| Year | Month | Day | Name of Colliery | Where situated | Owners name | Person(s) killed | Occupation | Age | Category (if given) | Cause of death and remarks | Extra details |
| 1871 | January | 1 | Riggside | Douglas | James Swann | Alex Gold | Collier | 27 | Miscellaneous | Run over by a truck on an engine plane. He was riding on it against orders. | |
| 1871 | January | 5 | Redding | Falkirk | Redding Colliery Co | Alex Gray | Pit-head man | 43 | In shafts | Ran hutch into shaft, and fell after it. | Newspaper report - Stirlingshire pages |
| 1871 | January | 7 | Bogend | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | James Bruce | Collier | 50 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal while engaged taking it down | |
| 1871 | January | 11 | Greenbrae | Robert Smith | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1871 | January | 13 | Arniston | Gorebridge | John Christie | ---- ----- | Engineman | 25 | Above ground | Waggon ran amain and struck him | |
| 1871 | January | 13 | Greenfield | Hamilton | Hamilton Coal Co. | Robert Brown | Collier | 30 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at stoops | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
| 1871 | January | 16 | Gavieside | John Shaw | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report | |||||
| John Shaw, jun | |||||||||||
| 1871 | January | 17 | Kilsyth | David Tait | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report - Stirlingshire pages | |||||
| 1871 | January | 19 | Twechar | Kilsyth | William Baird & Co | Nathaniel Wilson | Miner | 40 | In Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of ironstone and roof at face | Newspaper report - Stirlingshire pages |
| 1871 | January | 20 | Raw | Coatbridge | Wm Baird & Co | James Carson | Collier | 25 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | Newspaper Report - Old Monkland pages |
| 1871 | February | 2 | Grange | Kilmarnock | Robert Yeats &Co | William Connor | Collier | 23 | In shafts | Fell off cage while ascending | Newspaper Report |
| 1871 | February | 6 | Cornsolloch | Hamilton | Messrs Cochrane | Andrew Penman | Collier | 60 | In shafts | Fall of cage while ascending shaft From Main body of report: A miner fell off the cage while ascending the shaft. There was no defect in the cage or slides to account for the accident. | Newspaper report - Dalserf pages |
| 1871 | February | 17 | Drumpeller | Coatbridge | Henderson & Dimmack | Ambrose Turner | Collier | 67 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | February | 18 | Quarter | Hamilton | Colin Dunlop & Co | Hugh Black | Collier | 14 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face while holing | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
| 1871 | February | 21 | Cleland | Holytown | William S Dixon | Nicholas Reid | Collier | 22 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at stoops | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | February | 23 | Cadder | Bishopbriggs | Carron Iron Co | John Cleland | Boy | 14 | In Ironstone mines – in shafts | Fell down the shaft from the surface | |
| 1871 | February | 23 | Chapel | Wishaw | W S Aitken | Andrew Muir | Overman | 30 | In shafts | Drawing pumps with an old worn out crane rope; it broke while he was on it. From Main body of report: At Chapel Colliery the manager of the pit was killed by a crane rope breaking. I examined the rope; it was old and worn out. It turned out that the deceased was warned that the rope was unsafe, yet he deliberately made use of it instead of a better one, which he could have had with little trouble. | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | February | 25 | Coltness | Wishaw | A G Simpson | George Todd | Collier | 30 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | March | 1 | Garriongill | Wishaw | Coltness Iron Co. | Hamilton McGill | Collier | 25 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | March | 13 | Common | Cumnock | William Walker | Samuel Crosbir | Collier | 50 | In shafts | Crushed between the cage and the shaft, caused by misunderstanding of signals From Main body of report: The pit where this unfortunate occurrence took place had just been sunk, and the deceased and his neighbour had been engaged forming a water lodgement and other preparatory work near to the pit bottom. I understand that on the morning of the accident they had finished a night shift and had signalled to be raised to the surface. As explained by the engineman he was engaged at the boiler fires at the time the signal was given, but a few minutes after he went in to the engine house, and not being aware that the signal was to raise men, he started the engine and after " backing" it raised the cage. The deceased's neighbour, who was at the pit bottom, reports that the signal made was to raise men, and as the ordinary back signal arrangement had not been completed, it was the practice for the engineman, before lifting away the cage, to slightly raise it, and afterwards set it back, which was the acknowledged signal for men to get on to the cage. In this case the deceased and his neighbour when they saw the cage being set back attempted to get on to it, but it was not put back sufficiently, and they did not succeed in getting quite on. The deceased got crushed between the cage and the shaft, but his neighbour escaped by throwing himself back out of the cage. The defect in this case lay in the back signal, and if a right back signal had been in use, in all probability the accident would not have happened. | |
