Shotts Parish - Housing Conditions of Miners

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

Coal mining has been carried on in this parish from very early times, the greatest development taking place about the end of the seventies, as indicated by the census population which is as follows:-

1851 5982
1861 7343
1871 8353
1881 11214
1891 11957
1901 15562

Table 1 shows that the parish contains 21 collieries, in which 4462 persons are employed. The total number of houses in the parish is 3067, while the number occupied by miners is 1618 - that is 52.75% of the total. Of these houses, 529 have been provided by the mine owners, 993 are rented by miners, and 96 are owned by miners.

The more important towns and villages in this parish are Benhar, Cleland, Dykehead, Greenhill, Harthill, Shotts Iron Works, Salsburgh, and Northrigg

A & G Anderson

Blairmuckhill Mine
Persons employed 177

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Eastfield 3
In rented houses, situated at Harthill 89, Benhar 26, Eastfield 14, Blackridge 25, and other localities 13
In houses owned by employees at Blackridge 5

The mine owners' houses are described as follows:
3 two-apartment houses Rental £5 12s 8d

  • Brick built - Erected about 38 years ago by Robert Addie and Sons - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - wood floors, unventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good order
  • No overcrowding - apartments fair size
  • Garden ground available but not cultivated - no wash houses - coal cellars
  • Privy midden 50 feet to rear of houses
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on footpath in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Auchenlea Coal Co Ltd

Howmuir Mine - situated at Cleland
Persons employed underground 300, above ground 40, Total 340

The only houses owned by the mine owners is that occupied by the manager. The other employees reside in rented houses at Cleland, Newarthill, &c.

Calder Fireclay Co.

Hairshaw Mine - situated near Salsburgh
Persons employed underground 12, above ground 2, Total 14

There are no houses belonging to the mine owners, the employees all reside in rented houses in the neighbourhood

Coltness Iron Company, Ltd

Dewshill & Duntilland Mine
Persons employed underground 200, above ground 40, Total 240

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Salsburgh 59, Dewshill 12, Harthill 21, Hassockrigg 1
In rented houses, situated at Salsburgh 50, Benhar 33, Harthill 22, Caldercruix 10, Bankhead 8, Newhouse 6, Forrestfield 5, Shotts 4, Crossroads 2, Shotts Kirk 2
In houses owned by employees at Salsburgh 3, Harthill 2

Hassockrigg Mine - near Harthill
Persons employed underground 190, above ground 39, Total 229

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Harthill 28, Hassockrigg 22
In rented houses, situated at West Benhar 103, Shotts 30, Eastfield 13, Harthill 10, Roadhead 5, Hirst Cottages 4
In houses owned by employees at Hirst Cottages 6, Shotts 5, Harthill 3

Ladylands Mine
There is only one employee at this mine and he resides in a house belonging to the mine owners at Ladylands

The mine owners' houses number 179 and are described in 3 groups as follows:-

1. East, West and Brick Rows, Salsburgh
30 two-apartment houses Rental £4 14s
7 One-apartment houses Rental £3 11s

  • The two apartment houses are built of stone, and the one apartment houses of brick- Erected about 35 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - wood floors, unventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings fair
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground available, some cultivated - no wash houses - a few coal cellars
  • 4 privy middens, 30 feet in rear of houses and 1 at end of Brick Row
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on footpath in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Notes on East, West and Brick Rows: Scavenged weekly. Now in Special Scavenging District


2. Hassockrigg and Dewshill
20 two-apartment houses Rental £5 9s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 22 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground available, some cultivated - no wash houses - coal cellars provided
  • two privy middens 35 feet in rear of houses
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Water supply - Hassockrigg houses are supplied with water which is carried from Hassockrigg Pit. Dewshill houses have a gravitation supply which was recently laid on from Hirstrigg Colliery
  • Scavenged at owners' expense


3. Victoria Street and Albert Street, Harthill
122 two-apartment houses Rental £5 5s to £5 17s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected over 30 years ago - Plastered on solid - wood floors, some ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in fair order, western back wall in both streets damp
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground available, mostly uncultivated - no wash houses - coal cellars provided
  • 12 privy middens 25 feet behind houses
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Francis Danks Ltd

Fortissat Mine - situated at Fortissat, near Dykehead, Shotts
Persons employed underground 120, above ground 30, Total 150

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Salsburgh 30
In rented houses, situated at Salsburgh 40, Dykehead 47
In houses owned by employees at Salsburgh 6

The mine owners' houses are described as follows:

