Scottish Mining Website

1878 Fatal Accidents

Notes - The information in this page is mainly compiled from appendices to the reports of the Inspector of Mines and Collieries - William Alexander for the Western District of Scotland and Ralph Moore for the Eastern District of Scotland. Additional details from the main body of the report are given where available. Many accidents are not listed in these reports and additional names have been added from newspaper reports and other sources - information not sourced from the mine inspectors reports is indicated by a shaded gray background

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Information from Appendix to Inspectors Report											Extra details
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
1878	January	14	Cowdenbeath	Beath, FIF	Cowdenbeath Coal Co.	Alex. Black	Truck greaser	75	Miscellaneous on surface	Run over by wagons
1878	January	17	Dalzell	Dalzell, LKS	J McAndrew & Co	William Gatenbier	Collier	15	Falls of sides	At “stooping” while holing. Insufficient sprags
1878	January	21	Donibristle	Aberdour, FIF	Grieve & Nasmyth	William Muir	Collier	17	Falls of Roof	At face while filling a tub (coal roof). Stoop and room
1878	January	21	Muiredge	Wemyss, FIF	Bowman & Co	Alex. Brown	Collier	27	Falls of sides	At face while passing in front. Long wall
1878	January	23	Dunnikier	Kirkcaldy, FIF	Walter Herd	James Knight	Collier	41	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall	Newspaper report
1878	January	26	Drumpeller, No 4	Coatbridge, LKS	Henderson & Dimmack	Patrick Griffen	Collier	25	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	January	31	Braehead, No 6	Lugar	Eglinton Iron Co	John Carlin	Collier	50	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	January	31	Lanemark, No 1	N Cumnock	Lanemark Coal Co	Alex. McStephney	Collier	19	Miscellaneous Underground	Run over by hutch upon an incline
1878	February	11	Bankhead	Sanquhar	Misses Whigham	Archd. Crichton	Collier	29	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof	Newspaper report - Dumfriesshire pages
1878	February	20	Blantyre	Blantyre, LKS	Wm Dixon Ltd	Patrick Ragan	Brusher	33	Falls of Roof	At face of “brushing”. Long wall
1878	February	21	Southfield	Lesmahagow, LKS	Nitshill & Lesmahagow Coal Co.	Gavin Hamilton	Wagoner	--	Miscellaneous on surface	Squeezed between a wagon and pit-bank wall
1878	February	26	Bogleshole, No 4	Tollcross	James Dunlop & Co	Andrew Jamieson	Collier	53	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	February	28	Dalharco No 2	Dalmellington	Dalmellington Iron Co	Alex. M. Cracken	Collier	45	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	March	4	Whiterigg	New Monkland, LKS	Wm Black & sons	Henry Parks	Sinker	--	In shafts – miscellaneous	Giving way while putting in barring
1878	March	5	Bathville	Bathgate, Linlithgow	James Wood	John Brown	Joiner	73	Miscellaneous on surface	Crushed between 2 wagons while attempting to cross the line
1878	March	5	Blantyre	Blantyre, LKS	Wm Dixon Ltd	Thos Murdoch	Collier	50	In shafts- overwinding	From Main body of report: Six men were killed by one accident. An engineman took the cage, upon which they were ascending, up to the pulley. He appears to have shut off the steam and so far decreased the speed, for the rope did not break, and the cage, although broken, remained attached to it. The six men, however, had either jumped off or slid off the cage, and fell to the bottom. One man remained on, and was removed uninjured. The engineman was tried at the Glasgow Assizes for neglect of duty, but a verdict of " not proven " was returned.	Newspaper Reports - Blantyre 1878 page
						Robt. Murdoch	Collier	20
						Pat. Houghnie	Collier	36
						Martin Houghnie	Collier	16
						Pat Hopkins	Collier	20
						Mich Currie	Collier	40
1878	March	6	Bogside	Kilwinning	Eg. Iron Co	William Burns	Collier	35	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	March	6	Caprington, No 31	Kilmarnock	W. S. Cunningham	Adam Sawyers	Collier	41	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	March	8	Barrwood, No 2 pit	Kilsyth	Wm Baird & Co	James Wardrope	Collier	52	Explosions of fire-damp	By fire in shaft and explosion of fire damp	See Main Site
