Housing Conditions of Miners

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

Carmichael Parish

In early records it has been noted that coal crops out at Poneil Burn. Table 1 shows that there is one mine at present in operation in this parish, and gives employment to 559 workmen. This mine was opened in 1895. The total number of houses in the parish is 278, while the number occupied by miners is 168 or 60.43 of the total. The population of the parish according to the census returns since 1851 is as follows:-
1851 - 805
1861 - 836
1871 - 708
1881 - 770
1891 - 593
1901 - 1198
The great increase in population in 1901 was due to the opening of a coal mine at Douglas Water by the Coltness Iron Company

Coltness Iron Co Ltd, Newmains

Douglas Mine - situated near Douglas Water
Persons employed - underground 480, above ground 79, total 559

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In Mine owners' houses, situated at Ponfeigh 352
In rented houses, situated at Lanark 103, Douglas 46 , Rigside 44
In houses owned by miners situated at Douglas Water 14

The mine owners' houses may be described as follows 158 houses of two apartments - 142 houses with a rental of £8 9s; and 16 with a rental of £9 15s; the latter rent includes electric light. Occupiers' rates are paid by owners

• The houses are brick built, slate roof, and were erected under the Building Bye Laws
• No overcrowding - apartments good size
• No garden - wash house combined with scullery for each house - coal cellar fro each house
• Pail closets, with 56 seats, ashpits attached, situated in the courtyard
• No sinks - surface gratings outside - underground drains
• Gravitation water supply, provided by owners, from seven standpipes distributed throughout the rows.
• Scavenged at owners' expense