	Kames Colliery	Index	Kames Colliery

Kames Colliery

Location:	Muirkirk 16½ miles [27 km] SW of Lanark
Map Ref:	(Sheet 71 Lanark and Upper Nithsdale) NS684262, 55° 30' 43" N, 4° 4' 59" W
Opened:	1870
Closed:	1968
Pits:	No. 1 Pit
	No. 2 Pit
Owners:	William Baird and Co.
	William Baird and Co., Ltd.
	Bairds and Dalmellington Ltd.
	1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output:	1894 - Coal: Manufacturing, Steam.
	1896 - Coal: Manufacturing, Steam. Fireclay.
	1900 - Coal: Manufacturing, Steam. Fireclay.
	1905 - Coal: Gas, Manufacturing, Steam. Fireclay.
	1910 - Coal: Gas, Manufacturing, Steam.
	1915 - Coal: Gas, Manufacturing, Steam. Ironstone.
	1920 - Coal: Gas, Manufacturing, Steam. Ironstone.
	1947 - Nos. 1 and 2 - Coal: Gas, Industrial. (168,000 tons)
	1954 - Coal: Steam.
Employment:	1894 - 137 (123 below, 14 surface)
	1896 - 135 (109 below, 26 surface)
	1900 - 135 (115 below, 20 surface)
	1905 - 258 (229 below, 29 surface)
	1910 - 347 (303 below, 44 surface)
	1915 - 409 (346 below, 63 surface)
	1920 - 485 (405 below, 80 surface)
	1923 - Nos. 1 and 2 - 485 (405 below, 80 surface)
	1933 - Nos. 1 and 2 - 570 (450 below, 120 surface)
	1937 - Nos. 1 and 2 - 700 (585 below, 115 surface)
	1940 - Nos. 1 and 2 - 696 (560 below, 136 surface)
	1947 - Nos. 1 and 2 - 605 (451 below, 154 surface)
	1954 - 623 (477 below, 146 surface)
Seams Worked:	1910 - Ell, Nine Feet, Seven Feet, Six Feet
	1915 - Ell, Nine Feet, Seven Feet, Six Feet
	1920 - Ell, Nine Feet, Seven Feet, Six Feet
	1954 - Nine Feet, Seven Feet, Six Feet
Notes:	Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!

Description

Disasters (5 or more killed)

19th

Nov

1957

Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, 17 lives lost (Show Names)

Names of those killed at this colliery

Please note that this collection of names is by no means complete!

