Bartonholm 31 October 1871

4 men killed by explosion:

• William Graham age 55
• Charles McDonald age 56
• Thomas McQuade age 45
• Samuel Holmes age 29

Newspaper Reports

Fearful Colliery Explosion at Irvine - About three o'clock on Monday morning a terrible explosion occurred in No. 3 Bartonholm Pit; Irvine, occasioning the death of four men and, it is feared, fatal injuries to others. As far as has been ascertained the explosion seems to have been the result of negligence. The duty of firing the "cube" - a furnace at the bottom of the up-cast shaft to facilitate ventilation of the mine - devolved upon a man named Thomas McQuade, who is stated to have neglected this duty on Sunday morning. On Monday morning he proceeded to the spot where the furnace is placed, carrying a Davy and an open lamp with him, and being accompanied by twelve of the miners who were about to resume work. The party descended into the mine without accident, but they had only gone to the end of the level or main road way when they were met by a strong blast of fire-damp, which, communicating with the naked lamp carried by McQuade, resulted in a terrific explosion. McQuade and other three men who followed him closely were killed on the spot, and the others were all more or less injured - several of them very seriously. Two or three of the men saved themselves by instantly throwing themselves down under their hutches just when the explosion took place. Two of those who were little injured were able to go to the bottom of the shaft and signal for assistance. The underground managers of the colliery and others soon descended the shaft, and the injured men were conveyed to the pit-head, and afterwords removed to their homes. The bodies of the four men who were killed were considerably mutilated, and death must have been instantaneous. M'Quade, who lived in Irvine, was married, and leaves a wife and children. The other three men who lost their lives resided at Bartonholm; two of them were married and leave children, and the other, who was a middle aged man, was unmarried. The Procurator Fiscal for the county is investigating the sad affair. The pit belonged to the Eglinton Iron Company. [Scotsman 1 November 1871]

Colliery Explosion At Irvine - Five Men Killed and Three Seriously Injured - About three o'clock on Monday morning, a terrible explosion occurred in the Old Barny Pit, Irvine, occasioning the death of five men, and, it is feared, fatal injuries to three others. . As far as has been ascertained the explosion seems to have been the result of negligence. The duty of firing the “cube” - a furnce at the bottom of the up cast shaft to facilitate the ventilation of the mine - devolved upon a man named Thomas M'Quade, who is stated to have neglected this duty on Sunday evening. On Monday morning he proceeded to the spot where the furnace is placed, carrying a Davy and an open lamp with him, and accompanied by several of the miners who were about to resume work. The party descended into the mine without accident, but they had only gone to the end of the level or main roadway, when they were met by a strong blast of firedamp, which, communicating with the naked lamp carried by M'Quade resulted in a terrific explosion. The men were dashed violently against the sides of the passage, and five of them were killed instantly, three others being scorched and bruised in a very shocking manner. The noise of the explosion soon brought assistance, and the dead and injured were brought to the pithead as soon as possible and medical aid called in. The dead are:- Thomas M'Quade, Samuel Holmes, Chas. M'Donald, Wm. Graham, and Wm. Gilmour. Thos. Campbell and his two sons are so seriously injured that their recovery is very doubtful. [Hamilton Advertiser 4 November 1871]