Bowhill Colliery

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Anderson, Alexander, 29 Apr 1911, (accident: 31 Mar 1911), aged 49, Repairer, While travelling to his working place deceased saw a fall of stone in the roadway and stopped to examine the place, and while doing so a large stone burst off the side and rolled over on to him. When the overman passed an hour before the road was apparently all right. He died on the 29th April at 12.30 a.m.

Anderson, David, 02 Mar 1934, Killed by a fall of roof

Anderson, James, 31 Oct 1931, aged 45, [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Anderson, Robert, 01 Aug 1908, aged 22, Miner, Deceased was clearing away coal after blasting when a stone ball overlying the coal fell upon him. He disobeyed orders in not taking down coal and stone together

Anderson, Thomas, 18 May 1934, Collapsed

Baird, Andrew, 28 Feb 1904, (accident: 20 Jun 1902), aged 18, Pony Driver, Deceased was injured about the head by tubs on 20th June, 1902 and died through his injuries.

Berry, Samuel, May 1908, (accident: 26 Sep 1907), aged 24, Miner, Deceased was preparing a rest on the solid coal for an advance crown when the roof suddenly collapsed. He died as the result of his injuries eight months after the accident

Birrell, John, 07 Sep 1932, Fall of roof

Black, David, 21 Dec 1899, aged 37, Miner, Deceased and another miner were breaking away a new seam from one side of a shaft when the roof fell

Black, James, 15 Jan 1901, aged 40, Wheeler, Deceased men were instantaneously killed by the sudden fall of about 70 tons of roof consisting of rock bands and fakes, intersected by numerous lypes and joints. The road was 9 to 10 feet in width, and the roof was supported by bars 1 foot apart. Part of it hart been repaired and retimbered on the previous night. It was inspected by Hamilton and the oversman about an hour before the accident took place, and considered to be in safe condition [More information ...]

Black, John, 20 Feb 1915, aged 60, Collapsed

Bowman, George, 04 Sep 1915, aged 46, Fall of coal at face

Brand, Robert, 31 Dec 1904, aged 21, Miner, Explosion of gas [More information ...]

Brown, Adam, 28 Jun 1930, Fall of roof

Chalmers, John, 12 Jan 1901, aged 33, Jigger engineman, After putting a driving belt upon a pulley, deceased was returning along a gangway underneath the pithead scaffold. At a point where the clear height was 4 ft. 2 in. his head apparently came against an overhead beam, he overbalanced and fell to the ground, a distance of 16 ft., striking the end of a truck as he fell. He sustained injuries which resulted fatally ten hours afterwards

Clark, Patrick, 19 Apr 1922, 11 p.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 37, Machine Wall Timberman and Repairer, He was sitting near a chain coal cutter while the machinemen were preparing to turn it, after which he would have commenced timbering and taking off noses of coal in front of the machine. While he was waiting a fall of roof took place and one of the stones crushed him to the floor, fracturing his spine and dislocating his neck — death was instantaneous.  A large area of roof had been left un-timbered to allow the machine to be turned without obstruction and the fall was the result of the lack of timber in the area over and near the machine.

Clarkson, Benjamin, 19 Nov 1932, Struck by haulage rope

Cowan, George, 29 Jul 1928, Fall of roof

Dempster, Alexander, 31 Oct 1931, aged 51, [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Dewar, James, 13 Jun 1913, aged 45, Miner, He went back about 4 yards into the waste for his axe, when a large fall of roof took place without any warning whatever and completely buried him. When his body was recovered an hour later life was found to be extinct, death being due to suffocation

Dodds, William Bruce, 31 Oct 1931, aged 24, [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Doig, Robert, 13 Aug 1928, aged 47, Gassed

Donaldson, John R., 31 Oct 1931, aged 48, Buried: Kingskettle [More information ...]

Duncan, James, 22 Feb 1913, aged 27, Brusher, They were backbrushing an airway when about 30 tons of the roof fell without warning, running out two bars set under it. The bodies were recovered about three hours later. The Doctor certified that death was due to suffocation in each case [More information ...]

Dunn, Michael, 23 Nov 1933, aged 58, Collapsed

Fernie, Charles B., 31 Oct 1931, aged 19, brother-in-law of James and Andrew Smith [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Ferns, Peter, 19 Sep 1908, aged 31, Coal Cutter Attendant

Fleming, David, 27 Aug 1928, aged 20, Buried under bing [More information ...]