						Bell, Andrew, 10 Jan 1913, aged 28, Miner, Deceased was engaged holing at the face in an uphill "cut" in a stooping working, the inclination being 1 in 4, when from a lipe some feet further uphill, in advance of his face, the whole mass of coal slipped suddenly and he was caught and killed
						Blyth, John, 15 Nov 1897, aged 55, Roadsman, Fall of roof on horse road while repairing it
						Burnside, Thomas, 19 Nov 1957, aged 58, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 1 Burnside Cottages [More information ...]
						Casey, Thomas, 19 Nov 1957, aged 18, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 25 Colthart Drive [More information ...]
						Cavannah, Michael, 24 Nov 1875, aged 35, Sinker, He was lifted without a signal, and getting entangled with the "crab rope" was drawn from the kettle and fell to the bottom [More information ...]
						Crawford, Alexander Brown, 19 Nov 1957, aged 37, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 92 Pagan Walk [More information ...]
						Dalziel, John, 19 Nov 1957, aged 34, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 43 Springhill Terrace [More information ...]
						Dillon, Timothy, 19 Nov 1957, aged 44, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 6 Shawknowe Avenue [More information ...]
						Findlay, Andrew McGarry, 19 Nov 1957, aged 20, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 19 Lapraik Avenue [More information ...]
						Grant, Ronald Carruthers, 19 Nov 1957, aged 20, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 14 Colthart Drive [More information ...]
						Hendry, William Aird, 19 Nov 1957, aged 30, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 8 Stitt Place [More information ...]
						Higgins, J., 22 Oct 1934, killed by a runaway hutch [More information ...]
						Holden, Matthew, 15 Sep 1892, aged 15, Pony driver, While adjusting a hutch on the cage the engineman started without having first got the signal, and he was crushed against the side of the shaft
						Lindsay, Thomas, 15 Oct 1884, aged 36, Collier, Fall of roof
						Loggie, David, 03 Jul 1922, 8 a.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 42, Miner, Whilst he was loading a hutch a fall of roof occurred resulting in his death before he could be extricated. The area over which the roof fell was 9 ft. wide by 15 ft. long; three or four straps were broken by the fall. The place had been abandoned four days previously but was not fenced off; deceased had no right to be there
						Loggie, George, 03 Mar 1924, 9.0 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 54, Repairer, He was laying a road into a room when a fall of roof occurred and killed him instantly. The fall was 8 ft. 4 ins. long diagonally to the room by 5 ft. 4 ins. wide and 2 ft. thick, and came away from between two lypes ; a set of timber, consisting of a crown and two legs and a single tree, were displaced. The place had been examined by the fireman about 30 minutes previously and was considered by him to be safe and adequately supported. The accident appears to have resulted from removal of a roof support. The latter was obviously necessary when the fireman inspected, but he gave no instructions as to its removal
						Lowe, Robert John Stark, 19 Nov 1957, aged 53, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 24 Hawkshaw Terrace [More information ...]
						Marshall, James Boston, 19 Nov 1957, aged 69, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 54 Springhill Terrace [More information ...]
						McGarry, Donald Morrison, 19 Nov 1957, aged 18, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 10 Colthart Drive [More information ...]
						McKay, William, 19 Nov 1957, aged 48, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 19 Springhill Terrace [More information ...]
						McKean, John, 19 Nov 1957, aged 53, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 84 Henderson Drive [More information ...]
						McSkimming, David, 14 Apr 1913, aged 22, Attendant on Dross Screen, Deceased's duties were to attend to the dross screens, including the movement of the wagons. No one saw the accident, but apparently he had allowed 2 wagons to move too fast in bringing them to the screen, and in colliding with the wagon at the screen he somehow got between and was crushed by the buffers
						McVey, Daniel, 17 Dec 1907, aged 42, Miner, Fall of side on road while enlarging it. He failed to support it with sprags while holing
						Murdoch, Hugh, 29 Oct 1894, 1.30 p.m., aged 58, Drawer, Struck by a runaway hutch on an incline
						Samson, James, 19 Nov 1957, aged 37, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 27 Miller Road [More information ...]
						Smith, Robert Watson Parker, 19 Nov 1957, aged 33, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 17 Stoneyhill Avenue [More information ...]
						Smith, Timothy, 07 Mar 1910, aged 16, Pony Driver, Found dead below the first hutch of his pony race
						Smith, William Davidson, 19 Nov 1957, aged 47, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 52 Colthart Drive [More information ...]
						Stevenson, Thomas Grieg, 07 Dec 1922, 11.45 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 49, Roadsman, Deceased was laying near the face on a haulage road a double line of rails and this necessitated the alteration of the roof supports. While he was so engaged a fall of roof consisting of several tons of coal occurred and killed him instantly. A keen lype and a distinct break almost at right angles to each other, were visible in the roof after the accident. The place was inspected by the fireman about one hour prior to the occurrence, and found in satisfactory order.
						Torbit, James, 06 Jul 1895, 9 a.m., aged 47, Miner, Fall of coal
						Walker, John Brown, 19 Nov 1957, aged 37, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by matches, address: 99 Henderson Drive [More information ...]
						Williamson, John, 05 Jul 1910, aged 14, Pony Driver, Crushed between two horse rakes, his own and the preceding one which was standing in the bye

						32 names found

If you know of any fatalities missing from the above list then please contact us with the details and we will add them to our database.

For those names marked the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the icon to display the report.

Those names marked with , have a web page providing individual details of the accident, the page may also include a photograph of the deceased. Click on the symbol next to the name to see the web page.

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Kames Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Kames Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1875 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1499), Scotland, West District by William Alexander, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1884 Mines Inspectors Report (C 4429), Scotland, West District by William Alexander, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), West Scotland District (No. 2) by John M. Ronaldson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1894 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1896 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department, also available online at Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd
1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), West Scotland District (No. 2) by John M. Ronaldson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1900 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), West Scotland District (No. 2) by J. M. Ronaldson, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676), Scotland District (No. 1) by W. Walker, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1913 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 7439), Scotland Division (No. 1) by W. Walker, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1920 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1922 Mines Inspectors Report
1923 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1924 Mines Inspectors Report, Scotland Division (No. 1) by J. Masterton, H.M. Inspector of Mines [DMM Ref: L-01624 - Tom Bainbridge Collection]
1933 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1937 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1940 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1947 Colliery Year Book and Coal Trades Directory. Published by The Louis Cassier Co. Ltd., from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian
1954 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian