BLANTYRE No.1. Blantyre, Lanarkshire. 2nd. July, 1879.

The colliery was the property of Messrs. Dixon and Company and had been the scene of a great explosion in which 211 lives were lost in 1877. This disaster was, fortunately, not on the same scale but claimed the lives of twenty-eight men and boys.

Since the previous disaster, great care had been taken in working the mine and only safety lamps of the Clanny and Davy types were used. The explosion occurred in the Ell Coal where men were using gunpowder to blast some stonework. Gas had not been seen in the mine since the 19th. May and there were 3,000 cubic feet of air per minute passing into the district.

On the night of the disaster, the men went down about 6 p.m. They were brushers whose duty it was to clear and repair the mine ready for the day men. Those at the pit head hear a loud report which sounded like the firing of a dynamite shot in the shaft. The other men in the pit quickly got out by other shafts and exploring parties were organised under the direction of Mr. James Watson, the manager and including James, his son, who was overman at the colliery and J. Torrance, William Gilchrist, John Pickering, John White, Walter Howieson and Thomas Laidlaw went down the No. 3 Pit.

Although the shaft was clear, the ventilation had been deranged and there was a lot of afterdamp as they made their way to the No.1 which was the scene of the explosion. They ad to make their way slowly and carefully forward by the use of brattice. Several of the rescuers put their lives at risk and Mr. Watson, the manager and John White the overman were brought to the surface, along with others, after they had been overcome by the gas.

By 5 p.m. all the bodies except three, had been recovered and brought to the surface. There were vast crowds reported to be at the pit but the hysterical that followed the explosion of 1877 was not repeated. The explosion did not cover a great area and the men at the far end of the level were found alive.

Those who died were:

  • Peter Berry aged 58 years, brusher, widow and six children.
  • Patrick McGarvie aged 55 years, brusher widow.
  • John Malone aged 38 years, brusher widow and five children.
  • John Newton aged 60 years, brusher, single.
  • Robert Mullan aged 28 years, brusher, single.
  • John O’Neil aged 32 years, brusher, widow and three children.
  • John Murphy aged 24 years, single.
  • Tague Boyle aged 22 years, brusher, single.
  • Edward Jardine aged 28 years, widower.
  • Bernard O’Bryen aged 28 years, brusher, widow and one child.
  • Michael Howitt aged 27 years, brusher, single.
  • Patrick Vallelly aged 21 years, brusher, single.
  • Patrick McGribben aged 58 years, left a wife and grown up family.
  • Alexander McArthur aged 40 years, brusher, left a widow.
  • John Harvey aged 44 years, brusher, single.
  • Edward McGarvin aged 23 years, brusher.
  • James Lafferty aged 46 years, fireman, left a widow and a family.
  • Thomas Irvine aged 60 years, bottomer, left a widow and grown up family.
  • James Bryson aged 58 years, brusher, left a widow and family.
  • Richard Runn aged over 30 years, brusher, left a widow and six children.
  • Alexander Simmington aged 24 years, brusher, single.
  • Edward Thompson aged 31 years, brusher, left a widow and three children.

The “Glasgow Herald”  lists the following as “Missing”:

  • John McGuigan aged 38 years, brusher, left a wife and two children,
  • Henry Duffy aged 65 years, brusher, single,
  • Patrick Lynch aged 30 years, brusher, single and
  • Thomas McDuff or Duffy, aged 24 years, brusher, single.

The survivors were:

  • Bernard Cairns aged 23 years, single, who died the following day,
  • Charles Lafferty aged 18 years, son of James,
  • Bernard O’Neill aged 27 years, single, brother of John and
  • James Owens aged 52 years, widow.

Charles Lafferty gave the press an account of his experiences in the pit. He said:

I was working a considerable distance away from the main way at the coal face. It was the Ell seam which was the highest of the three seams and is the only one in the pit that is being worked now. There were several other men engaged near me. My father, James Lafferty, overman was one of them. About nine oÕclock we heard a loud explosion coming from the west workings of the north bottom and immediately afterwards there was rush of gas along the workings. I was thrown violently against the coal face and then hurled on a heap of coal and much bruised and almost knocked insensible but I managed to pick myself up. The gas was very strong and I cold hardly breathe. I tried to get to the main way but I was driven back by the gas. After a little time I made another effort and this time I was able to get to the main way. I found another man who was endeavouring to make his way to the bottom. We went together a little way but my companion became exhausted and dropped down saying he could go no further. I struggled on and became unconscious.

Lafferty was found unconscious and the other man was few yards away, dead.

 

REFERENCES
Mines Inspector Report, 1879. Mr. Moore.
Colliery Guardian, 4th July 1879, p.99, 21st November 1879, p.812.
The Glasgow Herald.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.

Return to previous page