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  Michael Colliery  Index  Michael Colliery  
/ Index \

Michael Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Location: East Wemyss
15 miles [24 km] NNE of Edinburgh
Map Ref: (Sheet 59 St. Andrews, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes) NT335961, 56° 9' 12" N, 3° 4' 10" W
Opened: 1895
Closed: 1967
Pits: No. 1 Pit
No. 2 Pit
No. 3 Pit, locn: (Sheet 59 St. Andrews, Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes) NT336962, opened: 1928
Owners: Wemyss Coal Co., Ltd.
1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output: 1905 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam.
1910 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam.
1915 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam.
1920 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam. Fireclay.
1947 - Coal: Gas, Household, Industrial, Steam. (620,000 tons)
1954 - Coal: Gas, Household, Industrial, Steam.
Employment: 1905 - 867 (742 below, 125 surface)
1910 - 974 (836 below, 138 surface)
1915 - 698 (573 below, 125 surface)
1920 - 1,043 (810 below, 233 surface)
1923 - 1,043 (810 below, 233 surface)
1933 - 1,590 (1,346 below, 244 surface)
1940 - 2,351 (1,996 below, 355 surface)
1947 - 1,943 (1,543 below, 400 surface)
1954 - 2,645 (2,234 below, 411 surface)
Manager  Colliery Management (prior to 1970)
Seams Worked: 1905 - Barncriag, Bowhouse, Chemiss
1910 - Barncraig, Bowhouse, Chemiss
1915 - Barncraig, Bowhouse, Chemiss, Coxtool
1920 - Barncraig, Bowhouse, Chemiss, Coxtool, Pilkembare
1954 - Barncraig, Bowhouse, Branxton, Chemiss, Dysart Main, Four Feet
Notes:

Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!



  Description Summary Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Description


  Disasters Summary Description Names Local Collieries Credits  

Disasters (5 or more killed)


Memorial  9th Sep 1967  Underground fire, spontaneous combustion, 9 lives lost (Show Names)

Those entries marked with image, signify a disaster for which a memorial has been erected or for which we have images concerning the disaster, alternately their name may be mentioned on a memorial plaque. Click on the image symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.


  Names Summary Description Disasters Local Collieries Credits  

Names of those killed at this colliery

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

In Memoriam
  Individal page   

Cruickshanks, James W., 30 Jun 1908, aged 27, Miner, Deceased was engaged working back the splint coal, and while at work the roof collapsed. It appeared that a shot had missed fire, and a second charge was inserted, and both charges fired ; the effect was to loosen the roof and it fell [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Davidson, David, 25 Feb 1904, (accident: 23 Feb 1904), aged 18, Filler, Deceased was running a loaded tub down a wheel brae. A large link in the chain jammed on the brake stick, and the consequent jerk caused the wheel tree to give way at the foot, although it had been sunk about four inches into the pavement. The wheel or the tree struck deceased, causing injuries which terminated fatally two days later

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Gallacher, Hugh, 09 Sep 1967, aged 61, Pumper, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Hall, Edward E., 08 Dec 1922, 4.55 a.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 48, Gummer, He was sitting at the coal face about 2 yds. behind a disc coal cutter which was cutting uphill on an inclination of 1 in 3, when the machine slipped back a distance of 12 ft., owing to the chain by which the haulage sheave was fixed giving way; he was caught by the revolving disc and killed

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Henderson, Alexander, 09 Sep 1967, aged 41, Power Loader Operator, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Jackson, Thomas, 30 Jun 1908, aged 21, Miner, Deceased was engaged working back the splint coal, and while at work the roof collapsed. It appeared that a shot had missed fire, and a second charge was inserted, and both charges fired ; the effect was to loosen the roof and it fell [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Johnstone, Ebenezer, 05 Feb 1907, aged 14, Drawer, Deceased was pushing a loaded tub down a short brae against an empty on other end of rope, when the ascending empty tub left the rails, causing the loaded one to up end, and his head was crushed between the end of tub and roof, which was low at the part

  Individal page   

Linton, David, 27 Jan 1909, aged 58, Assistant Oversman, Deceased made a seat on the fourth tub of a loaded rake to have a ride up a dook haulage road, and while the tub passed under a low part of the roadway he was crushed against the roof

  Individal page   

Lynch, Mary, 27 Feb 1906, aged 15, Coal Cleaner, Deceased worked at the picking table, and she appeared to have stood on the bar of a fence, and overbalancing fell on a revolving shaft which caught her clothing, and she was wound round and crushed

  Individal page   

McGillvray, George, 24 Jul 1907, aged 44, Shaftsman, Deceased and his neighbour descended the shaft about 4.30 a.m. and went into the dip side to examine the pumps, and after doing so they came back and found the dip cage in the bottom ; deceased made to cross on to the cage at end of the shaft and just as he did so the cage was raised and he was taken up to a "bunton" 8 feet above and fatally crushed. After deceased and his neighbour descended several cages had been run conveying the firemen, and the cage on which deceased stepped had been signalled away in the usual way unknown to deceased. It was clearly the duty of deceased to signal before he stepped on to the cage

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

McKay, James, 09 Sep 1967, aged 59, Greaser, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Mitchell, John, 23 Jan 1905, aged 18, Drawer, Deceased was assisting to redd a fall which occurred on a main road, when a large stone suddenly fell on him

  Individal page   

Moodie, Forbes, 26 Jan 1904, (accident: 07 Oct 1903), aged 42, Roadsman, Deceased had visited a section to the rise and was proceeding down the incline when a loaded tub ran away from the top, and before it had gone very far it left the rails and the contents were showered down the roadway, and a piece of coal struck him on the head ; when found he was 24 feet below the tub. The injury was thought to be slight, but he subsequently died from the effect on 26th January, 1904. A good set of blocks was provided at the top, but it appears the wheeler had either neglected to put it in or had insufficiently fixed it, and on bringing the tub forward it ran over the brae