Learig, Salsburgh

2 two storey blocks, erected under the Building Bye Laws, 10 years ago. On the lower floor there are 16 houses of one apartment, back to back, rental £4 15s; and on the upper floor 8 houses of two apartments, rental £9 5s
  • Damp-proof course - Walls hollow built - Plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good order
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No garden ground - wash houses and coal cellars are provided
  • 3 privy middens about 30 feet in rear of houses
  • Sinks in sculleries with gravitation water - drainage underground
  • Scavenged at owners' expense
  • Complaints have been made as to leakage from these privy middens flowing on to the land adjoining the Shotts Burn, and the reconstruction of the conveniences is presently under consideration

Notes on Learig: Scavenged weekly. Now in Special Scavenging District

Greenhill Colliery Co Ltd

Greenhill Mine - situated at Omoa, Cleland
Persons employed underground 325, above ground 52, Total 377

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Greenhill 54
In rented houses, situated at Cleland, Newarthill, Chapel, Newhouse and Hairshaw 295
In houses owned by employees at Cleland, Newarthill, and Newhouse 28

The mine owners' houses are described as follows:

Greenhill and Spoutscroft
5 two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s
43 One-apartment houses Rental £3 18s

  • One storey and two storeys, stone - Erected over 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - floors brick and wood, unventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings irregular
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - no wash houses - no coal cellars
  • One privy midden, in a wood 50 yards distant
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on footpath in front of houses
  • Scavenged by owners

Hirst Coal Co Ltd

Hirstrigg Mine - situated at Hirst, Shotts
Persons employed underground 272, above ground 42, Total 314

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Hirstrigg 9
In rented houses, situated at Benhar and Harthill 113, Salsburgh 114, Dykehead 45
In houses owned by employees at Salsburgh, Dykehead, Shotts Burn and Hirst Lodge 9

South Blair Mine
Persons employed underground 33, above ground 15, Total 48

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Hirstrigg 1
In rented houses, situated at Harthill and West Benhar 45
In houses owned by employees at Burnside and Hirst 2


The mine owners' houses are described as follows:

Hirstrigg, Shotts
One storey, brick built row, comprising:
2 One-apartment back to back houses Rental £4 11s
5 two-apartment houses Rental £8 0s 4d
Also cottage of 4 apartments and scullery Rental £14

  • Erected under Building Bye Laws five years ago - Damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good order
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground provided - wash houses and coal cellars provided
  • One privy midden, about 30 feet to rear of houses
  • Sinks in sculleries - water supply from stand pipe at end of row, which is supplied from Hirstrigg Colliery - drainage underground
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Horne, Glasgow Ltd

Mossband Mine - situated at Tillanburn, Cleland
Persons employed underground 104, above ground 12, Total 116

There are no houses connected with these mines

Shotts Iron Co Ltd

Shotts Mine
Persons employed underground 443, above ground 73, Total 516

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Shotts Iron Works and Dykehead 160
In rented houses, situated at Stane, Dykehead and West Benhar 356

Hartwoodhill Mine
Persons employed underground 253, above ground 42, Total 295

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Shotts Iron Works and Dykehead 70
In rented houses, situated at Stane, Dykehead and Allanton 225


The mine owners' houses number 149 and are described in 5 groups as follows:-

1. Old Gray Street, Shotts
15 two-apartment houses Rental £8 2s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 45 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - wood floors, some ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings fair
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - scullery to each house, used as wash houses and coal cellars
  • Privy and ashpit for each houses
  • Sinks outside - drainage underground to Calder
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on footpath in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

2. New Gray Street, Shotts
14 Three-apartment houses Rental £8 2s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 35 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition
  • No overcrowding -apartments large
  • No gardens - sculleries used as wash houses and coal cellars
  • 4 privy middens, 15 yards in rear of houses
  • Sinks outside - drainage underground to Calder
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on footpath in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

3. 49 to 64 Jordan Terrace, Shotts
16 two-apartment houses Rental £5 16s

  • Two storey, stone built - Erected about 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - no wash houses - coal cellars provided
  • 2 privy middens, front and back 30 yards distant
  • Sinks outside - drainage underground to Calder
  • Gravitation water from standpipe in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

4. 1 to 48 Jordan Terrace, Shotts
48 two-apartment houses Rental £6 18s

  • Two storey, brick built - Erected under Building Bye Laws in 1900 - Damp-proof course - Walls strapped and lathed - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good order
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - sculleries with boilers, used as wash houses - coal cellars provided
  • 6 privy middens about 25 feet in rear of houses
  • Sinks inside - drainage underground
  • Gravitation water from standpipes in front and rear of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