| 1871 | March | 14 | Cornsilloch | Hamilton | Messrs Cochrane | Robert Kirkwood | Collier | 30 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | Newspaper report - Dalserf pages |
| 1871 | March | 15 | Balbardie | Bathgate | Mr Walker | James Green | Roadsman | 25 | In Ironstone mines – above ground | Jammed between waggon and frames | |
| 1871 | March | 16 | Dovecotwood | Kilsyth | Brown & Rennie | Hugh Johnstone | Collier | 50 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | March | 17 | Green | Wishaw | Wishaw Iron Co | George Stewart | Brusher | 60 | In shafts | Engineman lifted the cage without signal before he got off, and crushed him between the cage and side of pit. | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | March | 17 | Hill of Beath | Dunfermline | Ord Adams | John Hunter | Collier | 30 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof in main road | Newspaper report - Beath accidents |
| 1871 | March | 21 | Springside | Dreghorn | Archd Kenneth | Alex McDonald | Collier | 36 | Above ground | Crushed on one of the colliery lyes between two loaded waggons | |
| 1871 | March | 24 | Barleith | Hurlford | John Galloway | James Garven | Collier | 18 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | March | 28 | Govan | Glasgow | W S Dixon | James Park | Collier | 56 | In shafts | Fell from a “mid-working” From Main body of report: The deceased was a small contractor at the colliery. He was engaged driving a stone mine off the shaft, and shortly before the accident he had returned to the shaft from it, for the purpose of being raised to the surface. While standing close to the side of the shaft, awaiting the return of the cage, he in some way overbalanced himself and fell to the bottom a distance of 40 feet. | |
| 1871 | March | 28 | Mount Vernon | Baillieston | John Young | Robert Park | Collier | 17 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal | Newspaper Report - Old Monkland pages |
| 1871 | March | 30 | Limeridge | Slamannan | Forrester & Robson | John Pettigrew | Collier | 13 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face | Newspaper report |
| 1871 | March | 31 | Shawfield | Wishaw | John Wilson | William Cairns | hillman | 20 | Above ground | Crushed by waggons at screens | |
| 1871 | April | 3 | Rosehall | Coatbridge | Robert Addie & Sons | William Jenkins | Miner | 43 | In Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | April | 7 | Thrashbush | Airdrie | Thrashbush Coal Co | Willm Carsewell | Collier | 60 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | April | 11 | Quarter | Hamilton | Colin Dunlop & Co | Francis Cadzow | Labourer | 15 | In shafts | Fell from pit head. No gates | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
| 1871 | April | 15 | South Boig | N Cumnock | Lanemark Coal Co | John Penman | Boy | 14 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. From Main body of report: On the morning of the accident, the fireman in making his examination discovered firedamp in an advanced section of the work at A Fig. 1, and extending a few feet back. He properly kept the workmen out of it, and I understand placed a fence at B so as to prevent any person entering it. The manager who visited the pit shortly after, and when acquainted with the state of the ''heading," directed that the "plane" C should be pushed through without delay upon the "end" D, and the deceased, father and son, were also appointed to construct a trap-door at E to be in readiness, so that when the places C D were connected, the ventilation might be carried direct to the face of the heading at A. As to the cause of the explosion, it seems certain that the deceased either ignited the gas at the fence B or inside of it nearer to the heading. In support of this view the boy's cap was found in the inside of the fence, and as workmen had been passing the point referred to, B, frequently on the morning of the accident with open lights, the inference is that the gas lay beyond the fence, and could only be reached by passing within it. Apparently the range of safety did not extend far beyond the fence. According to the fireman it could not exceed nine yards; under such circumstances it would have been better to supply the deceased with safety lamps to work with, and prohibit persons from passing near to the fence with open lights till after the gas was dislodged. | |
| James Penman | Collier | 40 | |||||||||
| 1871 | April | 18 | Cairnhill | Airdrie | Wm Baird & Co | James Henderson | 28 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | ||
