Housing Conditions of Miners

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

Bothwell Parish

Coal Mining was an important industry to this parish in the early part of the last century, when collieries were at work at Carfin, New Stevenston, Carnbroe, Woodhall,Cleland and Rosehall. Ironstone was also wrought in several places. Great developments have taken place in recent years, as indicated by the increase in population as ascertained from the decennial census which is as follows:-

1851 12283
1861 17903
1871 19292
1881 25466
1891 31362
1901 45902

Table 1 shows that the parish now contains 19 collieries in which 10,733 persons are employed. The total number of houses in the parish is 9846, while the number occupied by miners is 4724 – the number of houses being occupied by miners is this 47.97% of the total. Of these houses, 2285 have been provided by the mine owners, 2407 are rented by miners and 32 are owned by miners

Robert Addie & Sons' Collieries, Ltd, Glasgow

Rosehall Mines- Situated between Bellshill and Coatbridge
Persons employed underground 1320, above ground 320, total 1640

The miners reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Coathill and Whifflet in the Burgh of Coatbridge 358, situated at Rosepark, Parish of Old Monkland 12, situated at Muirpark Rows and Addies' Square, West Bellshill 7
In rented houses, situated at Burghs of Coatbridge and Airdrie, and at Kirkwood, Bargeddie, and Bellshill, in the Parishes of Old Monkland and Bothwell 1200


Viewpark Mine - situated between Bellshill and Uddingston
Persons employed underground 540, above ground 94, total 634

The employees reside in the following localities:- In mine owners' houses situated at Muirpark, Bellshill 300
The remainder in rented houses situated at Uddingston, Bothwell, Blantyre, Bellshill, Hamilton, Shettleston, Cambuslang, Rutherglen and Glasgow.

The mine-owners' houses situated in Bothwell Parish are in 2 lots, and are known as Muirpark Rows and Addies' Square West Bellshill. They contain 132 houses which are described as follows:

1. Muirpark Rows:-

104 Three-apartment houses in 7 blocks Annual rental £11 14s including occupiers' rates

  • Erected about 14 years ago - Brick built, one storey and attics with roof lights - the attics have a floor area of 17 feet 6 inches by 13 feet 6 inches - no damp-proof course - Walls hollow built- plastered on solid - Cement floors - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
  • No overcrowding- apartments good sizeSix lots trough water closets, with 5 seats in each, giving about one for every 4 dwelling houses – ashpits detached
  • Drainage underground – sewage purified before discharged into Calder
  • Gravitation water in kitchen
  • Scavenged at owners' expense, who keep one man constantly employed at £45 per annum
  • These are the only houses of recent construction with attics in the roof, and the room on the ground floor is sometime sub-let to another family, which is not satisfactory, as in such cases they have to carry water from the wash house, and use the trough closet as a slop sink. Sub-letting also tends to overcrowding.
  • These houses are among the first to be provided with trough water-closets, and they are at present mostly occupied by Polish miners from Lithuania
  • No gardens -common wash houses -coal cellars inside each dwelling


2. Addie's Square, West Bellshill:-

23 One-apartment houses Annual rental £3 18s.
5 Two-apartment houses Annual rental £5 4s

  • Erected probably about 80 years ago - Stone built, one storey - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid walls - wood floors, unventilated, one or two of cement - internal surface of walls and ceilings in fair condition, but some are damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No gardens – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • Three lots midden privies, two being of recent construction
  • No sinks - drainage by open channels
  • Water supply by 2 stand pipes
  • Scavenged as stated above

William Baird & Co, Ltd

Bothwell Castle Mine - Pits No 1 and 2 situated near Bothwell village
Persons employed underground 418, above ground 88, total 506

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Bothwell and at Craighead, Blantyre 130
In rented houses, situated at Bothwell 97, Blantyre 135, Uddingston 76, Hamilton 540, Cambuslang 4 , Viewpark 3 and 6 elsewhere


Bothwell Park Mine - Pits No 1 and 2 situated near Fallside
Persons employed underground 548, above ground 120 , total 668

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Bothwell Park 332
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill 104, Muirpark 93, Ashley Grange 21, Bothwell 45, Uddingston 42, Blantyre 9, Wishaw 10, Glasgow 12

The mine owners' houses situated at Craighead, Blantyre are referred to in that Parish.

