Niddrie Colliery

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Allan, William, 07 Aug 1896, aged 36, Miner, Fall of coal at longwall face

Anderson, David, 01 Dec 1874, aged 19, Collier, Fall of coal. At "stoops" (Edge coal workings)

Banks, Thomas, 29 Aug 1908, aged 35, Inclineman, An incline shaft from the surface is used exclusively for steam and discharge pipes for pumps, and upcast, and an examination is made weekly by two men by means of a carriage lowered and raised by a steam engine on surface. Owing to the steam pipes and exhaust steam from the pumps &c. underground the temperature is 109° Fah. As usual two men descended on the carriage to make the inspection, and when some distance down something went wrong with the carriage, which caused it to leave the rails, and one of the men fell to the bottom, the other man attempted to climb to the surface, but becoming exhausted by the exertion and heat he sat down, and was found with his right foot firmly fixed between pipe and side wall quite dead. The men were accustomed to the work [More information ...]

Baxter, Robert, 27 Jan 1891, 10 a.m., aged 40, Manager, Fell down incline

Beattie, David, 18 Jul 1909, aged 52, Oncost, At a part of an incline dipping 60 degrees, the roof was showing signs of collapsing near the vicinity of a "trouble," and deceased with another workman, named Andrew King, were engaged repairing and making the part secure ; they had finished their shift, and were proceeding up the incline, when the roof collapsed, and all three were buried. The latter lay in a recess uninjured, and owing to the dangerous nature of the operations to effects his rescue, twenty-seven hours elapsed before he was released [More information ...]

Bennett, Alfred, 13 Feb 1914, aged 15, Miners' Drawer, After putting a hutch on to the carriage on a carriage brae, the average gradient of which was 70°, the deceased noticed that one of the props, forming the position between the back balance and carriage way, had been knocked out, and was on the road on which the carriage ran. He therefore stepped on to the incline to put it right, when he overbalanced and fell to the bottom, and was instantly killed

Blyth, James, 02 May 1898, aged 19, Drawer, Deceased was ascending an incline, the average dip of which was 60°. He sat on a carriage with his back towards the roof, and on approaching the lowest part appeared to have leant backwards or raised his head, which came in contact with the roof, and he was knocked backwards over the carriage and fell to the bottom of the incline, a distance of about 135 fathoms

Braden, Charles, 14 Jul 1891, 3.15 p.m., aged 16, Pony driver, Fell down shaft

Braidy, Phillip, 02 Mar 1880, aged 17, Collier, The spur gear of the winding engine broke, and they fell with the cage to the bottom [More information ...]

Brogan, Francis, 09 Feb 1899, aged 28, Miner, Deceased was engaged with others in driving a cross-cut mine from the Stairhead coal to Great Seam at top of a brake incline. The carriage was lowered and the safety bar left open, and immediately after three heavy shots were fired, which caused the whole place to be filled with a dense smoke. It is supposed that deceased in making his way back to the mine face stumbled into the incline and fell a distance of 26 fathoms. The inclination was 75°

Brown, George, jun, 26 Jun 1903, aged 15, Incline brakesman, Deceased was employed as brakesman at the top of a brake incline 40 fathoms in length and having an inclination of 73°. The brake lever was situated at the uppermost bench, the formation of which had not been completed. It was not part of deceased's duty to place the tubs on the carriage, but it appeared that he had attempted to do so, probably to assist the miner, who was a relative. He forgot that the carriage was not at the bench, pushed the loaded tub into the incline, and fell with it to the bottom

Brown, James, 13 Nov 1878, aged 35, Collier, Buried in old waste. The seam lies at an angle of 80°. He had holed into an old working, and while stepping on some loose rubbish in it, it slipped away with him

Brown, Robert, 02 Mar 1904, aged 41, Miner, Deceased had apparently been in front of the coal while taking out a sprag when a portion fell from the face on him

Campbell, George, 24 Oct 1913, (accident: 22 Oct 1913), aged 22, Miner, A miner had bored a hole 3 feet long into the coal in the middle of a place next to the roof in a highly-inclined seam, and he was charging it with his naked light in his cap, and was reaching over for his stemmer, which was lying on the opposite side of the place, when his light caught the explosive and exploded it. He was badly burned and fell part of the way down the steep road. He died two days later

Cochrane, Andrew, 17 Jun 1885, aged 20, Drawer, Fell down a brake-incline. Edge seam

Connachie, David, 24 Jan 1898, aged 40, Miner, Deceased was holing coal, when the roof suddenly burst out, killing him almost instantaneously

Coulter, John, 26 Feb 1887, aged 36, Engineer, Mistake of signals. Men were let back into sump amongst water

Curran, Edward, 02 Feb 1877, aged 22, Collier, Fell from mid workings ; "edge coals"

Currie, William, 30 Mar 1878, aged 35, Stone miner, Struck by stones from a shot which exploded while he was stemming it

Denholm, Thomas, 23 Jul 1869, aged 25, Labourer, Killed on incline. Mistake of signals

Dennitts, William, 24 Sep 1889, aged 30, Roadsman, Fall in brake incline [More information ...]