						Walter Ralston	Collier	30
						Robert White	Collier	24
						George Young	Collier	34
						James Wardrope jun	Collier	16
						William Cameron	Collier	44
						James Cameron	Collier	15
						James Gould	Collier	45
						David Wardrope	Collier	20
						James Ross	Collier	15
						David Gould	Collier	19
						Alex Ross	Collier	40
						David Fleming	Engine boy	17
						Walter Cowan	Incline man	32
						Edward Hardie	Collier	38
						Alex Burns	Bottomer	34
						John Miller	Collier	35
1878	March	13	Drumclair	Slamannan, STI	James Nimmo & Co	William Baxter	Brusher	36	Falls of Roof	At face while taking down loose “brushing”. Long wall
1878	March	16	Langbyres	Shotts, LKS	Barr & Higgins	Alex. Keith	Collier	21	Falls of Roof	While “brushing” 2 feet from face. Long wall
1878	March	18	Auchinharvie, No 5	Saltcoats	M Cunningham	John Finlay	Brusher	51	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	March	19	Dykehead	Hamilton, LKS	Summerlee Iron Co	John Chapel	Collier	24	In shafts – miscellaneous	Crushed by descending cage while attempting to cross the bottom. There was a road by the side	Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1878	March	20	Drumshangie	New Monkland, LKS	Dumshangie Coal Co	Andrew Burns	Collier	--	Falls of Roof	At face. Stoop and room
1878	March	26	Longlee	Dalserf, LKS	Lesmahagow & Longlee Coal Co	Thomas Creggan	Collier	22	Falls of sides	At “stooping” while holing. Insufficient sprags
1878	March	30	Niddrie	Liberton, Edinburgh	Benhar Coal Co Ltd	William Currie	Stone miner	35	Sundries underground	Struck by stones from a shot which exploded while he was stemming it
1878	April	10	Springside, No 10	Dreghorn	A Kenneth & Sons	Robert Hay	Collier	26	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	April	12	Lathallan	Kilconquhar, FIF	Thos Brown & Sons	Alex. Nicholson	Collier	50	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall
1878	April	12	Netherjohnstone	Dalzell, LKS	Glasgow Iron Co	Thos. McConnuskie	Roadsman	30	In shafts – falling from part way down	Fell down a “blind” pit while he and others were lifting water from it with windlass and kettles
1878	April	20	Cadzow	Hamilton, LKS	Cadzow Coal Co Ltd	Thos Gilmour	Drawer	20	By tubs and trams	Crushed between loaded tubs and centre prop on a double road while “snibbling” the tubs
1878	April	23	Boghead	Bathgate, Linlithgow	James Russell & Sons	Francis Bonar	Collier	15	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall
1878	April	23	Galston Colliery	Galston	J Horne & Sons	Hugh Richmond	Pony driver	16	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	April	25	Craigneuk	Dalzell, LKS	Merry & Cunningham	Henry Harris	Sinker	40	In shafts – things falling from part way down	Struck by a piece of wood which formed part of, and fell from, a movable scaffold at splint coal
1878	May	1	Knockterra	Cumnock	Eg. Iron Co	Patrick Cairns	Hillman	21	Above Ground	Was run over by a waggon he was in the act of shifting
1878	May	6	Bellsdyke	New Monkland, LKS	Bellsdyke Coal Co	John McWilliams	Bottomer	68	In shafts – miscellaneous	Crushed by cage. Mistake of signals
1878	May	10	Salsburgh	Shotts, LKS	Coltness Iron Co.	John McMeekin	Miner	43	In Ironstone mines	Fall of roof (sandstone) at face. Long wall
1878	May	17	Bent	Hamilton, LKS	Bent Colliery Co Ltd	Andrew Russell	Roadsman	--	Falls of Roof	On main road while repairing it. Stoop and room
1878	May	24	Auchenraith	Blantyre, LKS	Merry & Cunningham	John Mellon	Collier	44	Falls of sides	At face while holing in a 12 feet room. Want of sprags
1878	May	24	Spitallhill No 2	Cambuslang	Clyde Coal Co Ltd	Richard Shannon	Labourer	38	Above Ground	By a crane getting unexpectedly into motion
1878	June	3	Fence	Lesmahagow, LKS	Nitshill & Lesmahagow Coal Co.	Hector Coulter	Brusher	--	Sundries underground	While unramming a shot which had missed fire it exploded
1878	June	3	Leven	Wemyss, FIF	Fife Coal Co Ltd	John Johnstone	Sinker	--	In shafts – things falling from part way down	Knocked off the scaffold by bucket door falling while fixing it. Sinking pit.