The mine-owners' houses situated in Bothwell Parish number 219 and are described in 2 groups as follows:


1. Fallside Road - A two storey tenement in Fallside Road contains:-
55 houses of two apartments Annual rental £7 4s
One house of four apartments Annual rental £12
One house of five apartments Annual rental £20
Owners pay all occupiers rates

  • The tenement was erected about 1887 - Stone built - Damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good conditionNo overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No gardens -common wash houses -coal cellars
  • Fourteen water-closets, giving about one for every four houses, movable ashbins
  • No sinks – open cement channels, connected to underground drains
  • Within a special drainage district
  • Gravitation water at 4 standpipes near foot of stairs
  • Scavenged daily- Within a special Scavenging District
  • The water closets were introduced some years ago, when the Scavenging District was formed

2. Bothwell Park - The mine-owners' houses situated at Bothwell Park are mostly in three rows, one storey and contain:

2 Three-apartment houses Annual rental £9 10s
151 Two-apartment houses Annual rental £7
6 Two-apartment houses Annual rental £9
2 One-apartment houses Annual rental £5 10s
1 Five-apartment house Annual rental £20

The owners pay all occupiers rates, which amount to about £2 2d per £

  • These houses were erected about 30years ago - Stone built - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid walls - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings generally good, but in some the surface is broken - Houses comfortablsNo overcrowding recently, although largely occupied by Polish miners - apartments good sizeNo gardens, though some tenants cultivate small part of washing green in front – wash houses – coal cellars
  • 15 privy middens, each with two seats See illustration p28
  • No sinks – surface channels not connected with any drainage system, though a proposal was made to connect with the Bothwell Drainage District
  • Gravitation water at 6 standpipes, placed near the surface channels. The water is also led into the wash houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense, a man being employed to cleanse the privy floors, surface channels and courts daily
  • The sanitary and domestic conveniences here are all placed in one block, wash house, coal cellars, midden privies, being all under one roof
  • In the privies there is an attempt to make some provision for children, an opening being placed on a stone slab some 6 inches above the level of the floor, instead of a ledge to rest on

Barr & Higgins, Calderbank

Woodhall Mine - Situated near Calderbank
Persons employed underground 299, above ground 91, total 390

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Legbrannock Square 16
In rented houses, situated at Calderbank, Chapelhall, Holytown, Newhouse, Airdrie, &c. 374

The mine owners' houses situated at Legbrannock Square, near Holytown, consist of single-storey rows, containing:

10 One-apartment houses Annual rental £4 11s
Two-apartment house Annual rental £6 10s

  • One storey, stone built - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid walls - Wood floors, unventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in fair condition
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden – wash houses – coal cellars
  • Privy middens
  • No sinks – surface channels connected with underground drains, which have been relaid. Channels coated with cement, properly trapped
  • Gravitation water from two standpipes
  • Scavenged weekly

Coltness Iron Co., Ltd

Milnwood Mine - Situated at Bellshill
Persons employed underground 229, above ground 60, total 289

The employees reside in the following localities:-

In mine owners' houses, situated at Calder Road, Mossend 48
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill 187, Mossend 44, Holytown 8
In houses owned by employees at Bellshill 2

The mine owners' houses are known as Coltness Cottages and are situated at Calder Road, Mossend:

34 Two-apartment houses, with sculleries Rental £9 15s, including electric light

  • Erected 15 years ago - One storey, brick - Walls hollow built - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
  • Apartments good size
  • No garden ground – scullery used as wash house – coal cellars
  • 12 water closets in court at rear
  • Dustbins provided
  • Slop sinks outside – one for every 2 houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Gravitation water from standpipe
  • Scavenging daily – within a special district

William Dixon Ltd

Carfin and Cleland Mines - Situated near Motherwell
Persons employed underground 680, above ground 155, total 835
A large number of these are Lithuanians

The employees reside in the following localities:-

In mine owners' houses, situated at Carfin 268, Cleekhimin 22
In rented houses, situated at Carfin, Newarthill, New Stevenston, Motherwell, Wishaw and Hamilton 535
In houses owned by employees at Newarthill and Carfin 10

The mine-owners' houses situated at Carfin number 146 and are described in 9 groups as follows

1. Barracks Square:-
20 One-apartment houses Rental £5 4s
12 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

  • One storey, brick, rough cast - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - No strapping and lathing, plastered on solid - Kitchen floors brick, some worn and irregular - Room floors wood, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings generally good, a few damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden ground – only three of the houses have wash-house accommodation -coal cellars for two apartment houses, no coal cellars for others
  • One water closet to each two apartment house, and six water closets for single -apartment houses
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks outside two apartment houses – surface channels for one apartment houses
  • Drainage underground - within a special district
  • Water supply from 3 stand pipes
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

