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Full Details

Surname
CRAIG
Forename
Alexander
Day
23
Month
04
Year
1921
Age
48
Occupation
Collier
Mine/Quarry Name
Outcrop Coal Working
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Location
Newarthill
County
Lanarkshire
Details of Event
23 April 1921: Miner's Tragic fate - Man Killed at Newarthill - Miners engaged in different parts of the country in the working of out-crop coal seams are now realising that this cannot be done without involving considerable risk, the inevitable accompaniment of primitive methods, and the lack of material to ensure safety. A very distressing accident happened the mining village of Newarthill, near Holytown, when a miner, Alexander Craig, residing at Parkside, met his death under tragic circumstances on Saturday. Craig, like the other miners of the district, had been working an old “cropped” seam of coal during the past few days in company with some companions. The coal in this instance was exceptional quality, and as time went on the workings reached considerable proportions, resulting consequently in a large deep roof, with many tons of earth overhead. Unfortunately, there had been no supports used for “propping” purposes, which accounted for a heavy fall, involving about a ton of earth, giving way, and burying Craig completely. Realising what had occurred, his companions set to the work of rescuing their friend from his perilous plight, and succeeded in their task to a certain extent, being able to remove the debris from his head and chest; in fact, he was quite conscious throughout the ordeal, and chatted freely with his rescuers. “A few minutes more and all would have been well for poor Craig.’’ continued an eye witness, “but before you could count three another fall suddenly swept down upon us about three times heavier than the first, and he was lost to view. We wrought us never any collier wrought before, but when we found him the body was lifeless.” The unfortunate man was 48 years of age and leaves behind a widow and six children. [Motherwell Times 29 April 1921]