1878	June	6	Hallhill	Baillieston	Springhill Coal Co	William Guthrie	Collier	37	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	June	7	Roughrigg	New Monkland, LKS	Robert Forrester	Robert Carson	Collier	37	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall
1878	June	10	Loudon, No 1	Galston	Eg. Iron Co	Robt Wilson	Pony driver	14	Miscellaneous Underground	Had fallen before a train of loaded hutches which he was in charge of
1878	June	13	Braidholm	Lesmahagow, LKS	Nitshill & Lesmahagow Coal Co.	Robert Yuill	Brusher	50	Falls of sides	In a road while drilling a hole to blast it. Long wall
1878	June	17	Ayr Colliery	Ayr	J T Gordon	John Kerr	Collier	20	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	June	19	Garrion Gill	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co.	Thos McQueen	Surfaceman	63	By machinery on surface	Crushed by a pulley which he was oiling while in motion
1878	June	22	Pollok Colliery	Pollokshaws	John Wilson	James Whitehill	Fireman	43	Explosions of fire-damp	Explosion of fire damp. Injured on 10th, died on 22nd From Main body of report: Happened to a fireman who, at the time of the accident, it is understood, was examining the mine before allowing the workmen to enter to their work, when he exploded a small quantity of firedamp which had collected in a part of the air-course a little above the ordinary level of the roof. The amount of firedamp was trifling, and the injuries which caused death 12 days after were at the time not considered serious. It was stated that this was the first time firedamp had been discovered in the mine, and that at the time of the explosion the deceased was making his examination with an open light.
1878	June	25	Caprington, No 37	Kilmarnock	W. S. Cunningham	John Miller	Roadsman	74	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof while engaged securing it
1878	June	25	Garrion Gill	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co.	Hugh Aird	Pit-head man	33	Miscellaneous on surface	Crushed between 2 wagons while shifting them at the screens. Died 9th October
1878	June	28	Blackstone No 1	Cumnock	Eg. Iron Co	John Hughes	Miner	34	In ironstone/fire clay mines	Fall of roof
1878	July	2	Dalzell	Dalzell, LKS	John McAndrew & Co	George Smith	Bottomer	45	In shafts – things falling from part way down	Struck by a piece of coal from ascending cage
1878	July	2	Wilsontown	Carnwarth, LKS	Gavin Paul	William Brown	Collier	28	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall
1878	July	6	Bishopbriggs No 8	Bishopbriggs	W S Dixon	Hugh McVey	Miner	23	In ironstone/fire clay mines	Fall of roof
1878	July	6	Drumlemble, Kilkeevan Pit	Campbelton	Argyle Coal & Cannel Co	Neil Smith	Collier	--	Miscellaneous Underground	Inundation from an old abandoned working From Main body of report: The pit at which the irruption took place is 27 fathoms deep, and was suddenly filled to within 12 fathoms of the surface. The old workings, from which the water flowed, are of considerable extent, but have been abandoned for upwards of 50 years. Referring to plan which exhibits the workings of two seams of coal, the first six-feet seam lies at 18 fathoms from the surface, and the lower or nine-feet seam, at 27 fathoms. At the time of the accident the working was confined to the lower seam. The depth of surface overlying the stratified rocks, lying not far above the sea level, averages 54 feet, of which 40 is principally composed of sand. Several dislocations traverse this part of the coalfield, and the fracture, or ''veise'' is generally found filled with sand. In mining up to these fractures, or barring