2. Double Dandy Row:-
8 One-apartment houses Rental £4 11s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls plastered on solid - Floors below ground level - Brick floors in kitchen, wood floors in rooms - Plaster on walls broken in some houses and back wall of some houses slightly damp.
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No gardens – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • 4 water closets at rear of row, giving one closet for every 4 houses
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks inside with gravitation water
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

3. Cottage Row:-
3 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Brick floors in kitchen, wood floors in rooms, unventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – apartments large
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One water closet at rear of houses
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks inside with gravitation water
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

4. Brick Row (Front):-
16 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

  • One storey, brick - Erected over 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls hollow built - Brick floors with exception of two rooms which have wooden floors - Internal surfaces of walls good with the exception of houses next exposed gables, which are damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One water closet for every four families – situated behind rows
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks inside with gravitation water
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

5. Brick Row (Back):-
16 One-apartment houses Rental £4 11s

  • One storey, brick - Erected over 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls hollow built - Unplastered, the bricks being painted or papered - Back wall rough cast - The gable wall of No 9 is very damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One water closet to every four families, situated at rear of row
  • Dustbins provided
  • One outside sink, without water, for every two houses
  • Water supply from 2 stand wells
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

6. Byres Knowe:-
7 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Brick floors in kitchen, wood floors in rooms, unventilated - Internal surfaces of walls fairly good
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One water closet for every four families
  • Dustbins provided
  • Inside sinks, with gravitation water
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

7. Stone Row (Front):-
19 One-apartment houses Rental £5 17s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Brick floors, some worn and irregular - Internal surfaces of walls good, with the exception of No 12 which is slightly damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments large
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One water closet for every four families
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks inside with gravitation water
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

8. Stone Row (Back):-
18 One-apartment houses Rental £4 11s
1 Two-apartment house Rental £7 3s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Hollow walls, unplastered, painted or papered on brick - Brick floors, some irregular - Wooden floors in two-apartment house
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One water closet for every four families
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks outside, without water – one sink to every four houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Gravitation water from two street wells in front of houses
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

9. Bell Row:-
4 One-apartment houses Rental £4 11s
14 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

  • One storey, stone building, containing 1 one and 3 two apartment houses - Erected over 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Floors of brick or cement in kitchens, wood in rooms - Internal surfaces of walls generally good

3 One-apartment houses and 4 Two-apartment houses

  • One storey, stone - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Walls generally good, back wall damp in places through defects in roof

7 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s

  • One and a half storeys, stone built - Erected about 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Stone floors in kitchen - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good conditionNo garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • 5 water closets, giving one to every 4 families
  • Dustbins provided
  • Sinks inside with gravitation water
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district
  • A great many repairs have been carried out on these properties. Chimney heads are being rebuilt and pointed; skews are being repaired; and during the last year the brick floors of 40 houses have been relaid with wood and ventilated underneath, and 30 more in hand at present
  • The occupants here are mostly Polish miners, who are remarkable cleanly in their habits. Since the introduction of water closets system a great deal of trouble has been experienced from the misuse of these conveniences, and this misuse has been almost entirely confined to the non-foreign section of the community

Haughhead Coal Co Ltd

Haughhead Mine - Situated near Uddingston
Persons employed underground 212, above ground 43, total 255

The employees reside in the following localities:-

In mine owners' houses, situated at Thorniewood Rows, Uddingston 25
In rented houses, situated at Uddingston 45, Broomhouse 20, Tollcross 10, Baillieston 32, Newton 20, Tannochside 15, Caldervale 10, Cambuslang 10, Blantyre 3, Motherwell 4, Shettleston 20, Glasgow 40

The mine owners' houses situated at Thorniewood Rows are described as follows:

36 One-apartment houses Rental £4 6s 8d
33 Two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s and £9 2s
1 Three-apartment house Rental £8 13s 4d

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, some ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls fairly good - One-apartment houses back to back
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden ground – wash houses and coal cellars provided
  • 4 ashpits and 12 privies in centre of rows – 3 ashpits and 9 privies east of back-to-back rows
  • No sinks – drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense
Notes on Thorniewood Rows- the Company submitted plans showing one WC for every 4 houses, new drainage system, and increased water supply. Original proposals modified owing to risk of mineral subsidence. No assurance given Company that these improvements would meet the requirements of the District Committee