5. Old and New Rows, Dykehead
16 One-apartment houses Rental £3 16s
40 two-apartment houses Rental £5 15s 6d

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings fair
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground available but not cultivated - no wash houses - some coal cellars
  • 5 privy middens, 40 feet in rear
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Robert Sneddon

Currieside Mine
Persons employed underground 28, above ground 6, Total 34

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Dykehead &c. 18
In rented houses, situated at Dykehead and Stane 16
In houses owned by employees at Dykehead 2

The mine owners' houses are described as follows:

Sneddon's Row
5 One-apartment houses Rental £5 1s 10d

  • One storey, stone built - Erected about 50 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Cement floors - Internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair order but walls show evidence of dampness
  • No overcrowding, although apartments small
  • No gardens - no wash houses - coal cellars provided
  • One privy midden, about 35 feet from end of row
  • Two outside sinks - drainage underground
  • Water supply from spring about 30 years distant
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Summerlee Iron Co Ltd

Dunsyston Mine, Airdrie
Persons employed underground 183, above ground 33, Total 216

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Dunsyston 17
In rented houses, situated at Clarkston 53, Gartness 48, Chapelhall 60, Airdrie 34
In houses owned by employees at Clarkston 3, Airdrie 1

The mine owners' houses are described as follows:

Dunsyston
12 One-apartment houses Rental £3 18s
3 two-apartment houses Rental £5 4s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 28 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - Wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
  • No overcrowding - kitchens large, but rooms somewhat smaller
  • Garden ground, mostly uncultivated - no wash houses - no coal cellars
  • two privy middens about 40 feet in front of houses
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Water supply - water is pumped from the colliery to a tank, and gravitates to a standpipe in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense


United Collieries Ltd

Knownoble Mine - situated at Cleland
Persons employed underground 121, above ground 26, Total 147

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Cleland 15, Carfin 2
In rented houses, situated at Cleland District 90, Newarthill 39
In houses owned by employees at Newarthill 1

Southrigg Mine - situated near West Craigs
Persons employed underground 354, above ground 93, Total 447

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Northrigg 36, Southrigg 5, Harthill 1, Westrigg 3
In rented houses, situated at Harthill 62
In houses owned by employees at Harthill 2

Westrigg Mine - situated near Harthill
Persons employed underground 407, above ground 147, Total 554

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Northrigg 10, Blackridge 250, Bathville 40
In rented houses, situated at Harthill

The mine owners' houses number 126, and are described in 4 groups as follows:-

1. Gray's Land, Dykehead
16 One-apartment houses Rental £6 18s
12 two-apartment houses Rental £8 2s

  • One storey, stone built - Erected over 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - wood floors, some ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings broken and patched
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - no wash houses - no coal cellars
  • 3 privy middens, 50 feet in rear of houses
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from street wells in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

2. Morningside Place, Dykehead
30 two-apartment houses Rental £7 10s

  • Two storey, brick built - Erected under Building Bye Laws in 1900 - Damp-proof course - Walls hollow built - Plastered on brick - Wood floors, ventilated - Internal surface of walls and ceilings in good order
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - wash houses and coal cellars are provided
  • two privy middens, about 30 feet from rear of houses
  • Inside sinks with gravitation water - drainage underground
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

3. Springbank Row, Dykehead
17 One-apartment houses Rental £3 9s
7 two-apartment houses Rental £6

  • One storey, stone built - Erected over 35 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - floors brick, some wood, unventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings broken and irregular
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground available but not cultivated - no wash houses - no coal cellars
  • 2 privy middens, 50 feet in front
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipe at end of rows, about 40 feet distant
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

4. Northrigg Rows
10 One-apartment houses Rental £5 4s
34 two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s

  • One storey, brick built - Erected over 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - floors some brick, some wood, unventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings broken and patched
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - no wash houses - no coal cellars
  • 3 privy middens, 30 feet in rear
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipe (Linlithgow Supply)
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Notes on Northrigg Rows: Houses have been repaired and scullery, with sink, gravitation water, washing boiler and coal cellar provided for each house, with WC for every two houses.