them, there is frequently a partial discharge of water, which is looked upon as quite an ordinary, occurrence. In May last the place marked x on plan, when extended to the dislocation a a, relieved some pent-up water, to check which supports were immediately put to the roof, and a rough darn constructed, backed by a loose building. This had the desired effect of shutting off the water, and the place was supposed to be left in a secure state. Nothing further was done until the 5th of July, when the .manager had occasion to be in or to pass near to the mine x, when he discovered water and sand passing from the front of the dam. On observing this, precautionary measures were taken, which were completed before night. No further discharge was observed up to the time of the disaster, which happened on the afternoon of the following day, 6th, when the water which lay in the six feet seam found its way into the mine x by the "veise" of the dislocation a a. The pressure of the water, probably equal to 100 feet or thereby, forced away the , obstruction at X , and made an opening down the veise of the dislocation 25 feet and 4' X 10', in which it must have rushed with considerable force. The bottomer, who was employed at the bottom, was so suddenly overtaken that he did not escape, and two of the miners, working at B, the dipmost part of the mine were, I presume, instantly closed in, their bodies being afterwards found near to their working-place. Fortunately the work was nearly over for the day, and five workman, engaged at different parts of the mine escaped by the" blind " pit. The appliances for pumping, the water and unwatering the mine were kept in constant operation, but the bottom was not reached until the 2nd of September when the body of the bottomer was found, and nearly four weeks elapsed before the bodies of the others were reached. The works were conducted or guided by an old plan, which is now found to be in error at least 46 fathoms, or rather the workings have been extended 46 fathoms beyond the limit shown upon the plan. The existence of water in the old workings was well known, but it was equally well known that it lay from 25 to 30 feet above the seam being worked. Since the accident a mine has been driven to prove the actual position of the old waste. This is a very unusual accident, the displacement of at least 25 feet of material, 4' x 10', more or less consolidated, and could only have happened under special conditions. The salutary provisions contained in section 42 of the statute, which provided that plans of abandoned mines shall be be lodged with the Secretary of State within three months after the abandonment will in future tend to prevent such misfortunes.	Newspaper report - Other areas
						Daniel McPhail	Collier	--
						John Todd	Bottomer	64
1878	July	9	Bankend	Lesmahagow, LKS	Monkland Iron & Coal Co Ltd	John Carruthers	Sinker	17	In Ironstone mines	Suffocated by choke damp. They were sinking a windlass pit which had only reached 40 feet from the surface. One fell when he reached the bottom
1878	July	9	Bankend	Lesmahagow, LKS	Monkland Iron & Coal Co Ltd	Andrew Carruthers	Sinker	21	In Ironstone mines
1878	July	15	Gauchalland No 4	Galston	Gauchalland Coal Co	John Roxburgh	Collier	28	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	July	15	Lanemark, No 1	N Cumnock	Lanemark Coal Co	James Ferguson	Collier	41	Miscellaneous Underground	Whilst blasting
1878	July	15	Standhill, Limestone Mine	Bathgate, Linlithgow	James Russell & Sons	A Haslin	Miner	--	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof at face.