J. McAndrew & Co

Thankerton Mine - Situated near Holytown
Persons employed underground 360, above ground 90, total 450

The employees reside mostly in rented houses in Holytown and district. 10 of the employees are owners of houses

The mine owners' are lessees of 78 houses which are occupied by their employees. These houses are known as Bairds Square, Holytown, and consists of:-
40 One-apartment houses Rental £5 12s
38 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 7s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 80 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Floors mostly wood, some ventilated - Brick floors worn and irregular, and earth floors under beds - Internal surfaces of walls generally good - No eaves guttering
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • 8 privy middens in centre of square between rows
  • No sinks – channels in front of houses
  • Water supply by 2 stand pipes
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense

Notes on Bairds Square, Holytown– Houses gutted out and re-plastered. Windows provided in back wall of one-apartment houses. Wooden floors provided; chimney heads rebuilt and outside walls pointed; roofs renewed and re-slated. Eaves gutters and rain conductors provided. Coal cellars for each house. Complete new drainage system. Now in Special Scavenging District; daily service

J. McAndrew & Co are also owners of 14 houses at Thankerton No 2 Pit, Mossend:-
10 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 7s 4d
4 One-apartment houses Rental £5 12s 8d

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 80 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, unventilated - One stone floor and one brick floor irregular - Plaster broken in places
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One ashpit and two privies in front of houses
  • No sinks – open surface channels, with standpipe at top
  • Scavenged 2 times weekly at owners' expense

Notes on Thankerton No 2 Pit – the two-apartment houses have been provided with scullery, sink, water supply and WC for each dwelling, also coal cellars and washhouses. 4 one-apartment houses have been demolished

A G Moore & Co

Blantyreferme Mine - See Blantyre Parish

38 two-apartment houses, situated at Nackerty in the parish of Bothwell Rental £6 10s

  • One storey, stone - Erected about 50 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Brick floors in kitchen, mostly worn and dilapidated - Wood floors in rooms, unventilated - Plaster on walls crumbling under paper
  • No gardens – no wash houses – coal cellars
  • Two ashpits and 8 privies at rear of east row – one ashpit and two privies at rear of west row
  • Sinks with water in houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 2 times weekly at owners' expense but premises are not well kept

Notes on houses at Nackerty– Plans submitted by Company showing scullery annexe with washing boiler, a coal cellar for every houses, and a WC for every two houses. Committee considered plans on the whole satisfactory but agreed to recommend that owners be asked to provide a WC for each house and that owners should favourably consider as to re-flooring kitchens with wood. This recommendation has not been given effect to.


18 Two-apartment houses situated at Towie Place:
Two-storey, stone - Erected about 50 years ago Rental £10 8s
7 Two-apartment houses

  • One storey, stone - Erected about 70 years ago Rental £9 2s
  • No damp-proof course - Two-story block strapped and lathed, one storey block plastered on solid - Cement floors on ground flat, unventilated - Upper floors wood - Plaster broken in some of the houses and in one-story block slightly damp
  • Apartments good size – in many instances the room is sublet to another family
  • No gardens- one washhouse- coal cellars
  • 4 trough WC at rear of two storey block
  • Sinks with water in houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged daily – within a special district

Notes on Towie Place– single apartment houses provided with WC for every 2 houses. Opening windows in back wall. Roofs repaired, rhones and conductors provided. Two apartment houses – on ground floor a WC for every two houses, and on 1st floor a WC for every 3 houses. Four washhouses provided.

James Nimmo and Co Ltd

Holytown Mine
Persons employed underground 363, above ground 75, total 438

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Nimmo's Buildings, New Stevenston 105
In rented houses, situated at New Stevenston, Cleekhimin, Flemington, Carfin, Bellshill, Newarthill, Chapelhall, Motherwell and Coatbridge 307
In houses owned by employees at Cleekhimin, New Stevenston and elsewhere 26


Nimmo's Buildings, New Stevenston
107 Two-apartment houses, with sculleries Rental £7 16s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 12 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – sculleries used as wash houses – coal cellars
  • 36 pail privies situated at rear of houses, giving one privy for every 3 houses
  • 18 ashpits, detached
  • One outside sink for every two houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Gravitation water from standpipes
  • Scavenged at owners' expense
  • Many of these houses are already racked by the coal workings. The sculleries are very small, are only used as washhouses during very inclement weather, and as they are not provided with boilers, all water has to be heated on kitchen fire.
  • The premises as a whole are kept very tidy.

John Park

Linrigg Mine - Situated near Newhouse
Persons employed underground 40, above ground 4 , total 44
There are no houses owned by the mine owner. The employees reside in rented houses at Newarthill, Chapelhall and Airdrie.

Archibald Russell Ltd

Tannochside Mine - Situated near Uddingston
Persons employed underground 760, above ground 172, total 932

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Tannochside 260
In rented houses, situated at Tannochside, Thorniewood, Nackerty, Uddingston, Bellshill, Baillieston, Cambuslang, Shettleston, Rutherglen, Airdrie and Coatbridge 672

The mine owners' houses situated at Tannochside number 210 and are described in 3 groups as follows:-

1. Russell Place:-
29 Two-apartment houses, with sculleries Rental £10 8s

  • Two-storey, stone - Erected about 9 years ago under Building Bye-Laws - Damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – common wash houses – coal cellars
  • Sinks in sculleries with gravitation water

2. Hozier Street:-
93 One-apartment houses Rental £3 14s to £4 13s

  • One storey, brick - Erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid
  • Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – kitchen good size – room very small measuring 8 feet by 8 feet
  • No garden ground – common wash houses – coal cellars
  • No sinks – open channels in front
  • Gravitation water from standpipes

3. Laidlaw Street:-
88 Two-apartment houses

  • 40 being erected about 9 years ago under Building Bye-Laws, and the others about 20 years ago. Rental of old houses £8 3s, Rental of new houses £9 2s
  • Brick building - Damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – wash houses – coal cellars
  • 40 houses have sculleries with sinks and gravitation water, others open channels in front and stand pipes
  • In connection with the above houses there are 36 WC and 30 privies with 5 ashpits attached, which gives one WC or privy to every 4 houses. Here the 40 houses erected about 9 years ago are provided with privy middens, while the older houses have been provided with WC and ashbins. The channels are kept well flushed with pit water from a 1 ½ inch pipe
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense

Summerlee Iron Co Ltd

Hattonrigg Mine - Situated at Bellshill
Persons employed underground 622, above ground 83 , total 705

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Bellshill 89, Coatbridge 2
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill 386, Mossend 126, Holytown 18, Uddingston 6, Carfin 1, Calderbank 1, Netherburn 1, Cambuslang 1, Coatbridge 65, Motherwell 4, Wishaw 3, Rutherglen 1, Glasgow 1


Orbiston Mine - Situated at Bellshill
Persons employed underground 589, above ground 142, total 731

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Bellshill 248
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill 382, Holytown 12, Uddingston 9, Motherwell 40, Coatbridge 24, Airdrie 6, Glasgow 7
In houses owned by miners at Bellshill 3


The mine owners' houses for this and the preceding mine number 191, and are described in 5 groups as follows

1. Old Orbiston Rows:-
16 One-apartment houses Rental £5 6s
16 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 7s

  • One storey, brick built, back to back - Erected about 70 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on brick - Brick floors in kitchen, worn and dilapidated, wood floors, unventilated, in rooms of two-apartment houses - Many internal walls damp, and plaster crumbling
  • No overcrowding – apartments large
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • One ashpit and two privies at end of row; one ashpit and two privies at rear of back row; one ashpit between rows
  • No sinks – drainage by open channels
  • Water supply from standpipes in front
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

2. New Orbiston Rows:-
1 Three-apartment house
74 Two-apartment houses Rental £9 19s

  • One storey, stone built, brick back - Erected about 18 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Condition of walls generally good
  • No overcrowding – apartments large
  • No garden ground – wash houses – coal cellars
  • 4 ashpits and 8 privies, between front and rear row
  • Outside sinks for front row- one for every 4 house; surface channels for back row
  • Gravitation water from 4 standpipes
  • Scavenged daily – within a special district

3. Chapel Square and Miners' Square:-
17 One-apartment houses Rental £4 4s 6d
11 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 17s

  • One storey, stone built, one storey, brick built - no damp-proof course - Walls plastered on solid - Some damp - Brick floors, worn and irregular - Internal surfaces of walls fair - Plaster of some broken
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • Ashpit and two privies in rear of square
  • No sinks – drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipe in back square
  • Scavenged daily – within a special district

Notes on Chapel Square & Miners' Square– These houses have now been shut up by arrangement with owners.

