	Valleyfield Colliery	Index	Valleyfield Colliery

Valleyfield Colliery

Location:	Newmills 5 miles [8 km] W of Dunfermline
Map Ref:	(Sheet 65 Falkirk and Linlithgow) NT009864, 56° 3' 37" N, 3° 35' 27" W
Opened:	1911
Closed:	1978
Sinking Started:	1908-11
Pits:	No. 1 Shaft
	No. 2 Shaft
Owners:	Fife Coal Co., Ltd.
	1947 - National Coal Board (N.C.B.)
Output:	1915 - Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam.
	1920 - Coal: Gas, Household, Manufacturing, Steam.
	1947 - Coal: Coking, Gas, Household, Navigation. (190,672 tons)
	1954 - Coal: Household, Steam.
Employment:	1910 - 121 (48 below, 73 surface) [Sinking]
	1915 - 378 (282 below, 96 surface)
	1920 - 528 (399 below, 129 surface)
	1923 - 604 (470 below, 134 surface)
	1933 - 635 (493 below, 142 surface)
	1940 - 636 (462 below, 174 surface)
	1947 - 690 (540 below, 150 surface)
	1954 - 1,008 (794 below, 214 surface)
Seams Worked:	1915 - Dunfermline Splint, Five Feet
	1920 - Bowhouse, Dunfermline Splint, Five Feet
	1954 - Diamond, Five Feet
Notes:	Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!

Description

Disasters (5 or more killed)

28th

Oct

1939

Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, 33 lives lost (Show Names)