| 1871 | April | 18 | Haughead | Hamilton | Merry & Cunningham | Hugh Silver | Collier | 40 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at stoops | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages [gives name as James Salfridge] |
| 1871 | April | 20 | Corsehill | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | John Watt | Foreman engineer | 45 | Above ground | Falling down an old shaft which was in the act of being filled up From Main body of report: At Corsel Colliery, near Kilwinning, while a "gang" of labourers were engaged filling up an old shaft, and restoring the surface, part of the woodwork, engine framing, and "barring" fell in, with a quantity of the surrounding stuff, and choked up the mouth of the shaft for about 20 feet. After some delay, and a few unsuccessful attempts to force away the rubbish and clear an opening, a run of water convenient to the pit was diverted from its course and allowed to play upon it. During the experiment two men actually went on to the top of the rubbish immediately over the pit, and with a pinch or rod commenced to partially move the stuff, with the view of aiding the water to force an opening, when it suddenly fell away, and they were hurled into the shaft with it. It is difficult to conceive a more rash and inconsiderate act, than for two men to place themselves upon a body of loose stuff, their only support, suspended in a shaft 50 fathoms deep, and to deliberately exert themselves to force it away. | |
| John Faulds | Labourer | 20 | |||||||||
| 1871 | April | 26 | Glengyron | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | Hugh Carruthers | Miner | 38 | In Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | By gunpowder while blasting | |
| 1871 | May | 13 | Fernigare | Hamilton | Archd. Russell | Jas Miller | Collier | 55 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal while holing | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
| 1871 | May | 15 | Woodhead | Bathgate | Coltness Iron Co. | Wm McAlpine | Miner | 18 | In Ironstone mines – falls, coal and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | May | 20 | Motherwell | Motherwell | M Fitzpatrick | John Watson | Collier | 27 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at stoops | |
| 1871 | May | 24 | Kirkwood | Coatbridge | John Hendrie | James Wallace | Collier | 34 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal | Newspaper Report - Old Monkland pages |
| 1871 | May | 29 | Redan | Stevenston | Merry & Cunningham | William Scott | Drawer | 13 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | May | 30 | Kipps | Airdrie | Robertson & Eddie | John Wallace | Collier | 45 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof while working at stoops | Newspaper report |
| 1871 | June | 2 | Drummore | Musselburgh | Deans and Moore | James Greig | Collier | 14 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal while working at stoops | |
| 1871 | June | 10 | Pather | Wishaw | Coltness Iron Co. | Daniel Hamilton | Collier | 15 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof on road | |
| 1871 | June | 13 | Craigston | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | James Frew | Miner | 33 | In Ironstone mines – falls of ironstone and roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | June | 13 | Lochgelly | Lochgelly | Lochgelly Iron Co | Archd Hodge | Collier | 15 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | June | 24 | Bogleshole | Tollcross | James Dunlop & Co | Richard Gray | Collier | 58 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1871 | June | 27 | Chapelside | Airdrie | Ferrier & Strain | Pat Strain | Collier | 25 | In shafts | Fall of strata from side of shafts From Main body of report: One man was killed while ascending the shaft, by a piece of loose strata falling from the side of the shaft. An engine had been started underground a few days before, and the exhaust steam ascending the upcast shaft had acted injuriously on the soft strata. The steam is now carried to the surface in pipes. | |
| 1871 | June | -- | Eastfield | Rutherglen | T G Buchanan | Patrick O'Neil | Bottomer | 19 | In shafts | Crushed in the shaft by the cage being lifted without a signal From Main body of report: The deceased was the bottomer, and at the time of the accident he was engaged placing a hutch upon the cage. From some cause, the hutch not being quite on, it was found necessary to draw it back, and the deceased was in the act of pushing it back when, without a signal, the cage was raised, and he was crushed between the cage and the side of the shaft. The usual steps were taken to prosecute the engineman for culpable neglect of duty, but a link in the chain of evidence was found to be wanting after the trial was fixed and witnesses cited, and ultimately the case was abandoned. | |
| 1871 | June | 30 | Motherwell | James Maxwell | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report | |||||
| 1871 | July | 3 | Cambusnethan | Wishaw | D and J Sneddon | John McTavish | Bottomer | 14 | In shafts | Crushed by cage while crossing shaft | |