Groups of houses in Shotts Parish occupied mostly by miners, but not belonging to any mine-owner:

West Benhar or Muirhead Rows - Situated about 3 miles from Shotts Iron Works, and near Harthill. Was originally built by Niddrie and Benhar Coal Co Ltd and Robert Addie and Sons Ltd, about 40 years ago and now privately owned. They are occupied by miners employed at Benhar, Hassockrigg, Springbank, Shotts and Fauldhouse. There are altogether 195 houses, built in 22 one story blocks, 18 being on the north side and 4 on the south side of the highway leading from Shotts to Harthill. 61 of the houses are of one apartment, and are built back to back, the rental being £3 18s; and 134 are two-apartment houses, rental £5 17s

The 18 blocks on the north side of the highway are mostly of two apartments, although some of these from time to time are converted into single apartment houses and vice versa - brick built - slated roofs - no damp proof course - external walls in fair state of repair - the walls were originally plastered on solid, but some are now strapped and lathed - most of the back walls which face north show evidence of dampness, due to disrepair of rhones and conductors. The back walls of some houses are embedded, the floors being 6 inches to 30 inches below the level of the back ground, more particularly in the seventh to fourteenth block of houses counting from west to east which were originally built by Messrs Addie. Some of these houses have internal surface of walls lined with wood to a height of 5 feet from the floor level. The floors are of wood in most of the houses and these are all ventilated, while the others have floors in the kitchens laid with 12 inch square brick - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition.

  • No overcrowding - kitchens large,rooms small
  • Garden plots, few cultivated - no wash houses - a few sculleries - some coal cellars, few used, coal stored below beds and in sculleries
  • 17 privy middens about 30 feet from houses
  • No slop sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on footpath in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

The occupants have been doing everything possible to make the houses look comfortable and clean. The ceilings are lime washed at least twice a year, and the wall papered at least once a year. The floors are covered with linoleum The houses are well furnished with only one or two exceptions.

Notes on West Benhar - Legal proceedings have been taken under Section 16 of the Public Health Act for the provision of proper sanitary conveniences, wash houses with water supply, coal cellars, water supply convenient to dwellings, and means for disposing of liquid house refuse. Sheriff made closing order, but houses still occupied


Flat Row - The houses on the South side of the road are known as Flat Row, and are built in 4 blocks - One storey, brick built - One-apartment back to back houses - Roofs circular in shape, covered with tarred cloth, and in many places are broken and not water-tight - No rhones and conductors, roof water allowed to flow down walls, causing dampness - External walls in state of disrepair and at places very much off vertical line of building - Windows are dead lights, with one opening pane - Also opening in ceiling for ventilation, but in most cases this is pasted over to keep out the weather - floors in most houses laid with 12 inch square brick, much worn, very irregular and damp - Internal surface of walls and ceilings very dilapidated and show dampness - Doors of many houses decayed and dilapidated, being neither wind nor water tight

  • No overcrowding - apartments fair size
  • Garden ground available but not cultivated - no wash houses - no coal cellars - coal stored below beds
    two privy middens about 40 feet from houses
  • No slop sinks- drainage by surface channels, front and back
  • The back channel at places is over 2 feet deep, is dangerous in the dark, and is in such a state of disrepair as to prevent proper cleansing
  • Gravitation water from standpipes on north side of highway
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Frequent inspections and reports have been made, and negotiations have taken place with the owners of these houses and the superior of the land with a view to having the houses closed as unfit for habitation. They will probably be vacated soon.

Notes on Flat Row : Closing order made under Section 17 of the Housing &c. Act 1909. Houses demolished


Omoa Square - Originally built by Omoa Iron and Coal Co, but now privately owned. The houses are occupied by miners employed at Cleland, Howmuir, Westwood, Murdostoun and quarrymen employed at Auchinlea - 114 houses of one apartment, rental, £5 4s. and £6 10s; and 24 houses of two-apartments, rental £7 16s and £10 8s - one story, brick - erected about 70 years ago - no damp -proof course - plastered on solid - brick floors, some floors cement - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings irregular, broken and patched - walls mostly damp - several houses unoccupied.

  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • No gardens - one wash house in centre of square - coal cellars recently erected for each house, but many have been broken down by tenants
  • 7 privy midden, in centre of square, in rear and in front, at distances of 20 feet to 30 yards; doors and windows of these have been destroyed.
  • No sinks - drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipes in centre and back of square, from 2 to 10 yards distant

These houses have been frequently inspected, and sanitary improvements have been carried out with no satisfactory results.

Notes on Omoa Square - Closing order made under Section 17 of Housing &c Act, 19. Partly demolished


Barblues, by Plains

17 two-apartment houses Rental £4 15s to £5

  • One storey, brick built - Erected about 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - Plastered on solid - wood floors, unventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in some houses badly broken
  • No overcrowding  - kitchens large, but rooms smaller
  • Garden ground available but not cultivated - no wash houses - no coal cellars
  • One privy midden at end of row
  • No sinks- drainage by surface channels
  • Gravitation water from standpipe at head of row
  • No scavenging done by owners