Eccles, William, 20 Oct 1876, aged 29, Sinker, [Things falling from part way down] Struck by a piece of timber falling off the side of shaft while he was descending. Sinking pit

Farquhar, Henry, 08 Apr 1913, aged 26, Miner, This man was engaged in holing, in the Little Splint Seam in No. 2 Level, North Side, where the measures lie at a very steep inclination, when a piece of coal came away without any warning from a "back" and killed him

Farrell, John, 01 Sep 1924, (accident: 11 Dec 1923, 8.45 p.m., 7th hour of shift), aged 21, Drawer, In a longwall working in a seam inclined at 62 degrees the roadways were supported by waste material resting on the wooden pillars of the level below. Some of the pillars had slipped, allowing the waste to run out, and had made the roadway unsafe. The fireman stopped the miners from drawing in that road until repairs had been done, but the men did not observe the prohibition. Deceased was pushing out a tub of coal when the road gave way and he fell into the waste with the tub on top of him. He died from his injuries on 1st September, 1924

Ferrier, Robert, 15 Feb 1888, aged 19, Collier, In shafts - falling from part way down. Pushed tub into open incline when carriage was not there

Finlay, Thomas, senr., 25 Sep 1909, (accident: 10 Sep 1909), aged 22, Bottomer, Deceased was putting a loaded tub on to the carriage when the middle finger of his left hand was crushed between the tub and side of carriage : blood poisoning set in and he died fifteen days later

Flockhart, Thomas, 05 Aug 1908, aged 50, Miner, Deceased and another miner worked in a narrow heading, and the holing was on top of seam. The holing was almost completed when a slab of blaes fell from the roof, and edge pressed against his windpipe causing suffocation before he could be relieved. A "lype" was exposed for some distance, and stone came away from it ; no attempt was made to secure the roof by props set on top of coal

Gearty, Nicholas, 26 Jan 1924, (accident: 25 Jan 1924, 2.30 p.m.), aged 26, Miner's Drawer, After completing his shift he was returning home through the colliery yard and went, without authority, to a scrap timber dump, for the purpose of taking some wood home with him. While there more wood was thrown over to the dump from the picking tables 11 ft. above, and a piece about 2½ ft. long struck him on the head, and knocked him unconscious. He died the following day

Graham, Andrew, 28 Mar 1910, aged 44, Fireman, He was greasing a ram at mid-shaft when he, by some means, fell to the bottom of the shaft and was killed

Grainger, William, 02 Mar 1880, aged 33, Collier, The spur gear of the winding engine broke, and they fell with the cage to the bottom [More information ...]

Hailstones, Andrew, 02 Sep 1876, aged 40, Collier, [Sundries Underground] He failed to get away from a "shot"

Hamilton, William, 24 May 1884, aged 51, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

Henderson, Alexander, 06 Oct 1892, 10.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 30, Miner, Fall of coal

Heriot, James, 04 Jul 1900, aged 55, Miner, Deceased was engaged breaking out his "cut," when the coal suddenly burst over the sprags. The injuries proved fatal about eight weeks afterwards

Hill, George, 24 May 1884, aged 15, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

Hollerin, Thomas, 21 Jan 1914, (accident: 08 Aug 1913), aged 26, Miner, He was working in the longwall face of a highly inclined seam, and the coal and stone above were undercut and overhanging. He was preparing to set a prop under the coal in order that he could pull down the stone safely. He sounded the stone and thought it safe, but a ton of it fell upon and so severely injured him that he died on January 21st, 1914

Hood, William, 19 Jul 1899, aged 32, Miner, A fall of cannel coal and ironstone took place at the face of a longwall place in a highly inclined seam. The material came away suddenly from a lype and keen parting

Hunter, Archibald, 08 Jan 1867, aged 16, Drawer, He fell with his tub out of a level into an incline in the edge seams, and was crushed by the ascending trucks

Innes, Andrew, 07 Jul 1876, aged 41, Sinker, [Things falling from Surface] Struck by plank which fell down pit

Johnstone, George, 12 Oct 1892, 12.15 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 60, Miner, Fall of coal