1878	July	17	Drumpark	Baillieston	Drumpark Coal Co	Henry Laughlan	Collier	24	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	July	20	Wester Gartshore	Kirkintilloch	J & A Wallace	Robert Gray	Sinker	23	Explosions of fire-damp	Explosion of fire damp. From Main body of report: Happened at a shaft in the act of being sunk as an outlet for one adjoining. No 1, the first, reached the "main" coal at a depth of 54 fathoms. The workings in it are yet of a preparatory kind, the principal one being a mine driven towards and under the shaft No. 3 in the act of being sunk, and which eventually will form the course of communication between them. At the time of the accident the sinking pit had reached 37 fathoms from the surface. It appears that at a depth of 16 fathoms a bore-hole was: put down to the mine in the main coal off No. 1 pit, for the purpose of drawing the water off No. 3, and to the bottom of No. 1, where arrangements were made for pumping it. In prosecuting the sinking of No. 3 pit, feeders of firedamp were opened about 30 fathoms from the surface. These feeders have continued to give off gas, more or less, from the time they were first opened. Firedamp also escaped by the bore-hole referred to, if at any time it got choked or the water did not run off freely. The ventilation was maintained in the ordinary way by a midwall,which at the time of the accident reached to within 22 feet of the bottom of the shaft, and a current of air, beyond the natural ventilation, was produced by the occasional use of a jet of steam placed in the upcast division about seven fathoms from the surface. It appears that from the 8th of July the night shift of men worked with safety lamps, but during the day the workmen could carry on their operations without the aid of lamps. Blasting operations were carried on without lights, and the shots were fired by applying heated iron rods to the fuse or match. Dynamite was the explosive in use at the time of the accident. The work was carried on by three shifts of men in the 24 hours, and five men were engaged on each shift. On the day of the accident, 20th July, the afternoon shift commenced at two o'clock, and up to the time of the accident, about six p.m., they had prepared six bore-holes and were making preparations to blast. Two of their number had gone to the surface and by arrangement sent down in the return kettle two hot irons to be used for igniting the fuse attached to each shot. The kettle was lowered properly, and the usual signal was afterwards given from below that they were ready to blast. The engineman acknowledged the signal, and in a few seconds after an explosion took place, which cleared out the midwall in the shaft, and carried away part of the pit-head frame and other woodwork near to the mouth of the pit. The displacement of the midwall, part of which kept the "barring'' in its place, was followed in less than two hours after by the surface forcing in the "barring," and a mass of earth, &c., probably from 3,000 to 4,000 cubic feet, fell down the shaft, completing the wreck and thoroughly shutting off all communication. As explained, previous to the accident the water passed from the sinking shaft by the bore-hole, but after the accident the bore-hole was closed and machinery had to be erected to pump it. To do this and secure the shaft occupied a considerable time. After access was got to the bottom and the bodies recovered, it was found that of the shot-holes, six in number, which were prepared, three had been exploded, two had been ignited at the fuse, not exploded, and one remained entire, the fuse still showing that it had not been lighted. This unfortunate occurrence appears to have been occasioned by a small accumulation of gas near the bottom of the shaft; and, as it is understood there were no lights in it at the time, the direct cause of explosion is limited either to the ignition of the fuse or the flame from the blast. There is good reason for supposing that none of the shots were exploded till after the accident, therefore the assumption is that the ignition of the fuse caused the explosion of firedamp. I do not suppose that the gas existed in an explosive state from the bottom up, but rather that a little firedamp passing off at the bore-hole was ignited by a fuse, the flame from which extended to the feeders about five fathoms up. By general rule No. 8 of the statute after inflammable gas has been found, and for three months after by sub-section 1, it is provided that "A competent person who shall be appointed for the purpose shall, immediately before firing the shot, examine the place where it is to be used, and the places contiguous thereto, and shall not allow the shot to be fired unless he finds it safe to do so, and a shot shall not be fired except by or under the direction of a competent person who shall be appointed for that purpose." The precautions provided by this important regulation do not appear to have been observed fully in this case.	Newspaper Report - Dunbartonshire accidents
						James Harper	Sinker	31
						Edward Griffin	Sinker	26
1878	July	23	Garriongill	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co.	Daniel Scott	Driver	17	Falls of Roof	On drawing road. He knocked out some gears with his empty tub while taking it down a brae. Stoop and room
1878	July	25	Leadhills, Lead mine	Leadhills, LKS	Leadhills Silver Lead Mining and Smelting Co	John Moffat	Sinker	42		Fell down shaft. He attempted to step off a ladder into the kettle to ascend, and missed his footing
1878	July	25	Lumphinnans	Ballingry, FIF	Lumphinnans Iron Co	James Hannah	Brusher	38	Falls of Roof	While clearing the road-head of “brushing”
1878	August	5	Britton Pit	Coatbridge, LKS	W S Dixon	Andrew Anderson	Pumper	60	In Shafts	By being drawn to the pit-head pulleys from which he leapt and fell into pit From Main body of report: Happened when 3 workmen were about to be lowered to their work. After going on to the cage in the usual way, it appears that instead of being lowered they were raised to the pulleys, when in some way the cage was stopped, either by the engineman discovering his mistake and checking it, or by the resistance of the crossbars on which the pulleys rested. The deceased, who, I understand, was more alarmed than his companions, on finding the cage being raised, leapt off it on to the plates at the pit mouth, from which he fell into the shaft, and was killed; but those who were with him remained on the cage, and ultimately succeeded in getting off safely. The engineman was charged by the Procurator Fiscal with culpable neglect of duty, was tried by the Sheriff Substitute in Airdrie and a jury, found guilty, and fined twenty pounds, failing payment, imprisonment.