| 1871 | July | 5 | Enterkine | Ayr | George Taylor & Co | James McCrorie | Collier | 26 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | Newspaper Report |
| 1871 | July | 8 | Quarter Ironworks | Alexander Bell Chassels | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages | |||||
| 1871 | July | 10 | Drumnir | Kilmarnock | Merry & Cunningham | John Little | Boy | 14 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | July | 10 | Govan | Rutherglen | W S Dixon | Robert Reid | Engineer | 45 | Above ground | Scalded by steam whilst repairing the throttle valve of steam engine From Main body of report: As a specimen of the neglect or want of care complained of during the past year, three mechanics went on a Sunday morning to make alterations upon the " throttle" valve in connexion with one of the winding engines at Govan Colliery. They deliberately took out the bolts which secured this piece to the steam pipes, and were in the act of pressing it off, when it was suddenly driven out by the force of the steam supplied from a number of large boilers, then at a pressure of not less than 30 pounds upon the square inch. Two of them were killed instantaneously, and the third survived only a few hours. They were all practical mechanics, two of them mature in years, their ages being 60, 45, and 22, of whom the oldest had been for upwards of 40 years employed in the working and construction of steam engines. In this case it would seem incredible that three intelligent practical mechanics could deliberately disengage the valve piece from the steam pipes, without first taking the precaution to shut off the steam connexion with the boilers, or exhaust the steam, which at the time was pressing actively against it. | Newspaper report |
| John Boyd | Engineer | 60 | |||||||||
| John Binning | Engineer | 22 | |||||||||
| 1871 | July | 13 | Cadder | Bishopbriggs | Carron Iron Co | Robert Higgins | Sinker | 35 | In Ironstone mines – in shafts | By a scaffold on which they were standing getting detached from the rope From Main body of report: This accident, by which three lives were lost, is an exceptional one, and I do not recollect a similar occurrence during my experience. The shaft was sunk by contract, by an intelligent sinker, of considerable experience, and well acquainted with such work. He was in attendance at the pit mouth on the day of the accident, and, according to his own statement, they were at the time engaged connecting a "set" of pump rods in the shaft. The deceased, three sinkers, were lowered in a kettle by the engine to the point where the connexion required to be made, and where a scaffold, suspended from a crane at the surface, was hanging. It appears that they got out of the kettle safely on to the scaffold, and signalled it away. It was raised accordingly, but in passing the muzzle pin, which connected the scaffold to the crane rope, shown on hand sketch, Fig. 2, the iron hoop of the kettle caught the head of the muzzle pin and drew it out, disconnecting the scaffold, which fell away. There was a quantity of water in the shaft, consequently it was some time before the bodies could be recovered; one of the sufferers was the contractor's son. In discussing with the contractor after the accident as to the insecurity of the muzzle pin, it being secured or kept in place by a strip of bucket leather, he explained that he put in the leather for safety, as being less likely to catch their clothes while being raised and > lowered past it than a split iron cutter. Often a mystery exists as to the cause of these uncommon occurrences. In this case, however, there was no difficulty ; the bolt was found at the bottom of the shaft with the leather in it entire. A split iron cutter is often used for such purposes, and forms a simple connexion. Such a contrivance would have been effectual in preventing this accident, but for general use I believe that a nut screwed on to the end of the muzzle pin, and kept in place by a small rivet, is the most safe and secure. | Newspaper Report |
| David Shaw | Sinker | 28 | |||||||||
| Robert Henderson | Sinker | 22 | |||||||||
| 1871 | July | 14 | Milnwood | Holytown | John Christie | Robert Mitchel | Roadsman | 26 | In shafts | Fell from mid-working. He ran a hutch into shaft when cage was away From Main body of report: Two men were killed by falling from mid-workings. In both cases the deceased were in a great measure to blame themselves. In one case the "bottomer" was standing at his post, and the man who was killed rushed past him and fell into the shaft. In the other case the deceased was a roadsman who was working within 20 yards of the shaft, on day's wages, and therefore in no particular hurry, and he might have seen that no cage was there. | Newspaper report |
| 1871 | July | 20 | Greenfield | Shettleston | Geo McNair & Co | Charles Neilson | Boy | 14 | In shafts | By the winding rope (wire) breaking whilst they were being raised in the shaft From Main body of report: The deceased, a man and boy, were in the act of being raised, and had ascended about 35 fathoms, when the rope suddenly broke, and they were dashed to the bottom of the pit. In this case the rope, which was of wire, had originally been three inches in circumference, but at the place of fracture it, by wear, was reduced to 2 3/4 inches circumference ; a few of the outside wires were also worn through and broken. Thirty-six feet were cut off the rope after the accident within three feet of the fracture, and prepared for testing. In that length six broken wires were found, and it broke when subjected to a strain of four tons, the Admiralty test breaking strain for a similar description of rope when new being 11 tons 14 cwts., and at 2 3/4inches circumference, 10 tons. | Newspaper report |
| William Kinnaird | Collier | 44 | |||||||||
| 1871 | July | 24 | Garriongill | Coltness | Coltness Iron Co. | And Anderson | Onsetter | 14 | Miscellaneous | Run over by trams on engine incline. He was riding on the train, and it was flung off the road | |
| 1871 | July | 25 | Inkerman | Johnstone | Merry & Cunningham | John Barclay | Miner | 20 | In Ironstone mines – in shafts | Was jammed in the shaft by the cage being lifted without a signal | |
| 1871 | August | 5 | Shawfield | Wishaw | John Wilson | M Ohara | Collier | 25 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1871 | August | 8 | Townhead | Hurlet | John Wilson & Sons | John Gebbie | Boy | 14 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | August | 16 | Grange | Kilmarnock | Robert Yeats &Co | James McChristie | Collier | 50 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | August | 23 | Redburn | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | Samuel Brown | Brusher | 45 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | August | 24 | Overton | Wishaw | John Wilson | John Morgan | Collier | 45 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | August | 24 | Quarter | Denny | W Baird & Co | Alexander Paterson | Miner | 34 | In Ironstone mines – miscellaneous | By gunpowder while blasting | Newspaper report - Stirlingshire pages |
| 1871 | August | 24 | Dalzell | Lanarkshire | William Cotts | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report - Lanarkshire pages | ||||
| 1871 | August | 24 | Hurlford | Ayrshire | Matthew Parker | engineman | Death not listed in Inspectors report | [Many thanks to Jim Smith for providing these details] | |||
| 1871 | August | 29 | Woodhall | Airdrie | Merry & Cunningham | Rob Fotheringhame | Drawer | 13 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof on road | |
| 1871 | August | 31 | Polton | Dalkeith | Jas Eaglesham | John Duncan | Blacksmith | 45 | In shafts | Drum got out of gear and ran amain with deceased, and another man in kettle; they fell into 10 fathoms of water. It was a sinking pit From Main body of report: At Polton Colliery a man was killed by the winding drum getting out of gear, through the engineman neglecting to secure it properly. The engineman was tried for manslaughter and sentenced to one month's imprisonment. | |
| 1871 | September | 4 | Barleith | Kilmarnock | John Galloway & Co | William Copland | Collier | 23 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | September | 4 | Calder Bank | Baillieston | Provanhall Coal Co | Robert Hutchison | Collier | 50 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. From Main body of report: For 10 months or more previous to the accident a pair of mines were commenced in the main coal seam, for the purpose of communicating with the abandoned workings of an adjoining pit partly filled with water, They had advanced beyond the general face of workings 300 yards, and near to the point of connexion a dislocation of the strata was unexpectedly met with which necessitated some change The deceased were at the time of the accident driving a crosscut stone mine for the purpose of forming a connexion at the proper level, and worked only during day. No one worked within 200 yards of them except a collier, Doran, who was employed in forming a "stow" mine, simply for depositing the stuff produced from their mine. The mine and Doran's place were ventilated by a split from the general current of air. Doran's place and the road leading to it were examined every morning by the fireman. The deceased, Baxter, had a contract for driving the stone mine referred to. He examined it for himself, and was supplied with a safety lamp for that purpose. On Saturday forenoon both places were clear of firedamp; on Monday morning following, about 6.30 a.m., Baxter and his neighbour passed in to their work with their naked lights. They met with firedamp before reaching Doran's room, which ignited at their lights, causing an explosion. Their bodies were found about 50 feet back from the road leading in to Doran's room, which should have been examined by the regular fireman. It came out in evidence after the accident that, in consequence of Doran's place lying so far out of the fireman's way, being distant from any other works, that it was his custom not to make an examination of it until Doran went