals, and he bored a hole in the side to take off a small “bouting”. In putting in the first cartridge of gelignite with a copper stemmer it exploded. Apparently the explosive was being too hard pressed.
1904	December	29	Quarter No 7	Lanark	United Collieries Ltd	Wm Perrie	20	Miner	Falls of side	Fall of coal while holing. It fell between two sprags set ten feet apart.
1904	December	31	Bowhill	Fife	Bowhill Coal Co Ltd	Robert Brand	21	Miner	Explosions of fire damp or coal dust	See report From Main body of report: This accident occurred in a road recently abandoned in the west section of the Five feet coal seam. The air-current, to ventilate the section, passed in almost direct from the downcast shaft to the working places, and after traversing the faces returned to the upcast shaft, at the top of which was an exhausting fan. Several places, to the left of the place where deceased worked, had been stopped on a "hitch " and to keep the abandoned part clear, the air passed up the first of the roads stopped, and adjoining deceased's place, and to do this, screens were placed on the level between it and the next road. Sometime after a fall took place at one of the old faces, and the fireman in charge of the shift took off the screens, allowing the air to pass direct by the level, and cutting it off the abandoned portion. The alteration was made without consulting anyone or informing the officials above him. Deceased apparently had occasion to go into the road for a private purpose, and when up about 20 yards his naked light ignited some gas causing an explosion whereby he was severely burned and died from the injuries two days afterwards. The quantity of gas appeared to be small as the explosion was slight, and no damage was done. The gas was ignited at a place where there was a small lype in the roof, and a small quantity had been seen five weeks before. It was the duty of the fireman on observing the fall in the air-way to report to his superiors in terms of Special Rule 42, and upon him was also placed the responsibility of fencing the roadway, as required by General Rule 6.

Last Updated 9th August 2012