1878	August	5	Hill	Dalserf, LKS	James Smith & Son	Thomas Walker	Collier	--	Falls of Roof	While drawing props from a stoop which was worked off
1878	August	5	Millburn	Dalserf, LKS	N Cochrane & Co	John McKee	Collier	17	Falls of sides	At face while holing after the coal was “shorn”. Stoop and room
1878	August	6	Souterhouse	Coatbridge, LKS	Pettigrew & Spencer	Kennedy Moffat	Stoker	15	Above Ground	Was run over by a full waggon while interfering improperly with it
1878	August	15	Gauchalland No 4	Galston	Gauchalland Coal Co	John McGhee	Collier	50	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	August	19	East Benhar	Whitburn, Linlithgow	Benhar Coal Co Ltd	Margaret Gray	Pit-head runner	18	Miscellaneous on surface	Crushed by cage. She was examining the struts, unknown to the engineman when the cage came down upon her head
1878	August	22	Gilmilnscroft	Auchinleck	Gilmour, Wood & Anderson	James Baxter	Collier	50	Explosions of fire-damp	Explosion of fire damp. From Main body of report: Occasioned by the deceased entering, inadvertently, a part of the mine not at the time in course of working or extension, and igniting some firedamp which had collected in it. The injuries he received were thought to be slight, but he died from the effects a few days after. The Procurator Fiscal charged the fireman in this case with failing to observe the 4th general rule, the observance of which was binding upon him by special rule No. 38. The .case was tried before the Sheriff' Substitute in Ayr, when the charge was found not proven.
1878	August	22	Hawhill	Baillieston	Pettigrew & Spencer	Alex. Robertson	Bottomer	62	In Shafts	By the cage being lifted unexpectedly	Newspaper Report - Old Monkland pages
1878	August	26	Stepends	Shotts, LKS	Summerlee Iron Co	John Quails	Sinker	33	In Ironstone mines	Struck by a plank falling down shaft in a sinking pit
1878	August	30	Greenfield	Hamilton, LKS	Hamilton Coal Co.	John Greenhorn	Bogie-rider	18	On inclined planes	Fell off bogie and was run over by tubs
1878	September	4	Bonnyton, No 6	Kilmarnock	John Gilmour & Co	Andrew Guthrie	Bottomer	44	In Shafts	Fell down the shaft From Main body of report: Occurred at a mid-working, the victim being a bottomer, who at the time was engaged pushing a hutch of coals towards the shaft, for the purpose of putting it on the cage ; in some way he failed to observe that the cage was not in its place to receive it, and the consequence was that the hutch fell down the shaft, he falling with it, a distance of 12 fathoms. There was a door close to the side of the shaft, which the deceased required to open before he could get to the cage, and in opening it he ought to have seen whether the cage was in its place before pushing the hutch forward. This apparently he neglected to do. Certain simple contrivances have been introduced for the prevention of such accidents, the most effective of which when closed acts as a scaffold, and when open as a fence.