4. High Biggan, Mossend:-
16 One-apartment houses Rental £5 8s 4d
8 Two-apartment houses Rental £8 4s 8d

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls plastered on solid - Wood floors, unventilated - Walls generally good
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No garden ground – wash houses and coal cellars provided
  • One ashpit and four privies in front of row and one ashpit and four privies at rear of row
  • No sinks – drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes
  • Scavenged 2 times weekly at owners' expense

Notes on High Biggan- One apartment houses converted into two apartment houses. There are now 16 room-and-kitchen dwellings with scullery and WC to each. Scavenged daily – within a special district.

5. Hattonrigg, Bellshill
32 Two-apartment houses Rental £9

  • Two storey, brick built - Erected last year under Building Bye Laws - Walls hollow built - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • Garden ground available - washhouses – coal cellars
  • WC for every 4 tenants
  • No sinks – drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from 4 standpipes at foot of stairs
  • Scavenged daily – within a special district

United Collieries Ltd

Carfin Mine
Persons employed underground 370, above ground 97, total 467

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Baillieston 35, Bredisholm 33, Calderbraes 16, Clydeside 7
In rented houses, situated at Uddingston, Baillieston &c. 376

A large number of the company's employees resident in Old Monkland Parish work in the Company's mines situated in Bothwell Parish, but only the houses situated in Bothwell Parish are dealt with here.


The mine owners' houses number 327 and are described in 12 groups as follows

1. Byresknowe, Carfin:-
7 One-apartment houses Rental £3 18s
9 Two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Cement floors - Walls fairly good with the the exception of No 8 which is damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • WC recently provided, one for every 4 families
  • Sinks inside, with gravitation water, presently being provided
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

Notes on Byresknowe – scavenged daily – within special district. Inside sinks have been provided


2. Blackship Row, Carfin:-
8 One-apartment houses Rental £3 18s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Cement floors - Internal surfaces of walls fair - Plaster broken in places - Some of rear walls wood lined - Ceilings wood lined - Roof defective rendering, back wall damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • Wc recently provided, one for every 4 families
  • Sinks inside, with gravitation water, presently being provided
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

Notes on Blackship Row– scavenged daily – within special district. Inside sinks have been provided


3. Bellerophon Row, Carfin:-
6 Two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Floors mostly cement, but room floors and floors in No 6 have been renewed with wood - Plaster of walls broken, and room walls very damp - Roof defective - Windows in rooms have only one opening pane
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • WC recently provided, one for every 4 families
  • Sinks inside, with gravitation water, presently being provided
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

Notes on Bellerophon Row – scavenged daily – within special district. Inside sinks have been provided


4. Bell Row, Carfin:-
12 One-apartment houses Rental £3 18s
17 Two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 60 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls hollow built - Plastered on solid - Floors cement in kitchen, wood floors in rooms - Walls fairly good, some damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – some houses have small sculleries with boilers – no coal cellars
  • WC recently provided
  • Inside sinks, with gravitation water in front houses. Channel at back houses, with standpipe
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged 3 times per week – within a special district

Notes on Bell Row – scavenged daily – within special district.


5. Calderbraes Row, near Uddingston:-
14 Two-apartment houses Rental £4 17s 6d to £6 16s 6d

  • Erected about 22 years ago - One storey, stone front, brick back - Damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition - Four of these houses are provided with sculleries
  • No overcrowding although in four houses at the north end of the row the room is very small and has no fireplace or bed recess
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – all have coal cellars
  • 3 ashpits and 3 double privies at rear of houses
  • Sinks in sculleries with water laid on – other houses have channels in front and two standpipes
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense

Notes on Calderbraes Row – 9 houses which had no scullery and water-supply have been provided with sink and water in the kitchen windows


6. No 3 Pit, Aitkenhead:-
6 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s to £5 17s
1 Three-apartment house Rental £9 15s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 50 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • Gardens in front- washhouses and coal cellars
  • Ashpit and two privies at end of row
  • Outside sinks
  • Gravitation water from standpipe at washhouse
  • Drainage underground
  • Scavenged 2 times weekly at owners' expense

7. No 4 Pit, Aitkenhead:-
7 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s to £5 17s
1 Three-apartment house Rental £9 15s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 50 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Walls papered and in good condition
  • No garden ground – no washhouses – coal cellars at back of row
  • Ashpit and two privies at end of row
  • No sinks – surface channels
  • Gravitation water supply from standpipe at head of surface channel
  • Scavenged 3 times weekly at owners' expense