with him. Unfortunately, Doran did not come out to his work on the morning of the accident, and his place was not examined. If the fireman had examined it he would have discovered the gas which caused the explosion, and in all probability the accident would have been prevented. This is another sad instance of the impropriety of excepting places in a colliery from the surveillance of the general fireman. If it had been the fireman's duty to examine every working part, then Baxter and his neighbour would have waited for his report. But as arranged, practically, their examination commenced at the point leading into Doran's place, where they kept their safety lamp, and outside of which the explosion happened. The public prosecutor in this case charged the fireman with culpable homicide. He was tried in the Court House, Airdrie, by Sheriff Logie and a jury, found guilty, and sentenced to 30 days' imprisonment. | Newspaper report |
| Thomas Baxter | Contractor | 50 | |||||||||
| 1871 | September | 5 | Muirhouse | Wishaw | Archd Russell | John Webster | Collier | 36 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1871 | September | 7 | Fernigare | Hamilton | Archd Russell | Rob Feely | Collier | 15 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp at stoops, caused by a roadman putting his naked light to a fall where gas was. From Main body of report: On the 17th September, an explosion of firedamp occurred at Fernigair Colliery, near Hamilton, which burned six persons, one of these fatally. The accident occurred in connexion with some pillar workings where the men worked with safety lamps. One of the roadsmen was working amongst the men with a naked light, which he had placed close to a ''fall" where gas had been seen in the morning. The light lighted the gas and burned the persons near the place. This accident was clearly due to the recklessness of the roadsman in using a naked light where the miners had safety lamps. | NB James Tierney, age 27, pit roadsman, address: Rumblingsykes, Dalziel, was tried for culpable homicide and culpable violation, or neglect of duty at the High Court, Glasgow (Second Court), 28 Dec 1871. He was found not guilty - source NAS catalogue] Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
| 1871 | September | 7 | Neubattle | Dalkeith | Marquis of Lothian | Robert Davidson | Collier | 30 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | Newspaper report |
| 1871 | September | 7 | Rosehall | Holytown | Robert Addie & Sons | Alex Allen | Collier | 40 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1871 | September | 13 | Bartonholm | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | Matthew Porter | Collier | 54 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | September | 14 | Rameldrie | Cupar | M Thomas | John Gulland | Engineman | 60 | Above ground | Fell into hot water cistern | |
| 1871 | September | 14 | Starryshaw | Shotts | Muir & Thornton | James Adam | Collier | 40 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face | |
| 1871 | September | 20 | Swineridgemuir | Beith | Merry & Cunningham | James Pullonie | Collier | 54 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1871 | September | 26 | Fergushill | Kilmarnock | Merry & Cunningham | Hugh Lang | Sinker | 31 | In Ironstone mines – in shafts | Fell out of the kettle while being raised in the shaft | |
| 1871 | September | 26 | Greenhill | Holytown | Robert Young | William Currie | Miner | 26 | In Ironstone mines – above ground | Stumbled into machinery while drunk, and not on duty | |
| 1871 | September | 29 | Cambusnethan | Wishaw | D and J Sneddon | James Smellie | Collier | 26 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of top coal | |
| 1871 | September | 30 | Woodhill | Kilmarnock | Merry & Cunningham | James Easton | Oversman | 30 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | October | 2 | Mauldslie | Carluke | Michael Burns | Will. Goldie | Drawer | 15 | Miscellaneous | Run over by tubs. Incline rope broke while he was following tubs | |
| 1871 | October | 4 | Coltness | Coltness | Coltness Iron Co. | John Connor | Collier | 17 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | October | 4 | Coltness | Coltness | Coltness Iron Co. | James Menzies | Collier | 23 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | October | 12 | Balgonie | Markinch | Mr Balfour | Henry Kerr | Collier | 21 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal while holing | |
| 1871 | October | 12 | Haughead | Hamilton | Merry & Cunningham | Henry Houston | Collier | 17 | In shafts | Fell down pit from mid-working From Main body of report: Two men were killed by falling from mid-workings. In both cases the deceased were in a great measure to blame themselves. In one case the "bottomer" was standing at his post, and the man who was killed rushed past him and fell into the shaft. In the other case the deceased was a roadsman who was working within 20 yards of the shaft, on day's wages, and therefore in no particular hurry, and he might have seen that no cage was there. | Newspaper report - Hamilton pages |
