Housing Conditions of Miners

Extracted from "The Housing Condition of Miners" Report by the Medical Officer of Health, Dr John T. Wilson, 1910

Cambuslang Parish

Coal had been wrought in this parish from early times. The collieries situated at Wellshot are said to have been the oldest in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, and the following extract from "The Statistical Account of Lanarkshire" published in 1851, may be of interest:

"In 1790 about 62 men, young and old, were employed in these collieries; at present 100 are employed. An ordinary collier can easily dig 40 cwts, for which he then received 2s 2d per day, and if he wrought hard, 13s per week. At present a collier can make 3s 6d or 4s a day, or at the rate of £1 to £1 4s a week. The wages of colliers an other incidental expenses were then estimated at £2000 per annum; they may be now estimated at £2500. In 1790 about 600 carst, or 360 tons, were put out per week, and 18,000 tons per annum. At present the output is nearly 550 per week or 30,000 per annum. In 1750 a cart of coals of 9cwt cost 9d on the coal hill; in 1790 they cost 2s; and at present 2s 11d. A cart of coals from Wellshot, weighing 20 cwts, is now laid down at the village of Kirkhill for 7s 4d. The driving is 1s. 6d., toll 3d., and cost at the hill 5s 7d."

The miners' houses in existence in 1860 have all been cleared away except Old Rows at Newton. The coal fields now being wrought are all at some distance from the town and mostly date from the early seventies. The census population is a follows:-

1851 3306
1861 3647
1871 3740
1881 9447
1891 15364
1901 20211

Table 1 shows that the parish now contains 7 collieries, in which 3426 person are employed. The total number of houses in the parish is 4,611, while the number occupied by miners is 1,593 - that is 34.54% of the total. Of these houses, 532 have been provided by mine owners, 1049 are rented by miners and 12 are owned by miners.

James Dunlop & Co Ltd

Hallside Mine
Persons employed underground 268, above ground 69, total 337

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Newton 164
In rented houses, situated at Cambuslang and Glasgow 173

Newton Mine
Persons employed underground 604, above ground 128, total 732

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Newton 542
In rented houses, situated at Cambuslang and Glasgow 190

The mine owners' houses situated at Newton number 356 and are described in 3 groups as follows:-

1. Old Rows
56 One-apartment back to back houses Rental £3 13s 8d
16 Two-apartment houses Rental £4 11s
8 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s

Erected about 57 years ago - One storey, stone built - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid walls - Brick floors - Walls are damp - About half these houses are unoccupied and are in a dilapidated condition
No overcrowding - apartments large
Garden ground (unused) - no wash houses - no coal cellars
3 privy middens about 30 feet from dwellings
No sinks- drainage by surface channels
Gravitation water from standpipes opposite dwelling houses, and from 20 to 100 feet distant
Scavenged at owners' expense

Notes on Old Rows, Newton- As a result of negotiation these 80 houses have all been demolished

2. Montgomery Place and Pitt Street, Newton
132 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

Erected about 22 years ago - Two storey, brick built - no damp-proof course - Walls not strapped and lathed, plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Some walls slightly damp - Ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
No garden ground - wash houses and coal cellars provided
Six privy middens, between rows, 35 feet from houses
No sinks- drainage by surface channels
Gravitation water from wells opposite houses and from 20 to 100 feet distant
Scavenged at owners' expense

Notes on Montgomery Pl & Pitt St - WCs have been provided in the proportion of one for every two houses. Inside sinks with gravitation water supply. Scavenged daily - now in special Scavenging District

3. Bridge Street, Clyde Street & Dunlop Street, Newton
134 Two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s
10 One-apartment houses Rental £4 6s 8d

Erected about 22 years ago - One storey, brick built - no damp-proof course - Walls not strapped and lathed, plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Some walls slightly damp - Ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
No garden ground - no wash houses - coal cellars provided
Six privy middens, 6 feet from houses
No sinks- drainage by surface channels
Gravitation water from wells opposite houses and from 20 to 100 feet distant
Scavenged at owners' expense

Notes on Bridge Street, Clyde Street & Dunlop Street, Newton- Scullery fitted with boiler for each house. WC for every two houses. Sinks in scullery with gravitation water supply. Scavenged daily - now in special Scavenging District

Flemington Coal Co Ltd

Gateside Mine - Situated near Cambuslang
Persons employed underground 450, above ground 90, total 540

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Flemington 14, Gateside 16
In rented houses, situated at Cambuslang, Rutherglen and Glasgow 506
In houses owned by employees at Cambuslang 4

The mine owners' houses situated at Gateside are described as follows
16 Two-apartment houses Rental from £8 17s 8d to £9 6s 4d

Erected about 18 years ago - Two storey, brick built - no damp-proof course - No strapping and lathing - Plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Walls and ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
Garden ground cultivated - wash houses - coal cellars
WC at foot of stairs, one to every 4 houses
Inside sinks with gravitation water
Drainage to main sewer - within Special Drainage District
Scavenged daily - within Special Scavenging District

