Udston 15th May 1882

Explosion At Udston Colliery – Three Persons Killed and Seven Injured – On Monday afternoon, a disastrous explosion occurred at Udston Colliery, about four miles from Hamilton, resulting in the death of three persons and the injury of seven others. Since the last explosion at Blantyre three years ago, the district has been free from accidents of this character. Udston coal field is leased by the Udston Coal Company Limited. The winning of the coal is by means of No 1 and No 2 Pits, which are each sunk to the ell seam at a depth of 125 fathoms, and to the main, 10 fathoms underneath. The colliery which has been in operation for seven years, forms part of the new coal district of Hamilton. It marches on the west with Blantyre colliery, where in 1877 by a calamitous explosion more than 200 men lost their lives, and again by another explosion in 1879, nearly 30 men were killed; on the north with Greenfield and Earnock Collieries; the dislocation where the coalfield terminates being to the south. About 200 men are employed at the colliery, the output of which when at the full is nearly 700 tons a day. Since the commencement of the colliery there have been few accidents. The pits are ventilated by a powerful fan, and while in part of the workings safety lamps are used, in others naked lights are permitted. The existence of gas in the workings has not been registered in the fireman's books for nearly 3 years, and the colliery has hitherto been considered a safe one.

The explosion occurred in the main coal seam of No 1 Pit at half past four o'clock afternoon, when the whole of the day shift, except some twelve men besides those who have lost their lives, had left both pits. Had it taken place an hour earlier the result, sad as it is, must have been much more deplorable. From a statement by John Bolton, oversman, the only survivor of those immediately engaged in the operations that preceded the explosion, it appears that a miner named Charles Morrison and his son William had been engaged putting an end down into an old drift, and when they had almost finished the job, Mr William Archibald, the certificated manager of the colliery, and Bolton, the oversman, came up. They found that the wall had just about pierced through, and considering that it would be dangerous for the Morrisons to go on working with their naked lights, and having themselves a safety lamp, they instructed the two men to leave the place, and informed them they would finish the job. The proceeded to make an aperture in the wall by means of a jumper, and had all but broken through when the older Morrison returned for his pick, which he had left behind him. Upon seeing this Mr Archibald cried out to him, “Put out that light.” The words had scarcely left his lips when the jumper made a hole in the wall, through which there was at once a rush of foul air which came in contact with Morrison's naked lamp and caused the explosion. Bolton made a narrow escape by sheltering himself in a corner. The others also each sought their own safety, but before this was accomplished they succumbed to the deadly effects of the afterdamp. A sharp report made known to those below ground the terrible occurrence. The most of the men were on their way to the pithead, and they were all thrown to the ground, while those who happened to be furthest “ben” were severely burned. One exception to this rule was Robert Morton, miner, whose working place was but 18 feet from that in which the explosion took place. He not only escaped unhurt, but was able to turn back and give assistance to the explorers.

Though the explosion occurred in the main coal seam of No 1 pit, the shock was also felt in the workings of No 2 pit. On the surface it was not felt. Shortly after the occurrence a boy came up to Mr John Y Ure, son of the managing director who was standing at the smithy door, and informed him that something had fallen down the shaft of No 1 pit. He was not inclined at the time to believe him, but on going to the pit mouth, and as he was questioning the pitheadman on the subject, the cage reached the surface, containing four men with their whiskers burned. He at once understood the situation, and taking with him two firemen, Edward Torley and James Strachan, proceeded below ground. The exploring party found the ventilation considerably interrupted, but boldly pushed on to the scene of the accident, which was about a quarter of a mile from the pit bottom. At, however, about 5 stoop lengths' distance, or nearly 100 yards, they had to turn back on account of the foul air, and calling to their assistance other two firemen, Thos. Paterson and Archibald Muir, they set themselves to the task of restoring the ventilation by repairing the brattice, part of which near the face had been blown away. By hard work and against many dangers and difficulties, this operation was successfully completed, and betwixt six and seven o'clock the first of the dead bodies were reached – those of Charles Morrison, the miner, and his son William. After they had been conveyed to the hill, the explorers returned to their dangerous work, and finally about half past eight o'clock, the manager's dead body was likewise reached, and taken above ground. The whole of the three dead bodies were found singularly free from burns; they were all found lying face downwards, and with their heads turned to the bottom of the shaft, showing, as has already been remarked, that unlike Bolton, they had been unsuccessful in making their way to a place of safety, and had succumbed to the effects of the afterdamp. Great regret was expressed over the loss of Mr Archibald, the more so as the gravest fears were at first entertained as to its effect on his wife, who has for some time been in a delicate state of health. His family are mostly grown up. He has only been at Udston for some nine months, having previously been in the employment of the Monkland Iron and Coal Company at Tannochside. Morrison leaves a widow and family. His wife being also delicate, went into hysterics on hearing that her husband and son had been killed, and she has been ill ever since.