| 1871 | October | 18 | Starlaw | Bathgate | Uphall Oil Co | Francis Braddy | Collier | 40 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. Want of air From Main body of report: On the 18th October there was an explosion of firedamp m the coal workings of the Starlaw Shale pit, near Bathgate. The coal had been newly reached by a stone drift from the shale workings. The air was led into the stone-mine by means of a brick brattice But when the current reached the coal workings it was so much reduced by leakages that there was scarcely a visible current, and firedamp was usually found in some of the workings. On the morning of the accident the fireman of the pit, a bricklayer, were about to put in some additional bratticing in one of the places which contained firedamp. They first sent the deceased in the dark to "waff" it out. In doing so it is supposed that he brought the firedamp in contact with some naked lights about 20 yards distant and it exploded. The man at the face was killed, and five others were burned. There was little firedamp in the workings ; a very ordinary supply of air would have been sufficient to have kept them clear. After the fire in this pit last year, the furnace was removed to the surface, where it is not so effective, and the company are now erecting a fan capable of raising 14,000 cubic feet per minute. | |
| 1871 | October | 28 | Over Johnstone | Wishaw | Wishaw Iron Co | Thomas Scott | Roadsman | 27 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of stone on road | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | October | 30 | Bartonholm | Kilwinning | Eglinton Iron Co | Thomas McQuade | Fireman | 35 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. From Main body of report: The explosion took place on a Monday morning. The ventilating furnace had not been attended to from the preceding Saturday, and I learned that the fireman on discovering the state of the furnace had re-kindled it, and after remaining in the neighbourhood for a few minutes had gone off with a number of workmen, for the purpose, of making an examination of a section of the pit, where fire-damp was supposed to exist. It appears that they proceeded all together, carrying their naked lamps, which ignited a quantity of gas at or within a few feet of the face. Two were killed by the fire or flame, and two died, it is supposed, from the effects of the after damp. At many of the collieries it is the rule for the fireman to examine the mine before the engineman shall allow the workmen to be lowered to their work. An additional precaution has been introduced at Eglinton Ironworks, where the accident referred to happened, by which four persons were killed by an explosion. The fireman, in addition to making his examination before the workmen shall be allowed to enter to their work, is bound to mark with chalk upon each working face the date of his examination. Every colliery owner professes by his special rules to have an examination of his mine made in the morning by a properly qualified fireman. Underground workmen, who trust their lives on the faith of the fireman's examination, are well entitled to ask for every possible security as to the manner in which this important regulation is carried out. And I think the following might be made a special rule at every colliery in this district: "That the fireman, in addition to his examination, shall leave his mark with chalk—the day of the month—upon every working place." There is nothing novel in this; it is a common-sense precaution, and perhaps the best proof that can be obtained of the fireman having performed his duty. No additional expense would be incurred in carrying it out, and if strictly observed it would be productive of much good. | |
| Charles McDonald | Brusher | 40 | Explosions | ||||||||
| William Graham | Brusher | 38 | Explosions | ||||||||
| Samuel Holmes | Brusher | 36 | Explosions | ||||||||
| 1871 | November | 1 | Gauchalland | Galston | Gauchalland Coal Co | John Clark | Drawer | 13 | In shafts | Fell from a mid-working 32 fathoms From Main body of report: The deceased was a boy about 13 years of age, and was engaged as a drawer in the the "Tourha" seam. He was about to leave off work on the night of the accident, and went with the person who employed him near to the shaft for the purpose of ascending. Being left alone for a few minutes it is supposed that in passing under a screen near to the pit his light had been put out, and in the dark he had unwittingly walked into the shaft and fallen to the bottom, a distance of 32 fathoms. By the special rules of the colliery it was the duty of the manager to appoint a bottomer to make the required signals, and to look after the safety of the workmen while being raised or lowered. Those intrusted with carrying out the details of management wilfully failed to comply with this important regulation. | |