Keary, Thomas, 29 Aug 1908, aged 33, Inclineman, An incline shaft from the surface is used exclusively for steam and discharge pipes for pumps, and upcast, and an examination is made weekly by two men by means of a carriage lowered and raised by a steam engine on surface. Owing to the steam pipes and exhaust steam from the pumps &c. underground the temperature is 109° Fah. As usual two men descended on the carriage to make the inspection, and when some distance down something went wrong with the carriage, which caused it to leave the rails, and one of the men fell to the bottom, the other man attempted to climb to the surface, but becoming exhausted by the exertion and heat he sat down, and was found with his right foot firmly fixed between pipe and side wall quite dead. The men were accustomed to the work [More information ...]

Kerr, David, 24 May 1884, aged 17, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

King, Andrew, 18 Mar 1869, aged 15, Drawer, Fall of roof at face

King, William, 06 Dec 1893, 1.30 p.m., aged 16, Drawer, Fell down brake incline

Logan, Robert, 08 Jan 1900, aged 47, Fireman, Deceased and another fireman began to inspect the workings after the holiday, preparatory to work restarting. In going to a rise place by the usual ladder-way, they found it blocked by a fall, and returning, they proceeded up the brake incline, deceased leading the way ; at the drum, gas was ignited by deceased's open light, which he carried on his cap, and an explosion resulted, causing him to lose his hold and fall to the bottom of incline, a distance of 40 yards. The gradient was 75°. Gas was known to be in the rise place some distance away, and both men carried safety lamps besides their open lights, but never before had gas been seen in a working brake incline.

Love, Thomas, 29 May 1883, aged 25, Collier, Fall of side. Removing stoops ; seam lying at an angle of 58°

Marshall, Young, 19 Sep 1892, 3.10 a.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 25, Shaftsman, Fell down incline

McCourt, James, 11 Dec 1884, aged 28, Miner, While descending in a kettle they were overpowered with choke damp and fell out [More information ...]

McIntosh, Charles Ronald, 14 Feb 1922, 12.30 p.m., 6th hour of shift, aged 35, Repairer, He was riding on a bogie in an inclined shaft when he was struck on the head by a small piece of stone and knocked down the shaft 600ft.  The stone may have been dislodged by the winding rope or electric cable which was being lowered or by one of a set of men in another bogie 240ft above.  The inclined shaft was being unwatered and recovered

McMillan, Daniel, 19 Jul 1892, 8.30 a.m., 3rd hour of shift, aged 45, Miner, Fall of coal

McPhillip, John, 17 Mar 1905, aged 22, Miner, Deceased was holing coal in a steep seam when it fell away and crushed him

Middleton, John, 24 May 1884, aged 16, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

Middleton, William, 23 Dec 1876, (accident: 12 Dec 1876), aged 58, Incline man, [On Inclined Planes] He stepped on to carriage while in motion and slipped his footing. Died 23rd December

Milne, Alexander, 15 Nov 1897, aged 25, Miner, Fall of coal at face. Deceased lay for some hours before he was relieved

Moffatt, William, 30 Nov 1901, aged 25, Miner, Deceased was holing his coal when the roof suddenly fell on him. He succumbed to his injuries 16 hours afterwards

Morris, Thomas, 01 Sep 1901, aged 41, Roadsman, Deceased and others had moved upwards the drum of a carriage incline, and were testing the running of the carriage on which the deceased were. The rope came off the drum and fell on the axle, and the consequent jerk drew the rope out of the socket or hose next the back balance. The man at the brake was not able to hold the carriage, which dashed to the bottom. The props which are usually set to prevent the rope getting off the drum had not been put up [More information ...]

Morrison, Thomas, 01 Dec 1888, aged 16, Gate keeper, Fell in front of waggons

Munro, William, 03 Oct 1890, 5.15 a.m., aged 29, Roadsman, Fall of material down incline

Newlands, James, 14 Jan 1890, aged 17, Gatekeeper, Run over by waggons

Ochmann (Pole), Martin, 17 Mar 1902, aged 42, Miner, Deceased had taken out his sprags, and was in the act of relieving the coal with his pick when it fell

Paterson, Andrew, 30 Oct 1877, aged 14, Drawer, Fell from a mid-working ; "edge coals"

Paton, Neil, 24 May 1884, aged 22, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

Peacock, George, 01 Sep 1901, aged 48, Roadsman, Deceased and others had moved upwards the drum of a carriage incline, and were testing the running of the carriage on which the deceased were. The rope came off the drum and fell on the axle, and the consequent jerk drew the rope out of the socket or hose next the back balance. The man at the brake was not able to hold the carriage, which dashed to the bottom. The props which are usually set to prevent the rope getting off the drum had not been put up [More information ...]