8. Aitkenhead Old Rows:-
40 One-apartment houses Rental £4 2s 4d
25 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 50 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Floors in kitchen cement or brick - Brick floors broken and irregular - Two rooms with unventilated wood floors - Walls generally in fair condition
  • All these houses are back-to-back with the exception of 2 two-apartment houses in the front row which are brick built
  • No overcrowding, although the room in the two-apartment houses only measure 8ft by 8ft and is lit from the roof
  • 3 ashpits and 6 privies at rear of back row
  • No sinks – open channels between rows and in front
  • Gravitation water from 6 standpipes between rows
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense

Notes on Old Rows, Nackerty – Improvements are being carried out, including the conversion of 24 one-apartment, back-to-back houses into 12 two-apartment houses and the provision of a scullery fitted with washing boiler, sink, and gravitation water supply for each dwelling with a water closet for every two dwellings


9. Newlands Square:-
29 One-apartment houses Rental £4 11s
29 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 36 years ago - no damp-proof course - Front wall strapped and lathed - Wood floors, unventilated - Internal surfaces of walls fairly good - Some walls rent by underground workings but tenants state that repairs to walls &c. are very promptly carried out
  • No overcrowding, although rooms in two-apartment houses are very small
  • No garden ground – no wash houses – no coal cellars
  • 4 privies and 2 ashpits
  • No sinks – drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes outside
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense

10. Oilwork Row, Nackerty:-
14 One-apartment houses Rental £4 11s
4 Two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls plastered on solid - Cement floors in kitchen, wood floors in rooms, unventilated - Internal surfaces of walls and ceilings fairly good
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • Some garden ground – no washhouses – no coal cellars
  • 2 ashpits and 4 privies in front of row
  • No sinks – drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from 2 standpipes
  • Scavenged 3 times weekly at owners' expense

11. Cuthbert Street, Tannochside:-
78 Two-apartment houses Rental £9 2s

  • Two storey, brick built - Erected about 15 years ago - Damp-proof course - Hollow walls - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No garden ground – wash houses and coal cellars provided

Notes on Cuthbert Street– scullery with sink, water supply and washhouse boiler, WC and coal cellar provided for each house

12. Donaldson Place, Tannochside:-
20 Two-apartment houses Rental £10 8s

  • Two storey, stone front, gables and back brick - Erected about 15 years ago - Damp-proof course - Front wall strapped and lathed - Back wall hollow - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls good
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • For both the above properties there are 3 ashpits and 24 privies in centre of rows
  • Inside sinks, with gravitation water, in all houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Scavenged daily at owners expense

Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co Ltd

Douglas Park Mine - Situated at Bellshill
Persons employed underground 304, above ground 43, total 347

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Douglas Park & East Parkhead 163
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill, Mossend, Bothwell & Airdrie 184


East Parkhead Mine - Situated at Bellshill
Persons employed underground 302, above ground 51, total 353

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at East Parkhead and Douglas Park 165
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill and Bothwell 188


The mine owners' houses at Douglas Park are described as follows:-
18 One-apartment houses Rental £5 10s 6d

  • One storey, stone built - Back-to-back houses - Erected about 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated

44 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s to £8 9s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 20 years ago - no damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated
  • No overcrowding – apartments good size
  • No gardens – common wash houses – coal cellars
  • 6 privy middens in centre of square, and 3 privy middens to rear of houses
  • Outside sinks, without water – one for every two houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Gravitation water in washhouses and at a standpipe outside
  • Scavenged daily – within a special district
  • Since the daily system of scavenging was introduced, the Sanitary inspector has been arranging for the abolition of privy middens and the provision of WC with moveable dustbins. This has not been carried out at these properties because the sewer in this area has been seriously affected by underground workings, and a temporary outlet had to be found which could bot be used for WC sewage.

The mine owners' houses at East Parkhead are described as follows:-
112 Two-apartment houses Rental £7 3s to £8 9s

  • Erected about 15 years ago - One storey, stone built - no damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls generally good, some damp
  • No overcrowding – apartments fair size
  • No gardens – washhouses – coal cellars
  • 30 privies are provided, one per 4 families
  • Outside sinks – one per 4 houses
  • Drainage to main sewer – within a special district
  • Gravitation water laid on to washhouses and standpipes outside
  • Scavenged daily – within a special district