1878	September	5	Lochgelly	Auchterderran, FIF	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co	Daniel Hunter	Collier	--	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall
1878	September	5	Magazine, Limestone Mine	Pathhead, Edinburgh	Wm Turnbull & Co	Wm. Bain	Miner	--	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of rock
1878	September	6	Souterhouse No 2	Coatbridge, LKS	Pettigrew & Spencer	Wm. McAlinden	Collier	22	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	September	7	Corby Craigs No 2	Dalmellington	Dalmellington Iron Co	John Malone	Sinker	33	In ironstone/fire clay mines	Fell from scaffold which was knocked out from under him by a buntin whilst being drawn up the shaft From Main body of report: Happened to a sinker whilst engaged upon a scaffold about eight fathoms from the bottom of the shaft, through gross mismanagement, in attempting to ungear a crane whilst in motion.
1878	September	9	Lochgelly	Auchterderran, FIF	Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co	David Westwater	Collier	51	Falls of Roof	On incline at junction of his road. Long wall
1878	September	14	Ferniegare	Hamilton, LKS	Archd. Russell	James Hamilton	Collier	62	Falls of sides	At face while relieving the coal after a shot. Stoop and room
1878	September	19	Farme	Rutherglen	James Fairrie	David Anderson	Collier	52	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	September	26	North Motherwell	Dalzell, LKS	Merry & Cunningham	John Sanachen	Collier	--	Falls of sides	At “stooping” while filling his hutch a stone from the waste side fell off upon him
1878	October	2	Stevenston	Bothwell, LKS	Lesmahagow & Longlee Coal Co	David Anderson	Collier	20	Falls of Roof	At “stooping” while holing.
1878	October	5	Auchlochan	Lesmahagow, LKS	Colin Dunlop & Co	William Brown	Coupler	13	In shafts – whilst ascending or descending by machinery	Fell out of cage while ascending shaft
1878	October	7	Haughhead	Hamilton, LKS	John Macdonald	Charles Hawkins	Collier	35	Falls of Roof	At “stooping” while pinching off a piece of coal
1878	October	11	Lassodie	Beath, FIF	Lassodie Coal Co	Robert Bower	Brusher	32	Falls of Roof	At face of brushing
1878	October	12	Greenhead	Cambusnethan, LKS	Coltness Iron Co.	William Brown	Collier	39	Falls of Roof	At “stooping” while drawing props from a stoop which was worked away
1878	October	12	Maidenbank	Muirkirk	Eg. Iron Co	Robt. McCall	Collier	39	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	October	14	Hattonrigg	Bothwell, LKS	Mossend Iron Co	William Sneddon	Stone miner	--	Sundries underground	Men were working at both sides of a faults and had all but effected a communication. A shot from the opposite side blew through and the stones struck him
1878	October	25	Allanton	Hamilton, LKS	Austine & Co	Thomas Parker	Collier	--	Falls of sides	At “stooping” while taking away his loaded tub of coal
1878	November	1	East Plean	Bannockburn	Paterson & Thomson	Thos. Morrison	Assistant pit head man	21	Above Ground	Crushed by grinding machinery
1878	November	6	Over Dalserf	Dalserf, LKS	Wm Barr and Sons	John Dollan	Collier	40	Falls of Roof	At “stooping” while drawing props from a lift which was worked off
1878	November	7	Burnbank & Ladyton	Galston	Boyd Gilmour & Co	Allen Roxburgh	Collier	17	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	November	9	Wellshot	Cambuslang	Dunn Brothers	Lawson Crichton	Collier	50	In Shafts	Was struck by a crane rope falling down the shaft
1878	November	13	Niddrie	Liberton, Edinburgh	Benhar Coal Co Ltd	James Brown	Collier	35	Sundries underground	Buried in old waste. The seam lies at an angle of 80 degrees. He had holed into an old working and while stepping on some loose rubbish in it, it slipped away from him
1878	November	15	Auldhouseburn	Muirkirk	J C Simpson	John Gemmell	Collier	40	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	November	19	Kelty	Beath, FIF	Fife Coal Co Ltd	Eben. Forrester	Brusher	39	Falls of Roof	On incline while rebrushing it. Long wall	Newspaper report - Beath pages
1878	November	20	Flemington No 1	Cambuslang	Flemington Coal Co	Matthew Robertson	Collier	35	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	November	21	Eastfield	Cambuslang	T G Buchanan	Robert Tennant	Collier	63	Miscellaneous Underground	Whilst blasting
1878	November	23	Jellieston No 2	Dalmellington	Dalmellington Iron Co	Robert Burges	Collier	63	Miscellaneous Underground	Run over by hutch upon an incline
1878	November	27	Penicuik	Penicuik, Edinburgh	Shotts Iron Co	James Fairgrieve	Miner	--	In Ironstone mines	Fall of ironstone at face. Long wall
1878	December	2	Haughhead	Hamilton, LKS	John Macdonald	John McIvor	Blacksmith	57	In shafts – things falling from surface	Struck by a stone or coal while stepping on to the cage. Died 13th December	Newspaper report - Hamilton pages
1878	December	4	Clippins	Paisley	Clippins Oil Co	William Dodds	“runner”	22	In ironstone/fire clay mines	Fell from a scaffold to the surface
1878	December	6	Govan No 6	Glasgow	W S Dixon	Francis Fox	Brusher	43	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	December	6	Maidenbank	Muirkirk	Eg. Iron Co	Thomas Baird	Collier	40	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of roof
1878	December	9	Dunsyston	Shotts, LKS	Summerlee Iron Co	James Nelson	Miner	46	In Ironstone mines	Struck by a splinter of ironstone flying off face.
1878	December	16	Bellfield No 1	Hurlford	Bellfield Colliery Co	James McNeil	pitheadman	33	In Shafts	By cage holding in the shaft and afterwards falling away	Newspaper Report NB Name should be McMail. Son James aged 11 also killed
1878	December	18	Cleland	Bothwell, LKS	Wm Dixon Ltd	John Boyle	Labourer	50	In shafts – falling into shaft from surface	Fell down shaft with a loaded hutch. He had opened the gate but failed to see that the gate was not there	Newspaper report- Bothwell pages
1878	December	24	Drumpeller, No 5	Coatbridge, LKS	Drumpellar Coal Co	John Ferries	Collier	25	Fall of Roof & Sides	Fall of coal
1878	December	24	Drumshangie	New Monkland, LKS	Drumshangie Coal Co	Robt. Swan	Collier	27	Falls of Roof	At face. Long wall
1878	December	26	Lodge	Slamannan, STI	John Watson	Jas Anderson	Collier	45	In shafts – miscellaneous	Crushed by cage. He recklessly attempted to pass with a hutch across the cage after he signal had been made to lift it
1878	December	27	Muirhouse No 2	Beith	M Cunningham	Jas. McKendrick	Drawer	12	In ironstone/fire clay mines	By hutches
1878	December	30	Clydesdale	Cambusnethan, LKS	Archd. Russell	Robert Gillon	Oversman	--	Explosion of Firedamp	From Main body of report: There was one fatal explosion of fire-damp, which caused the death of two persons, an overman and a fireman. These two men had gone into a part of the workings, which had been standing for twelve months, to measure some rails, and had taken both safety lamps and naked lights with them. They were longer away than was expected, and the attention of the other overman was directed to the matter. He got assistance, went in, and found them both lying dead. There had been a slight explosion of gas within 50 yards of the face. It is difficult to conceive anything more stupid than the conduct of these men, who were not common workmen, but officials, in going into a disused working and using open lights.	Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages
1878	December	30	Clydesdale	Cambusnethan, LKS	Archd. Russell	Alex. McMurdo	Fireman	--	Explosion of Firedamp		Newspaper report - Cambusnethan pages
1878	December	31	Balquhatstone	Slamannan, STI	John Watson	William Renton	screenman	19	Miscellaneous on surface	Crushed between wagons at the screens

Last Updated 18th May 2012