Dalserf - 1910 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 out in this parish from very early times. About 1840 coal was worked at nine different pits, but great developments took place in the sixties and seventies through the leasing of coalfields on the Duke of Hamilton's lands. The census population is as follows:-

1851 3583
1861 4876
1871 7341
1881 9378
1891 11810
1901 16122

Table 1 shows that the parish contains 18 collieries, in which 3124 persons are employed. Table II shows that the total number of houses in the parish is 3604, while the number occupied by miners is 2222 - that is 61.65% of the total. Of these houses, 491 have been provided by the mine owners, 1432 are rented by miners, and 299 are owned by miners.

The parish has by far the largest number of houses owned by miners, and they are almost all situated in the town of Larkhall. The statistics given in Table II, prepared from the Valuation Roll, only show a portion of the houses owned by miners, as these houses have been erected mainly by Building Societies, who are entered in the roll as owners until the society is liquidated. In the County portion of this report the constitution of Building societies in Larkhall and their method of working is described, while here will be found details of the homes.

Houses in Larkhall owned by miners or other workmen, erected by Building Societies

High and Low Miller Street and Margaret's Place

• 80 houses - 4 one-apartment houses, 70 two-apartment houses, and 6 three-apartment houses. Of these 80 houses, 51 are owned by miners, and 29 by other workmen. Single storey, stone built in continuous rows forming the streets named. Each house has a through passage giving access to the garden.
• All have large gardens - most have wash-houses and coal cellars
• About 30 have WCs - 50 have privies - a number have baths
• Nearly all have inside sinks with gravitation water supply.

MacNeill Street

• 80 houses - 12 one-apartment houses, 63 two-apartment houses, and 5 three-apartment houses. Of these 80 houses, 33 are owned by miners and 47 by other workmen. Single storey, stone built in continuous rows forming the street named. Each has a through passage giving access to the garden.
• All have large gardens and most have wash-houses and coal cellars
• Some 30 have WCs - 50 have privies - a few have baths
• The majority have inside slop sinks with gravitation water supply.

Hill Street and Marshall Street

• 59 houses - 6 one-apartment houses, 50 two-apartment houses, and 3 three-apartment houses. Of these 59 houses, 51 are owned by miners and 8 by other workmen. Single storey, stone built in continuous rows forming the streets named. Each has a through passage giving access to the gardens.
• All have large gardens and most have wash-houses and coal cellars
• About 20 have WCs and 39 or thereby have privies
• A few have baths, and most of the houses have inside sinks with gravitation water supply.

Woodside Place, Drygate Street (Progress Building Society)

• 27 two-apartment houses, and 1 three-apartment house. Of these, 27 are owned by miners and 1 by another workmen. Single storey, stone built.
• All have gardens, wash-houses and coal cellars
• All have WCs
• A few have baths - all have inside slop sinks with gravitation water supply.

Drygate Street (Equitable Building Society)

• 20 two-apartment houses- 18 owned by miners and 2 by other workmen. Single storey, stone built.
• All have large gardens,most have wash-houses and coal cellars
• 10 have WCs and 10 have privies
• A few have baths - most have inside slop sinks with gravitation water supply.

Hareleeshill

• 16 four-apartment houses -11 are owned by miners and 5 by other workmen. Single storey, stone built.
• All have large gardens and most have wash-houses and coal cellars
• All have WCs
• All have baths, and inside slop sinks with gravitation water supply.

Cherryhill View

• 24 four-apartment houses -2 are owned by miners and 22 by other workmen. 12 of these are semi-detached cottages, and the other 12 single storey, built in a row - all of stone.
• All have gardens, wash-houses and coal cellars
• All have WCs
• All have baths, and inside slop sinks with gravitation water supply.

Croft Place

• 18 two-apartment houses -16 are owned by miners and 2 by other workmen. Single storey, stone built.
• All have gardens and coal cellars
• All have WCs, and one has a bath
• All have slop sinks inside, with gravitation water supply.
• 15 of the houses have wash-houses, and the remaining 3 have washing boilers fixed up outside the houses.