| 1871 | November | 4 | Holmes | Galston | John Horne | John White | Collier | 30 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1871 | November | 6 | Cavinhill | Airdrie | Wm Baird & Co | Neil Cochil | Collier | 23 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof at face | |
| 1871 | November | 7 | Bankhead | Galston | Eglinton Iron Co | James Milne | Bricklayer | 50 | In shafts | Crushed by the cage when crossing the shaft with a hutch | |
| 1871 | November | 8 | Blairdardie | Renfrew | Merry & Cunningham | Walter Miller | Collier | 46 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | November | 10 | Bellsdyke | Airdrie | Shaw & Pettigrew | And. Martin | Collier | 19 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of coal at face while holing | Newspaper report - New Monklands |
| 1871 | November | 17 | Bankhead | Sanquhar | Misses Whigham | David Walker | Boy | 13 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | November | 17 | No 10 Pit, Wishaw | Samuel Walker | Not listed | Death not listed in Inspectors report | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages With thanks to Jim Irvine for this information | ||||
| 1871 | November | 18 | Netherton | Wishaw | Wishaw Iron Co | Dan. Carlin | Roadsman | 45 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of roof in road | Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages |
| 1871 | December | 4 | Gartshore | Kilsyth | Wm Baird & Co | Neil Harvey | Brusher | 23 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. From Main body of report: The sufferers in this case were "redsmen," a class of workmen who, at this colliery, where the roof is tender and falls freely, are engaged during the night clearing falls which happen in the roadways, and in securing the roof with wood or otherwise when required. They descend regularly after the colliers' shift ceases. There was a deputed overlooker, and it was his duty to make the necessary examinations for the safety of the workmen engaged under him. On the morning of the accident I understand that he sent the deceased and a neighbouring workman named Tullore to examine the roadways to the west of the main "incline." In the course of their examination they discovered a fall of roof in the west level, and about 120 feet from the face of it. From this point the current of air was guided to the face by brattice, which the fall of roof had apparently damaged; for, when Tullore inconsiderately went in towards the face of the level with his open light, he ignited a quantity of gas, which burned himself and fatally injured his companions. These workmen were not provided with a safety lamp, and it appeared that in their examinations they used no precautionary measures. Under the circumstances the deputed overlooker ought to have examined the roadways with a safety lamp before the ordinary workmen were allowed to travel along them with their open lights. | |
| Michael Dailby | Brusher | 47 | |||||||||
| 1871 | December | 4 | Hurlford | Hurlford | Allan Gilmour & Co | David Black | Roadsman | 55 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | December | 5 | Balquhatstone | Slamannan | John Watson | And. Baxter | Collier | 20 | Falls, Coal and Roof | Fall of stone at face | |
| 1871 | December | 5 | Kilmarnock | Kilmarnock | Archibald Finnie | William Barbour | Collier | 54 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of coal | |
| 1871 | December | 8 | Barrachnie | Baillieston | Wm Young & Co | James Finnigan | Brusher | 39 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof while engaged taking it down | |
| 1871 | December | 15 | Quarter | Hamilton | Colin Dunlop & Co | John Semple | Pit-head man | 17 | Above ground | Run over by waggons. | |
| 1871 | December | 23 | Maid Pit, Common | Cumnock | Eglinton Iron Co | James Dixon | Drawer | 19 | In Ironstone mines – in shafts | By getting entangled with the cage when it was about to be lowered | |
| 1871 | December | 27 | Mossend | Holytown | Mossend Iron Co | And Wingate | overman | 55 | Explosions | Explosion of fire damp. Went into an old working with a naked light From Main body of report: On the 27th December an explosion of firedamp at Mossend Colliery resulted in the death of the underground manager and serious personal injury to the overman. They had gone into a disused part of the workings with their naked lights, and ignited some firedamp which lay there. They were both much burned, and the manager died. This accident was caused by gross negligence on the part of the injured men, who ought to have made the examination with a safety lamp. | |
| 1871 | December | 29 | Barleith | Kilmarnock | John Galloway & Co | Thomas Goldie | Collier | 30 | Falls of Coal and Roof | Fall of roof | |
| 1871 | December | 30 | Ashgill | Larkhall | Andrew Spencer | John McLean | Assistant pit head man | 14 | In shafts | Run tub into pit, gates off repairing From Main body of report: In accident No. 52 the gate was off under repair. It is to be remarked that people get accustomed to and rely upon these gates, and an accident is more likely to happen if the gate is off temporarily than if it had never been applied at all. | Newspaper report - Dalserf pages |
