	Westwood (Oil shale)	Index	Westwood (Oil shale)

Westwood (Oil shale)

Location:	West Calder 15 miles [24 km] SSW of Dunfermline
Map Ref:	(Sheet 65 Falkirk and Linlithgow) NT011642, 55° 51' 39" N, 3° 34' 49" W
Opened:
Closed:
Owners:	Oakbank Oil Co., Ltd.
Output:	1920 - Oil shale.
	1954 - Oil Shale.
Employment:	1915 - 50 (21 below, 29 surface) [Sinking]
	1920 - 223 (175 below, 48 surface)
	1954 - 420 (350 below, 70 surface)
Seams Worked:	1920 - Dunnet Shale
	1954 - Broxburn, Middle Dunnet
Notes:	Current Status - Page under construction! and is far, far from complete!

Description

Disasters (5 or more killed)

None found.

Names of those killed at this colliery

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

						Carr, William, 05 Feb 1924, 3.30 a.m., 5th hour of shift, aged 15, Chain Runner, He was illegally riding on a full rake when, in some way, he was thrown off, and his legs and skull were fractured. He died an hour later
						Crichton, Charles, 01 Jul 1932, Miner, Killed by a fall of roof
						Fee, Frank, 28 Aug 1922, 10.30 a.m., 4th hour of shift, aged 33, Contractor, He was engaged clearing up after a fall of side, preparatory to replacing broken timber on a level. He was taking loose shale from the roof when a fall of nearly a ton of shale pinned him against the side and caused fatal injuries. Crush, due to extraction of stoops, together with a lype, accounted for the fall
						Renwick, John, 28 Jun 1922, (accident: 27 Jun 1922, 9.35 p.m., 7th hour of shift), aged 14, Hanger-on, Whilst proceeding up a wheel brae he was run over by runaway tubs. He was severely injured and died the following day.
						Sharkey, William, 02 Dec 1926, (accident: 30 Nov 1926), Miner, Injuries received on 30/11/1926 through cartridge of gunpowder exploding prematurely - burns on face and arms. Died 02/12/1926

						5 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.

Collieries and Pits within 5 miles (8km)

a simulated map showing the immediate vicinity of Westwood (Oil shale)

list of collieries/pits etc. near to Westwood (Oil shale)

Credits

Sources:

1915 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1920 List of Mines - Government report from the Mines Department
1922 Mines Inspectors Report
1924 Mines Inspectors Report, Scotland Division (No. 1) by J. Masterton, H.M. Inspector of Mines [DMM Ref: L-01624 - Tom Bainbridge Collection]
1954 Guide to the Coalfields published by the Colliery Guardian