In addition to the foregoing there are in Larkhall, some 300 houses which have been built by workmen's building societies. Many of these societies have successfully completed their building schemes some years ago.

Houses erected by mine owners' but now privately owned

There are no houses in Larkhall especially built by mine owners, except one lot known as Meadowhill Rows. These were erected about 1870 by Hamilton, M'Culloch & Co., but have since passed into private ownership.

Meadowhill Rows

• 121 one-apartment houses Rental £4
• 19 two-apartment houses Rental £6 10s
• All of one storey except two storey block at corner containing 6 houses - brick built - no damp-proof course - plastered on brick - some floors of tile, others wood - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair order
• No overcrowding - apartments fairly large
• No gardens - wash-houses recently provided - no coal cellars
• Trough water closets in the proportion of one to every four houses - portable bins for refuse
• Inside sinks in two storey block -  the row facing Muir Street has recently been provided with outside slop sinks, and the surface channels removed -  drainage from other houses by surface channels only
• Gravitation water from standpipes
• Scavenged fairly regularly at owners' expense
• Since the present owner came into possession improvements have been effected at the property, including the erection of wash-houses, the provision of WCs and sinks

Houses owned by mine owners:

William Barr & Sons Ltd

The mines worked by this firm in Dalserf parish are now discontinued, but some houses are still owned by the company, and these are occupied by miners employed in the company's mines at Coalburn. The houses are described as follows:-

Barr's Row, Netherburn
14 two-apartment houses Rental £8 9s

• One storey, brick built - erected about 40 years ago, and renovated about 15 years ago when outside walls were rough cast - no damp-proof course - plastered on solid - wood floors, ventilated - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition
• No overcrowding - apartments fair size
• No garden ground available - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
• Two privy middens, about 20 feet in front of houses
• No sinks- drainage by surface channels
• Gravitation water from standpipe at surface channels
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

Brand & Co.

Auldton Mine - situated near Netherburn
Persons employed underground 144, above ground 42, total 186

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Dunlop Place 47, Ashgill 25
In rented houses, situated at Dalserf, Ayr Road, Rosebank, Larkhall and Netherburn 109
In houses owned by employees 5

Over Dalserf Mine - situated near Netherburn
Persons employed underground 86, above ground 17, total 103

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Ashgill 17, Dunlop Place 15, Woodside 12
In rented houses, situated at Dalserf, Longlee, Netherburn and Larkhall 68
One employee owns a house at Overtown

Woodside Mine - situated near Netherburn
Persons employed underground 4, above ground 2, total 6

One employee resides in a mine owners house at Woodside, and 5 in rented houses at Netherburn and Larkhall

The mine owners' houses are all old buildings, 116 in number, and are described in 3 groups as follows:

1. Dunlop Place or Red Row
40 one-apartment houses rental £4 17s 6d
20 two-apartment houses rental £6 10s

• One storey, brick built - erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls mostly hollow built - Some floors wood, some brick - Ventilation under floors insufficient - internal surface of walls and ceilings crumbling and patched - external walls show dampness
• Single apartments fair size, but rooms in two-apartment houses small
• Wash-houses provided - no coal cellars
• 7 open privy middens in front of houses
• No inside sinks - 12 houses fronting main highway have outside sinks, others have surface channels
• Gravitation water supply from pillar wells
• Scavenged fairly regularly at owners' expense
• Action has been taken with regard to dampness of walls caused by ground abutting on same, also as to insufficient privy accommodation.

Notes on Dunlop Place - Two of the two-apartment houses have been supplied with sculleries, sink and water supply

2. Ashgillhead Row
32 one-apartment houses rental £41 17s 6d

• One storey, brick built - erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls mostly hollow built - some floors wood, some brick - internal surface of walls and ceilings crumbling and patched - walls damp
• Apartments fair size
• Garden ground available but not cultivated - wash-houses provided - no coal cellars
• 2 open privy middens in front of houses
• No slop sinks - drainage by surface channels
• Gravitation water supply from pillar wells
• Scavenged fairly regularly at owners' expense
• Action has been taken with regard to insufficient privy accommodation, but nothing has as yet been done.

3. Woodside Rows
22 one-apartment houses rental £3 18s
2 two-apartment houses rental £7 16s

• One storey, stone built - erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course -plastered on solid - a few brick floors, others wood, unventilated - four of the floors are about 6 inches below the level of adjoining ground - internal surface of walls and ceilings are damp in places - plaster uneven and broken
• No overcrowding - apartments fairly large but ceilings low
• Garden ground available but not cultivated - no wash-houses - no coal cellars
• 4 open privy middens at rear of houses
• No sinks- drainage by surface channels in front of rows
• Gravitation water supply from pillar wells
• Scavenging at expense of owners' unsatisfactory
• Numerous notices have been served on the owners of these houses, and meetings held on the ground regarding the insanitary condition of the houses. Some improvements have been carried out from time to time, but nothing short of rebuilding would put the houses in a satisfactory state

Notes on Woodside Rows - At the 12 houses known as Stone Row the following improvements have been made:- one dry closet provided for every three houses; coal cellar for each house; one pillar well with waste water gully, for every three houses; roofs repaired; plaster work patched; floors repaired; windows made to open; ten houses on the others side of the street have been demolished. The remaining houses have been repaired

Darngavil Coal Co Ltd

Birkrigg Mine - situated near Shawsburn
Persons employed underground 120,above ground 20, total 140

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Shawsburn 25, Swinhill 16, Tinto View 12
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall 56, Birkenshaw 14, Stonehouse 10
In houses owned by employees at Larkhall 3, Swinhill 1, Birkenshaw 1

Swinhill Mine - situated at Swinhill
Persons employed underground 313, above ground 63, total 376

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Swinhill 122
In rented houses, situated at Stonehouse, Birkenshaw, Larkhall, Netherburn 249
In houses owned by employees at Stonehouse and Dalserf 5

The mine owners' houses number 145, and are described in 4 groups as follows:-

1. Swinhill Terrace
52 Houses of two-apartments and scullery rental £9 2s

• Erected under Building Bye-laws - one storey, brick built - damp-proof course - walls hollow built - wood floors, ventilated
• No overcrowding, but apartments small
• No gardens, but unfenced ground available - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
• One privy to every 4 houses - doors have locks
• Sinks inside, with gravitation water
• Drainage underground
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

2. Swinhill Old Rows
32 one-apartment houses rental £5 4s
24 two-apartment houses rental £7 3s

• One storey, brick built - erected about 40 years ago - no damp-proof course - some walls hollow built - floors, with two exceptions, wood, ventilation openings originally provided, but many of these are closed up - surfaces of walls and ceilings damp in places
• No overcrowding - apartments fair size
• No gardens - no wash-houses - no coal cellars
• 5 open privy middens
• No sinks- drainage by surface channels
• Gravitation water from pillar wells
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense
• Notices served regarding defective privy accommodation

Notes on Swinhill Old Rows- 32 houses of one-apartment and 6 of two-apartments have been demolished

3. High and Low Shawsburn
9 one-apartment houses rental £5 4s
16 two-apartment houses rental £7 16s

• Erected about 40 years ago - one storey, stone built - no damp-proof course - plastered on solid - wood floors, unventilated - walls damp in places
• No overcrowding - back rooms of two-apartment houses small
• No gardens - no wash-houses - no coal cellars
• 3 open privy middens
• Sinks outside Low Shawsburn - one with pillar well
• Surface channels at High Shawsburn
• Water supply from pillar well
• Scavenged fairly regularly at owners' expense
• Notices served regarding defective privy accommodation

4. Tinto View
12 two-apartment houses rental £9 2s

• One storey, brick built - erected about 14 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls hollow built - wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
• No overcrowding - apartments somewhat small
• No gardens - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
• One privy to every 4 houses, situated at rear - doors have locks
• Inside sinks in sculleries, with gravitation water
• Drainage underground
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

James Gemmell

South Longrigg Mine - situated near Netherburn
Persons employed underground 160, above ground 18, total 178

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Hill Terrace and Netherburn 25
In rented houses, situated at Netherburn, Ashgill, Rosebank, Larkhall, Ayr Road and Kirkmuirhill 60
In houses owned by employees at Netherburn 1, Ashgill 1

Hill Mine - situated near Netherburn
Persons employed underground 95, above ground 13, total 108

One resides in a mine owners' houses at Hill Terrace.
In rented houses, situated at Stonehouse, Netherburn and Larkhall 50
In houses owned by employees at Netherburn 1

The mine owners' houses number 39, and are described in 2 groups as follows:-

1. Hill Terrace
23 two-apartment houses rental £7 16s and £8 9s

• One storey, brick built - erected about 15 years ago - damp-proof course - walls hollow built - wood floors, ventilated
• Internal surface of walls and ceilings good
• No overcrowding - apartments good size
• No gardens - wash-houses and coal cellars provided but the latter and dilapidated
• One privy to every 4 houses - at rear of buildings
• No sinks- drainage by surface channels
• Gravitation water from pillar wells
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

2. New Row, Netherburn
16 two-apartment houses rental £9 15s

• Erected under Building Bye-laws - damp-proof course - walls hollow built - wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
• No overcrowding - apartments somewhat small
• No gardens - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
• One privy for every three houses
• Inside sinks, with gravitation water
• Drainage to septic tank, thence to burn
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

Hamilton M'Culloch & Co Ltd

Bog Mine - situated near Larkhall
Persons employed underground 230, above ground 70, total 300

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Bog 21, Old pit 3
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall 276

The mine owners' houses situated at Bog are described as follows:-
23 two-apartment houses rental £7 7s 4d

• One storey, brick built - erected about 26 years ago - no damp-proof course - not strapped or lathed - wood floors, mostly ventilated - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition
• No overcrowding - apartments fair size
• No gardens - 6 houses have wash-houses, others none - no coal cellars
• One privy to every 4 houses, erected at request of local authority 3 years ago - doors have locks
• No sinks- drainage by brick surface channels in front of houses
• Gravitation water from pillar wells
• Scavenged fairly regularly at owners' expense
• Subsoil drains were recently provided to improve condition of walls

D. Marchbank & Co.

Struther Mine - situated at Birkenshaw, Larkhall
From 12 to 15 employees
No houses owned by mine owners'
The employees reside in Stonehouse and Larkhall

James Nimmo & Co Ltd

Canderrigg Mine - situated near Stonehouse
Persons employed underground 425, above ground 85, total 510

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Canderrigg Terrace 11, Canderside 1
In rented houses, situated at Stonehouse 115, Larkhall 21, Crossford, Netherburn and Marlage 14, Blackwood, Draffan, Kirkmuirhill and Bridgend 36
In houses owned by employees at Stonehouse 8, Larkhall 2, Blackwood &c. 5, Netherburn &c. 3

The mine owners' houses situated at Canderdykehead are described as follows:-
4 two-apartment houses rental £11 1s 8d
8 three-apartment houses rental £12 7s

• Two storey, brick built - erected under Building Bye-laws - damp-proof course - walls hollow built - wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
• No overcrowding - apartments good size
• No gardens - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
• WC inside each house
• Sinks inside, with gravitation water
• Drainage treated in small private installation
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

Raploch Coal Company

Broomhill Mine - situated in Larkhall
Persons employed underground 31, above ground 8, total 39

Mine owners' have no houses in connection with the above, and the employees reside in rented houses in Larkhall

Archibald Russell Ltd

Cornsilloch Mine - situated at Dalserf Station
Persons employed underground 350, above ground 69, total 419

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Ayr Road, Millburn and Cornsilloch Rows 114
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall, Ashgill, Shawsburn, and Overtown 295
In houses owned by employees at Larkhall 10

Millburn Mine - situated at Dalserf Station
Persons employed underground 171, above ground 21, total 192

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Millburn, Ayr Road and Cornsilloch Rows 29
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall, Ashgill, and Dalserf 158
In houses owned by employees at Larkhall 5

The mine owners' houses number 107, and are described in 3 groups as follows:-

1. Cornsilloch Rows-
60 two-apartment houses rental £6 10s

• Two storey, brick built - erected about 16 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls hollow built - wood floors, ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings in good condition
• No gardens - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
• One privy to every 4 houses - doors have locks
• Outside sinks, without water, at stairheads - surface channel for ground flat
• Gravitation water from pillar wells
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense
• The above privies were constructed recently, and allocated to tenants

2. Ayr Rows Rows
40 two-apartment houses rental £5 10s

• One storey, brick built, rough cast - erected about 35 years ago - overhauled 16 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls probably hollow - plastered on brick - 12 kitchen floors concrete; other floors wood, ventilated - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair condition
• No overcrowding - apartments good size
• Some 12 houses have gardens - common wash-houses - coal cellars
• One privy to every 4 houses - doors have locks - no sinks - drainage by surface channels
• Gravitation water from pillar wells
• Representatives of company were met recently regarding remodelling of privies, and allocating same to tenants. The work has since been carried out.

3. Millburn Rows
7 two-apartment houses rental £5

• One storey, brick built - erected about 30 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls appear hollow - plastered on brick - floors in kitchen brick - floors in rooms wood, partly ventilated - internal surface of walls and ceilings fair
• No overcrowding - kitchens good side but rooms somewhat small
• Three or four gardens - wash-houses - no coal cellars
• Two privies, with locks on doors
• Outside sinks, with gravitation water
• Drainage underground
• Scavenged regularly at owners' expense

Notes on Millburn Rows- These are now demolished - colliery given up

Summerlee Iron Company

Dykehead Mine - near Larkhall
Persons employed underground 295, above ground 45, total 340

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at Dykehead 62
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall 181
In houses owned by employees Larkhall 97

The mine owners' houses are described as follows:
Dykehead or Summerlee Rows
24 one-apartment houses with small bed closet rental £3 18s
12 two-apartment houses rental £4 4s

• One storey, brick built - erected about 55 years ago - no damp-proof course - walls appear hollow - plastered on brick - floors mostly brick, some rooms have wood - internal surface of walls and ceilings fairly good
• 18 houses have gardens - no wash-houses - no coal cellars
• 4 houses have privies in the gardens, 2 open privy middens near end of rows for remainder
• No sinks- drainage by brick channels and flushed with pit water
• Gravitation water from pillar wells
• Scavenged fairly regularly at owners' expense
• Action was taken re the damp condition of the back walls of twelve houses, soil abutting on same to the height of some feet. This was remedied. Action was also taken with regard to want of sufficient privy accommodation, and the erection of wash-houses and coal cellars. Privies are being erected.

United Collieries Ltd

Bentrigg Mine - situated at Netherburn
Persons employed underground 3, above ground 3, total 6
There are no houses owned by the mine owners' in connection with this mine, and the employees all reside in in rented houses in Netherburn, Larkhall, Blackwood &c

Shaws Mine - situated near Larkhall
Persons employed underground 31, above ground 6, total 37

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall and Stonehouse 32
In houses owned by employees at Stonehouse 5

Shawsburn Mine - situated near Larkhall
Persons employed underground 55, above ground 5, total 60

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In rented houses, situated at Larkhall 50
In houses owned by employees at Larkhall 8 , Stonehouse 2

Skellyton Mine - situated at Larkhall
Persons employed underground 88, above ground 21, total 109

There are no houses in connection with this colliery and the employees reside in rented houses, situated at Larkhall