Housing Conditions of Miners

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

Dalziel Parish

Coal mining has been carried on in this parish from very early times. The census population of the whole parish, including the Burgh of Motherwell, is as follows:-

1851 - 2262
1861 - 5438
1871 - 9175
1881 - 13853
1891 - 22974
1901 - 37257

Table 1 shows that the parish contains ten collieries, in which 4470 persons are employed. The total number of houses in the parish, exclusive of the Burgh of Motherwell, is 351, while the number occupied by miners is 199, that is 56.69% of the total. Of these houses, 184 have been provided by mine owners, 14 are rented by miners, and one is owned by a miner.

Camp Coal Co Ltd

Camp Mine - situated near Motherwell
Persons employed underground 322, above ground 86, total 408
The mine owners' houses are situated in the Burgh of Motherwell

Glasgow Iron & Steel Co Ltd

Parkhead, Parkneuk, Shields and Wishaw Mines - situated in the Burgh of Motherwell
Persons employed underground 864, above ground 179, total 1043

Merry & Cuninghame Ltd

North Motherwell Mine
Persons employed underground 492, above ground 140, total 632

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In mine owners' houses, situated at New Logans Rows 177, Burgh of Motherwell 127
In rented houses, situated at Burgh of Motherwell 270, Hamilton 38, Wishaw 3, Larkhall 3, Dalziel 13

The mine owners' houses situated in the County area are described as follows
North Motherwell or New Logans Rows
48 one-apartment houses rental £3 18s
58 two-apartment houses rental £4 6s and £5 4s

  • One storey, brick built - erected about 20 years ago - no damp-proof course - plastered on solid - walls fairly dry, but in some houses there is dampness on the back wall
  • Garden ground available but only partly cultivated - wash-houses and coal cellars provided
  • Outside sinks
  • Privy middens
  • Drainage underground
  • Gravitation water from standpipes
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

Summerlee Iron Company Ltd

Braidhurst Mine - near Motherwell
Persons employed underground 309, above ground 38, total 347

The employees reside in the following localities:-
In rented houses, situated at Bellshill 38, Blantyre 3, Holytown 7, Uddingston 3, Motherwell & Wishaw 105, Hamilton 7

The mine owners' houses are described as follows
Braidhurst
9 two-apartment houses rental £7 16s

  • Built over 20 years ago - one storey, brick built - no damp-proof course - plastered on solid - wood floors, some ventilated - internal surfaces of walls and ceilings in fair order
  • No overcrowding - apartments large
  • Garden ground, cultivated - no wash-houses - coal cellars
  • one privy midden, situated at end of row
  • Gravitation water from standpipe in front of houses
  • Scavenged at owners' expense

John Watson Ltd

Motherwell Mine - situated in the Burgh of Motherwell
Persons employed underground 871, above ground 198, total 1069

Wishaw Coal Company

Coursington, and Dalziel and Broomside Mines - situated in the Burgh of Motherwell
Persons employed underground 754, above ground 217, total 971