Roberts, Hugh, 05 Oct 1899, aged 50, Pumping engineman, Deceased had charge of an under-ground pumping engine situated near to a winding incline, which had a dip of 59 degrees To oblige a contractor, he had volunteered to "hang on" some loaded tubs on a carriage on this incline, and whilst so doing he fell down the incline, a distance of about 70 fathoms, and was instantaneously killed

Roland, John, 24 May 1892, 1 p.m., 7th hour of shift, aged 18, Drawer, Fell down incline

Ross, Thomas, 11 Dec 1884, aged 30, Miner, While descending in a kettle they were overpowered with choke damp and fell out [More information ...]

Runsieman, George, 11 Sep 1856, Sinker, Falling down pit by a scaffold giving way

Scanlan, Michael, 24 May 1884, aged 14, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

Scott, John, 14 Mar 1901, aged 25, Miner, Deceased had gone to the dip side of his place and withdrawn his sprags, and in returning he passed between the face and a prop, when the coal, from which the sprags had been withdrawn, came away and fatally crushed him against the prop

Shillinglaw, Henry, 30 Oct 1913, aged 38, Shaftsman, He went 30 feet down the shaft in the cage for the purpose of measuring the length of a damaged pump rod, in order to get a new one made to replace it. When opposite the joint of the rod in question he stepped out of the cage on to a bunton, which had been placed across the shaft for some years, when it collapsed and he fell to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 125 fathoms, and was instantly killed. The bunton to a casual examination appeared to be sound, but if it had been tested with a hammer or other tool it would have been found to be rotten and incapable of bearing any weight. It was deceased's duty to make the statutory examinations in this shaft

Smith, David, 24 May 1884, aged 25, Collier, Suffocated by smoke from underground fire [More information ...]

Smith, George, 23 May 1924, (accident: 22 May 1924, 8.10 a.m., 2nd hour of shift), aged 29, Miner, In a seam with a gradient of 52 degrees, the hard rock roof formed one side of a level roadway. This side was getting too close to the tubs and he was preparing to fire a shot to increase the width. A hole, 2¼ ins. diameter, was drilled at right angles to the side, 8 ins. deep, and charged with two cartridges of gelignite, approximately 3 ounces, and stemmed with the borings from the hole. He then set a prop from the opposite side to the mouth of the hole to make up for the deficiency of stemming, but as he was setting it the charge exploded and he was severely injured by the splinters of the prop which were driven into his body. He died a day later. He should not have bored such a hole nor should the fireman who inspected the place a few minutes before, have allowed such an improperly placed shot to be fired

Spiers, Robert, 07 Apr 1881, Collier, Shot had exploded; he was found dead Stoop and room. Edge coal

Stalker, Robert, 09 Jun 1913, aged 27, Engine Fitter, He was employed by a firm of engineers who were erecting a coal washing plant at the colliery, and was helping another man to carry a heavy valve along a 9-inch plank when he overbalanced and fell to the ground, a distance of 27 feet. He died three hours later

Walker, Alexander, 21 Sep 1912, aged 64, Miner, Holing his working place when a piece of coal 9 feet in length fell away and hit him on the head, causing fatal injuries

Walker, Robert, 14 Apr 1914, aged 18, Miners' Drawer, His duty was to draw the miners' tubs and put them on to a brake incline. As the signal at his level was defective he had stretched out on to the incline, which dips at 64 degrees, to strike the rail with a piece of iron, and so signal to the top or bottom of the incline. While doing so he overbalanced and fell to the bottom of the incline and was killed

Watson, Samuel, 22 Jul 1899, aged 24, Miner, Deceased appeared to have been knocking out the gibs in a seam 5 ft. thick, dipping at 60°, and worked longwall, when a block of coal 8 ft. in length and averaging 3 ft. 6 ins. in width suddenly fell from a foul cleavage plane and killed him instantly

Williamson, Harry, 18 Jul 1909, aged 36, Oncost, At a part of an incline dipping 60 degrees, the roof was showing signs of collapsing near the vicinity of a "trouble," and deceased with another workman, named Andrew King, were engaged repairing and making the part secure ; they had finished their shift, and were proceeding up the incline, when the roof collapsed, and all three were buried. The latter lay in a recess uninjured, and owing to the dangerous nature of the operations to effects his rescue, twenty-seven hours elapsed before he was released [More information ...]

Wylie, Peter, 03 Mar 1892, 9.15 a.m., 1st hour of shift, aged 57, Miner, Crushed by hutches