  Individal page   

Morgan, Arthur, 12 Sep 1904, aged 60, Miner, When fetching some boring drills from an adjoining working place, deceased slipped on the pavement which had an inclination of 1 in 4. His head struck the corner of a building, causing a slight fracture at the base of the skull, which resulted fatally half-an-hour afterwards

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Morrison, Henry, 09 Sep 1967, aged 36, Power Loader Operator, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page   

O'Donnell, Neil, 26 May 1908, aged 39, Miner, Deceased worked in second leaf longwall of Chemiss seam, his coal was holed and spragged, and as soon as he had withdrawn one sprag the coal came away suddenly and caught him before he could get clear

  Individal page   

Smith, Alexander, 19 Dec 1908, aged 41, Fireman, Deceased was securing the roof of a main haulage dook which was showing signs of collapsing, when a large fall occurred burying him under it

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Smith, Johnston, 09 Sep 1967, aged 60, Power Loader Operator, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Tait, James, 09 Sep 1967, aged 41, Overman, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Taylor, Andrew, 09 Sep 1967, aged 43, Deputy, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page CMHRC 

Taylor, David, 13 Jul 1933, aged 54, Struck by girder

  Individal page   

Tevendale, John, 17 May 1904, aged 33, Wheeler, Deceased had landed a set of three empty tubs at the top of a wheel brae, and had then run down a distance of 33 yards to point out to a roadsman where a previous set had been derailed. Unfortunately, in his hurry he neglected to close the blocks behind the empty tubs. His assistant, failing to observe this, uncoupled the first tub and was lowering the others to rest them on the blocks. They passed over on to the brae and ran away. Deceased failed to get clear in time and was fatally injured

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Thomson, Andrew, 09 Sep 1967, aged 55, Power Loader Operator, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Thomson, James, 26 Feb 1906, aged 45, Repairer, Deceased and some others were repairing a steep heading which was worked as a chain brae. In order to get empty tubs to the place where repairs were being made a weighted tub was put on one end of the chain and the empty on the other, and both tubs were on the one line of rails causing the chain to cross, and while the chain was in motion one link caught another, causing a break, and tubs ran back and knocked out some timbers and the roof fell

ReportMemorialIndividal page   

Thomson, Philip, 09 Sep 1967, aged 64, Greaser, Underground fire, spontaneous combustion [More information ...]

  Individal page   

Thomson, William, 03 Aug 1907, aged 41, Brusher, Deceased and his neighbour were engaged following up the coal cutting machine, securing the roof with wood pillars and packing the same with the holings, when the face suddenly burst, and afterwards the roof collapsed, and buried deceased. The section had only been recently opened, and collapse was due to the "first break"

  Individal page   

Welsh, John, 13 Nov 1903, aged 14, Drawer, A fall took place on a cut chain brae, and while it was being cleared deceased and some other drawers were sent up the brae to be out of harm's way. At the top were two loaded tubs, one on the left-hand side near the heading face and one on the right-hand side at the top branch to which the chain was attached. To clear the fall, three miners, who worked in the section, hauled up an empty tub from the foot of the brae with the chain attached ; when the tub was filled they put snibbles in the wheels, to lower it down, but it overpowered them, and when it reached the bottom the sudden jerk on the chain caused the wheel tree at top to break and it struck the tub on left-hand side causing it to run away, which struck deceased as it passed him. The tub which ran away had its top wheels over the rail ends, but no snibbles were in the wheels, nor was there a rance behind. The brae was 116 yards long with an average gradient of 1 in 5

  Individal page   

Wilson, Georgina, 27 Mar 1908, aged 16, Coal Picker, Deceased and another girl had finished their work and proceeded homewards by a siding on which a train of waggons was moving. She was run over and killed instantly. A proper travelling way was provided to obviate travelling on the railway, but the siding was the nearer way

 
  28 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 image the text of the Mines Inspectors report into the incident is available online. Click on the image icon to display the report.

Those names marked with image, were killed in a disaster for which a memorial has been erected or for which we have images concerning the disaster, alternately their name may be mentioned on a memorial plaque. Click on the image symbol next to the name to see the appropriate web page for the memorial.

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

Some of the names of mining fatalities on this page have been kindly provided by Ian Winstanley of the Coal Mining History Resource Centre (CMHRC) and are marked with image. The CMHRC is available here.

More information  more information on some of the fatalities shown above


  Local Collieries Summary Description Disasters Names Credits  

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

Colliery Map  a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Michael Colliery

Nearby Collieries  list of collieries/pits etc. near to Michael Colliery


  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Memorial Images:

Memorial: 1967 Michael Colliery Disaster Memorial: 1967 Michael Colliery Disaster Memorial: 1967 Michael Colliery Disaster Memorial: 1967 Michael Colliery Disaster

  Credits Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries  

Credits

Sources:

  • 1903 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2119), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1904 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2506), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1905 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 1905 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 2910), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1906 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 3449), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1907 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4045), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1908 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 4672), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1909 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5177), East Scotland District (No. 1) by Robert McLaren, H.M. Inspector of Mines Where to find this report
  • 1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  Summary Description Disasters Names Local Collieries Credits  

Related Links:

On this site
Newspaper articles Newspaper articles
Images in the Memorial section for the 1967 disaster where 9 lives were lost Images in the Memorial section for the 1967 disaster where 9 lives were lost
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