Fraser, Dan, 10 Feb 1912, (accident: 30 Jan 1912), aged 45, Miner, When moving a piece of coal a small stone fell from the roof, and caught his finger ; he thought nothing of it and continued working, but septic poisoning supervened, and he died on the 10th February

Gavin, William, 20 Feb 1895, 7 a.m., aged 41, Overman, Caught on a self-acting incline by runaway hutches

Gilfillan, Alexander, 27 Jan 1923, Heart attack

Gormley, John, 23 Apr 1931, Fall of roof

Hamilton, Robert, 15 Jan 1901, aged 32, Fireman, Deceased men were instantaneously killed by the sudden fall of about 70 tons of roof consisting of rock bands and fakes, intersected by numerous lypes and joints. The road was 9 to 10 feet in width, and the roof was supported by bars 1 foot apart. Part of it hart been repaired and retimbered on the previous night. It was inspected by Hamilton and the oversman about an hour before the accident took place, and considered to be in safe condition [More information ...]

Howie, John, 19 Mar 1912, aged 68, Labourer, Deceased was engaged in shovelling small coal out of a wagon. He was told to get out and did so before it was moved, but was seen in it again when it was moving under the screens, and when climbing out he was knocked over the end of a girder which supported an endless belt

Hunt, Robert, 16 Apr 1924, 4.45 p.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 42, Miner, Deceased was found by the fireman lying seriously injured under a fall of sandstone roof, and he died about 2 hours later. A few minutes before he was found, his son, a drawer, had left him at work to take a tub of coal to the passbye. The fall, which would weigh about 2 tons, measured 11 ft. long by 4½ ft. wide by 1 ft. 10 ins. thick, tapering to a thin edge. It came from a concealed break over the coal along a thin rib adjacent to the waste. No timber was displaced

Hunter, David, 26 Mar 1910, (accident: 22 Mar 1910), aged 39, Shunter, Running down two loaded waggons in sidings when he fell in front of the second waggon, both wheels of which passed over his left shoulder and arm. Died on the 26th

Ireland, William, 31 Oct 1931, aged 35, [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Jack, Sam, 18 Jun 1912, (accident: 12 Jul 1911), aged 33, Repairer, He slipped when lifting a girder, and strained his knee. He died from tubercular disease of the knee on the 18th June, 1912

Johnstone, John J., 24 Sep 1924, (accident: 04 Sep 1924, 1.0 p.m., 7th hour of shift), aged 26, Miner, He was working in the face throwing back coal when a fall of roof, 13 ft. 6 ins. long and 2 ft. 6 ins. wide, displaced a bar and crushed him to the floor. His spine was fractured and he died on 24th September. The roof was systematically supported by bars except at this place, where two bars were required. Had these been set the accident might have been averted

Keir, Andrew, 17 Apr 1924, 1.5 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 22, Miner, By electricity [More information ...]

Kerr, Andrew, 10 Jan 1908, aged 38, Miner, A stone mine was being driven in hard "metals," and material was taken out by blasting. The holes were bored by compressed drills, and during the fore shift 21 were completed ready for charging. Deceased's duties were to charge the holes and fire them, and while engaged charging the first, a premature explosion occurred. Apparently he was pushing in the explosive, which was gelatine. The explosive was not in proper condition

Kerr, Catherine, 26 Sep 1920, aged 14, Caught in revolving shaft

Kirker, James, 16 Dec 1923, Natural causes

Lauder, Walter, 14 Dec 1912, (accident: 12 Dec 1912), aged 29, Miner, He was at work at the coal face when a piece of roof coal 3 feet by 3 feet by 9 inches fell out between two lypes on to the upper part of his back and neck. He died two days later

Lawson, Lewis, 27 Aug 1928, aged 15, Buried under bing [More information ...]

Lawson, Robert, 29 Oct 1917, aged 29

Leitch, George A., 26 Jul 1906, aged 14, Drawer, Some bars of long timber were placed across the tubs on a rake going up an incline, and when the tubs reached the top the ends struck some crowns, displacing them and causing the roof to fall upon deceased while he and others were about to unload the bars

Mathieson, Alexander, 29 May 1906, aged 33, Drawer, Deceased put a tub on to the rope at the foot of a short brae, and another drawer put a loaded tub on at the top end and pushed away ; as soon as the latter applied the brake to the wheel the axle broke and tubs ran back, and deceased was shouted to to stand clear ; he evidently mistook the shout and stepped in front of the runaway tubs

Maxwell, George, Aug 1909, (accident: 27 Apr 1909), aged 28, Miner, After pushing a tub and turning it at his coal face, deceased said to his drawer he had hurt his side. He went home and after a three and a half months illness died

McDowall, John, 06 Jan 1914, aged 26, Miner, Deceased was passing down a brae when a fall occurred, without warning, which imprisoned him, without apparently seriously injuring him. Efforts were made to liberate him, but before this could be done a second fall occurred, which killed him. The place where the accident occurred was a low part of the roadway at the face of some back brushing, It had lowered appreciably during the holidays, so much so that several of the full hutches came into contact with the roof timbering whilst the rakes were being run, and a bar secured to the top of an empty rake had struck it with some violence. As this was only a short time before the first fall it probably had a good deal to do with it. The roof above was very bad