There are 32 two-apartment houses situated at Flemington belonging to the same firm, rental £9 6s 4d

Erected about 18 years ago - Two storey, brick built - no damp-proof course - No strapping and lathing - Plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Walls and ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
No garden ground - washhouses and coal cellars
WC at foot of stairs, one to every 4 houses
Inside sinks with gravitation water
Drainage to main sewer - within Special Drainage District
Scavenged at owners' expense

Archibald Russell Ltd

Dechmont Mine - Situated near Cambuslang
Persons employed underground 610, above ground 150, total 760

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Flemington 110
In rented houses, situated at Flemington, Lightburn, Westburn, Halfway, Cambuslang, Carmyle and elsewhere 650

Loanend Mine No 3, Dechmont
Persons employed underground 280, above ground 40, total 320

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Loanend 20
In rented houses, situated at Blantyre and Cambuslang

The mine owners' houses situated at Flemington and Loanend number 96 and are described as follows:-

Flemington
44 Two-apartment houses Rental £9 2s

Two storey, brick built - Erected about 18 years ago - no damp-proof course - No strapping and lathing - Plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Walls and ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
WC at foot of stairs, one to every 4 houses
Inside sinks with gravitation water
Drainage to main sewer - within Special Drainage District
Scavenged at owners' expense

There are also 32 Two-apartment houses Rental £8 9s

One storey, brick built - Erected about 33 years ago - no damp-proof course - No strapping and lathing - Plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings good, clean
No overcrowding - apartments large
Gardens (unused) - no wash houses - no coal cellars
3 privy middens, 30 feet behind dwellings
No sinks- drainage by surface channels
Gravitation water from standpipe in front of houses
Scavenged at owners' expense

Notes on Flemington - Scavenged daily - now within Special Scavenging District

Loanend
16 Two-apartment houses Rental £9 14s
3 Three-apartment houses Rental £14 5s
1 Four-apartment house Rental £19

Each house has a scullery - One storey, brick built - Erected under Building Bye Laws in 1909 - Damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
No overcrowding - apartments large
Garden ground available - wash houses - coal cellars
WC within each house
Slop sinks, with gravitation water, within each house
Drainage treated in small private installation
Common ashpit at the extremity of site
Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

Notes on Low Row - Scullery with sink, gravitation water and coal cellar provided for each dwelling. WC for every 2 tenants. Scavenged daily - now in special Scavenging District

Summerlee Iron Co Ltd

Bardykes Mine
Persons employed underground 270, above ground 70, total 340

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Bardykes 20
In rented houses, situated at Blantyre, Cambuslang, Hamilton, Motherwell and Glasgow 320

The mine owners' houses are situated at Bardykes and are described as follows:-
12 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 13s
4 Three-apartment houses Rental £10 10s

Erected 3 years ago, under Building Bye Laws - These comprise one two-storey block, brick built - Some walls strapped and lathed, others hollow built - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good order
No garden ground - common wash houses - coal cellars are provided
4 WCs outside, about 30 yards distant
No sinks - surface channels connecting to underground drain
Gravitation water from standpipes outside
Scavenged at owners' expense

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United Collieries Ltd

Gilbertfield Mine - Situated near Cambuslang
Persons employed underground 315, above ground 82, total 397

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Gilbertfield 72
In rented houses, situated at Cambuslang 108, Newton 3 , Blantyre 1, Rutherglen 7, Glasgow 4
In houses owned by employees at Halfway 2

The mine owners' houses situated at Gilbertfield are described as follows:-
46 Two-apartment houses Rental from £7 16s to £9 2s
13 One-apartment houses Rental from £6 10s to £7 3s
5 Three-apartment houses Rental from £9 15s to £11 1s

Two storey, stone front, brick back - Erected about 26 years ago - no damp-proof course - No strapping and lathing - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
No garden ground - washhouses and coal cellars
10 WCs, situated in closes - dustbins
Inside sinks with gravitation water
Drainage to main sewer - within Special Drainage District
Scavenged daily - within Special Scavenging District

48 two-apartment houses, situated at Graham's Buildings, Halfway Rental £7 15s

Two storey, stone front, brick back - Erected about 20 years ago - No strapping and lathing - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings good
No overcrowding - apartments large
No garden ground - washhouses and coal cellars
12 WCs under outside stairs - dustbins
Inside sinks with gravitation water
Drainage to main sewer - within Special Drainage District
Scavenged daily - within Special Scavenging District

Westburn Rows

These houses were originally built by the Westburn Coal Company, but are now privately owned, and about 90% of them are still occupied by miners
84 One-apartment houses Rental £4 to £6 10s
2 Two-apartment houses Rental £9 2s to £10 8s

One storey, brick built - Erected about 35 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
No overcrowding - apartments large
No garden grounds available - no wash houses - no coal cellars
One WC for every 4 houses
Sinks with water inside houses
Drainage to main sewer - within Special Drainage District
Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

Notes on Westburn Rows- Scavenged daily - now within Special Scavenging District

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