The dead bodies were laid out in the scree house, where they lay until coffins (which were supplied by Mr William Wallace, undertaker and carriage hirer), were a few hours afterwards brought from Hamilton, when they were placed inside.

The injured are:-

They are all, besides, suffering more or less from after damp. Dr Robertson, medical officer at the colliery, and Dr Grant, Blantyre, who attended them, and they are progressing as favourably as could be expected. A great crowd assembled at the pithead, and in Udston Rows; and at Burnbank, where the men mostly reside, there was much excitement. Chief-Constable M'Hardy, as well as Chief-Inspector Carmichael and Inspectors Mackay and Ross with a large force of constabulary, were in attendance; but thanks to the expedition with which the explorers accomplished the work, their services were not long required for any length of time. Mr John Miller, depute procurator-fiscal, was also present, and late in the evening Mr J T Robson, assistant inspector of mines arrived, and accompanied by Mr J Y Ure, made an examination of the section of workings in which the accident occurred occupying an hour and a half. On Tuesday, Mr Alexander, inspector of mines for the western district of Scotland, along with Mr Robson, made a further inspection. Mr J A Dykes, procurator-fiscal, has also initiated an enquiry into the occurrence. The damage to the workings, it may be added, was but trifling. Work was resumed as usual on Wednesday morning.

On Wednesday, the funeral of the Morrisons' took place, and that of the manager on Thursday. Out of respect to Mr Archibald's memory, operations at the colliery were entirely suspended. [Hamilton Advertiser 20 May 1882]

A fatal colliery explosion occurred yesterday evening at Udston Colliery, four miles from Hamilton. A miner named Charles Morrison and his son were driving a place through to what is known as a back drift in the main coal seam, when they broke through, and, as it is supposed, a volume of gas escaped from the fissure, causing an explosion which killed the two miners. The manager, William Archibald, who was near the spot, was also killed, and the overman and eight other men were seriously injured. Thirty men were in the workings at the time of the explosion, but they were all rescued. [Glasgow Herald 16 May 1882]

Hamilton - The Udston Explosion - Damages Against The Company - Sheriff Birnie, in an action at the instance of Ann Thomson or Morrison, Burnbank, Hamilton, against the Udston Coal Company (Limited), has decided the first of a series of actions for reparation for death and injuries received in an explosion of fire-damp in their pit at Udston on 16th May last. The Sheriff finds that the pursuer's husband and son were engaged in the defender's pit driving a level to an adjoining level where a fall had taken place; (2), that this was a place where there was likely to be an accumulation of explosive gas; (3), that they had driven it nearly through, but having taken a wrong direction the defender's manager and oversman drove it through; (4), that the manager and oversman had one gauze lamp, and that it is not proved if they had or had not also a naked light; (5) that the deceased and his son had naked lights; (6) that immediately on said passage being driven through by the manager and oversman an explosion took place, and that the pursuer's husband was killed; (7) that it is not proved that the defenders' manager or oversman ordered the deceased to leave the working, or to extinguish his own or his son's naked lamp. He finds in law that the pursuer's husband was killed through a fault of the defender, and that he was not guilty of contributory negligence. He assesses the damages at £150, and finds the defenders liable in expenses. To a note his Lordship says that both under the Mines Regulation Act and by common prudence the defenders should have permitted no naked lights near such a spot, and that this case in some respects resembles that of Monagle v. Baird & Co., 17th December, 1881. The damages were assessed on the footing that the deceased was a miner, 37 years of age. [Glasgow Herald 1 January 1883]