Morris, Andrew, 11 Feb 1923, Septicaemia

Nairn, David, 17 Aug 1903, aged 40, Fireman, Deceased had just finished repairing a guide rail at the foot of a slope, when two loaded tubs, which had become detached from the rope, ran down and struck him. The rope drew out of the hose while the tubs were in motion

Neil, Robert, 08 May 1913, aged 54, Pony Driver, The deceased apparently uncoupled his horse from a rake of six hutches, when he slipped and was crushed beneath the first hutch

Nicol, Thomas, 16 Apr 1907, aged 32, Miner, Deceased was clearing away coal to make room for a prop, when a stone fell from the roof and striking him he was killed instantly

O'Donnell, Cornelius, 16 Apr 1900, aged 35, Stone Miner, Deceased and another miner worked in a stone mine at foot of the main dook, and at the same time a "througher" was being driven toward the companion dook 35 yards away, which contained water ; this water suddenly burst into "througher" and running to the stone mine deceased was drowned. The thickness of coal between "througher" and companion dook at time of burst was 13 inches. The water lay 95 feet up the companion dook road, and the quantity calculated amounted to 29,500 gallons, with a head of 10.4 lbs. per square inch. A prosecution was raised against the manager for contravention of General Rule 13

Paterson, James D., 31 Oct 1931, aged 19, began work in the colliery the previous week [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Pratt, A., 05 Oct 1935, Miner, caused by his being struck by a part of the haulage which was then in motion

Rankine, William, 07 Oct 1901, aged 18, Miner, Deceased was employed in a dook, and in passing an empty tub to give the chain-runner assistance with the dook rope, a stone fell off the side and crushed him against the tub

Ritchie, Andrew, 13 Dec 1907, aged 39, Pump motorman, Electrocuted

Robertson, David, 05 May 1911, aged 66, Air Compressor Engineman, An explosion occurred in a receiver in connection with an air compressor when he was above it. The engine house was set on fire and when the body was recovered it was in a charred condition ; his injuries were, however, of so serious a nature that it is probable he was killed instantly by the violence of the explosion

Ross, George, 01 May 1906, aged 39, Pit bottomer, Deceased was engaged loading the deck of the cage which held four tubs, and while doing so the cage was suddenly lifted and he was carried up the shaft and crushed. The cage had not been signalled to ascend

Ross, John, 21 Apr 1907, (accident: 02 Apr 1907), aged 21, Miner, Deceased was engaged taking down coal, when the roof suddenly collapsed, and he was badly injured ; he died from his injuries 19 days later. The roof fell away by two parallel lypes, which were unseen

Russell, Alexander, 20 Jan 1916, Explosion

Rutherford, David, 08 Jul 1930, Fall of roof

Simpson, William, 22 Feb 1913, aged 23, Brusher, They were backbrushing an airway when about 30 tons of the roof fell without warning, running out two bars set under it. The bodies were recovered about three hours later. The Doctor certified that death was due to suffocation in each case [More information ...]

Smith, Andrew, 31 Oct 1931, aged 27, brother of James, brother-in-law of Charles Fernie [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Smith, James, 16 Oct 1899, aged 25, Miner, Deceased was engaged cleaning up his place of some debris, when the coal suddenly burst out and crushed him against a tub at the roadhead

Smith, James, 31 Oct 1931, aged 35, brother of Andrew, brother-in-law of Charles Fernie [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Smith, John, 24 Oct 1930, Fall of roof

Smith, Thomas, 31 Oct 1931, aged 33, [one of the nine men buried side by side], Buried: Bowhill Cemetery [More information ...]

Stevenson, David, 29 Nov 1913, (accident: 24 Nov 1913), aged 68, Picker, Deceased came forward on to a scaffold, about the height of a railway wagon from the ground, to see a loaded wagon lowered from under the delivery end of a picking belt. Just as it was being lowered he was seen to step from the scaffold on to the wagon and bend down, as though to pick something up, despite the fact that he was a heavy, aged, and rather infirm man. He appears to have been thrown out by the wagon stopping suddenly ; he was found on the ground unconscious and bleeding. He died five days later without having regained consciousness

Swan, Henry, 08 Jun 1896, aged 20, Sinker, While assisting to move a single cylinder vertical beam pumping-engine off centre by moving fly wheel, fell on wheel and was crushed

Taylor, Charles, 29 Mar 1904, aged 36, Dook runner, Deceased was riding on the rake as usual in ascending a dook when the tubs left the rails, and apparently he jumped off to pull the signal to stop when the first tub crushed him against a prop

Winton, Andrew, 03 Mar 1928, aged 45, Fell over rope