Names of those killed at this colliery

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

						Anderson, Archibald, 28 Oct 1939, aged 46, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 44 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Anstis, Samuel, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Baillie, David, 28 Oct 1939, aged 35, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: The Ness, Torryburn [More information ...]
						Banks, Alexander, 28 Oct 1939, aged 65, Transport, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 6 East Ave, Blairhall (died in hospital) [More information ...]
						Banks, Daniel, 26 Aug 1921, aged 15, Crushed by hutch
						Banks, J., , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Banks, Walter, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Bond, Thomas, 01 Dec 1923, aged 32, Killed by machinery
						Brown, John, 28 Oct 1939, aged 23, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 8 Bowmont Street, Low Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Brown, William, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Brunton, Arthur, 30 Oct 1934, Stone Miner, struck by material from a shot
						Burks, Daniel, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Cairns, David, 28 Oct 1939, aged 35, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 39 Preston Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Cairns, Hope, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Campbell, Thomas, 28 Oct 1939, aged 56, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Main Street, Newmills [More information ...]
						Christie, Alexander, 28 Oct 1939, aged 61, Supervisor, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Culross [More information ...]
						Clark, Thomas, 28 Oct 1939, aged 47, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 34 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Cousin, William, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Cummings, John Hart, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Daly, Andrew, 12 Jul 1916, Fall of roof
						Devlin, George, 24 Aug 1928, Fall of roof
						Devlin, William, 28 Oct 1939, aged 37, Machineman, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 12 Woodhead Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Doohan, Arthur, 28 Oct 1939, aged 39, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Burn Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Duff, Robert, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Duffin, J., , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Erskine, James Blyth, 01 Mar 1922, 8.50 a.m., 2nd hour of shift, aged 32, Wheeler, Deceased attached two empty tubs to the rope at the bottom of a self-acting endless rope brae and signalled away. When the empty tubs had travelled a few yards up the brae the lashing chain became detached and they ran back to the bottom of the brae. Erskine was jammed against the side and died half an hour later.
						Ewing, Duncan, 28 Oct 1939, aged 27, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 22 Dundonald Terrace, Low Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Fitzsimmons, William, 1926, Gassed
						Forman, George, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Gauld, Aubrey, 28 Oct 1939, aged 34, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Mid Row, Hill of Beath [More information ...]
						Gillespie, James, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Gilliard, Peter, 28 Oct 1939, aged 23, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 39 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Glass, Edward, 28 Oct 1939, aged 27, Transport, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 14 Dundonald Ter., Low Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Gordon, Alexander, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Guthrie, James, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Hogg, David, 28 Oct 1939, aged 49, Packer, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Hawthorn Cottage, Carnock [More information ...]
						Hutton, Thomas, 18 Aug 1928, aged 41, Fall of roof
						Irvine, Charles, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Irvine, James, 28 Oct 1939, aged 37, Packer, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: West End, Low Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Jackson, David, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Jamieson, James, 09 Mar 1911, aged 27, Miner's Drawer, A sudden outburst of fire-damp occurred when they were working in the face of a level and displaced a very large quantity of coal, which completely buried and suffocated them [More information ...]
						Johnston, George, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Keegan, Bert, 28 Oct 1939, aged 52, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 61 Woodside Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Kelly, Annie, 25 Jan 1916, aged 19, Surface Tipler, Crushed by hutch
						Kelly, James, 11 Jan 1917, aged 51, Fall of roof
						Kelly, P., , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Kerr, Thomas, 28 Oct 1939, aged 58, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 36 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield (died in hospital) [More information ...]
						Kerr, Thomas, jnr., 28 Oct 1939, aged 26, Fireman, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 36 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Lang, Robert, 28 Oct 1939, aged 23, Engineer, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 6 Preston Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Lawrie, Alexander, 28 Oct 1939, aged 31, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 147 Baldridge Burn, Dunfermline [More information ...]
						Link, Edmund, 28 Oct 1939, aged 24, Transport, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Braeside Cottage, Low Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Little, Samuel, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Martin, James, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Martin, Peter, 06 Apr 1917, Killed by a fall of roof
						Martin, Peter, 28 Oct 1939, aged 42, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 5 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						McDade, William, 09 Aug 1915, Fall of stone
						McFadzean, James, 28 Oct 1939, aged 28, Transport, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 33 Preston Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						McFarlane, Robert, 28 Oct 1939, aged 41, Repairer, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Main St Newmills [More information ...]
						McGlinchey, Joseph, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						McGuire, Samuel, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						McGuire, Stephen, 11 Jul 1915, Crushed by hutch
						McIntyre, John, 28 Oct 1939, aged 22, Electrician, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 21 Preston Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						McKenna, Philip, 24 Jan 1911, aged 38, Sinker, He was working on a temporary cage or scaffold suspended from a crab rope, preparatory to the permanent guides being put into the shaft, when he overbalanced himself and fell off the cage and to another scaffold 44 feet below
						McKenzie, L., 1919, Roof fall
						McKenzie, L., , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						McKenzie, Lindsay, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						McMillan, Hugh, 19 Jul 1927, Fall of roof
						McMillan, Hugh, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						McNeill, Neil, 25 Jul 1927, aged 40, Gassed
						McNeill, Neil, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						McQuade, Daniel, 15 Sep 1922, Deceased along with the leading machineman, was in the act of putting the haulage chain of the machine into line close to the coal face after shifting the haulage anchor post, when a large stone, about two tons in weight, fell from the face of the brushing at a branch road, which was in course of being brushed, and caught them both. Deceased's head and shoulders were crushed to the floor and death was instantaneous. The leading machineman was only slightly injured. Had the brushers set temporary props to support the face of the brushing left on by the shot which had been fixed until another shot, which had to be fired later, was ready to be fired, this accident would not have occurred. A large portion of the blame for the accident lies with the brusher in charge of the place at the time
						Millar, Alexander, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Millar, Ebenezer, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Miller, David, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Minford, William, 17 Jul 1920, Crushed by hutch
						Mitchell, George, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Moodie, William, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Morgan, David, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Morrison, Colin, 28 Oct 1939, aged 51, Fireman, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 18 Woodhead Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Murray, Michael, 28 Oct 1939, aged 33, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Burn Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Nicholson, Robert, 28 Oct 1939, aged 32, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: North Rd, Saline [More information ...]
						O'Brien, William, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						O'Neill, Thomas, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Paterson, Alexander, 28 Oct 1939, aged 32, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 19 Abbey Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Pedan, George, 09 Mar 1911, aged 14, Miner's Filler, A sudden outburst of fire-damp occurred when they were working in the face of a level and displaced a very large quantity of coal, which completely buried and suffocated them [More information ...]
						Pedan, John, 09 Mar 1911, aged 27, Miner, A sudden outburst of fire-damp occurred when they were working in the face of a level and displaced a very large quantity of coal, which completely buried and suffocated them [More information ...]
						Ramage, William, 28 Oct 1939, aged 52, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Blairwood Ter, Oakley [More information ...]
						Ross, William, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Scott, Alexander, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Sloan, John, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Spowar, James, jnr., 28 Oct 1939, aged 29, Machineman, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: Tinian Cres, Newmills [More information ...]
						Strathie, David, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Syme, Thomas, 29 Oct 1911, aged 45, Miner, When being raised in the cage from a place in the shaft, at which he had been cutting holes for supports or clamps to carry the electric cables to the place above where another set was to be cut, he appears to have his head partly out of the side of the cage and to have been caught by a cross girder and pulled out. He fell to the bottom of the shaft a distance of 780 feet
						Tinney, Michael, 28 Oct 1939, aged 35, Transport, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 3 Woodhead Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Tole, Henry, 28 Oct 1939, aged 29, Machineman, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 26 Preston Cres, High Valleyfield [More information ...]
						Tracey, Martin, 25 Jan 1916, aged 21, Fall of roof
						Tracy, A., 1918, Killed by a fall of roof
						Whyte, George, , [details unknown - name listed on Colliery Memorial]
						Williamson, James, 20 Jan 1917, Fall of roof
						Wright, Robert, 28 Oct 1939, aged 48, Brusher, Explosion, firedamp, propagated by coal dust, ignition caused by shot firing, address: 1 Dunmarle Street, High Valleyfield [More information ...]

						100 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.

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.

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 . The CMHRC is available here.

more information on some of the fatalities shown above

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Valleyfield Colliery

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Valleyfield Colliery

Credits

Sources:

1910 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1911 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 6237), Scotland District (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
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