Single Record

Full Details

Surname

FLEMING

Forename

David

Day

27

Month

08

Year

1928

Age

20

Occupation

Farm Worker

Mine/Quarry Name

Bowhill, Redd Bing

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Fife Coal Co. Ltd

Location

Auchterderran

County

Fifeshire

Details of Event

27 August 1928: A Bowhill Tragedy – Redd Bing Collapses - Two Farm Workers Killed - The old redd bing at Bowhill Colliery, belonging to the Fife Coal Company, was the scene of a double fatality on Monday afternoon. Two young farm workers while engaged in filling material into carts, were overwhelmed by a heavy fall from the ledge above. They were extricated with all possible speed, but death had apparently been instantaneous. The victims were:- Lewis Lawson, 15 years of age , in the employment of his uncle, Mr George McGregor, Murrayknowes Farm; and David Fleming, 20 years of age, employed by Mrs Inglis, Redhouse. They were working opposite the steading at Wellsgreen Farm, also belonging to the Fife Coal Company. The bing had been burned out several years ago, and the men were engaged in digging out underground refuse, which is used for roadmaking, many farmers in the district finding it suitable for this purpose. The spot where they were working was similar to a quarry. Suddenly the rocky mass above, weighing several tons, crashed down upon them. Willing helpers were soon on the scene and digging with spades had the victims extricated in a comparatively short space of time. At the time of the accident the men were practically finished their tasks, their carts being almost filled. One of the farm carts was badly smashed on one side, but the horses were unhurt. Lawson's father was killed a few years ago in a pit accident, and his widowed mother resides with her father, Mr Alex Herd, Woodbank Cottage. Fleming's parents reside in Dundonald. Mr James Payne, Muir's Buildings, and Mr John Clark, district mines agent for the Fife Coal Company, were among the first on the scene. Mr Payne had previously been watching the men at their work. When some distance from the spot he met Mr Clark. “I was speaking to him with my back to the scene of the accident,” he said, “when Mr Clark suddenly exclaimed that the two men were buried by debris. We both ran to the scene. The horses were standing, but one of the carts was nearly buried.” Mr Clark said that the men had apparently seen the danger coming upon them, but had not been able to avoid it. He saw the mass coming down, and the men making what appeared to be a spasmodic scramble, but it was too late. Mrs Hastie, who lives at Wellsgreen Farm opposite, was working inside the house when she heard her husband, who is a miner, crying for her boy to come quick. Her husband and she rushed out, and when she went over her husband was trying to pull the cart out. A crowd of people gathered in a twinkling, and she ran for spades. Mr Andrew Hutt, the well known first aid exponent, and Dr Brackenbridge, were soon in attendance. The occurrence cast a gloom over the district, and the scene of the tragedy was visited by many people during the evening. [Dunfermline Journal 1 September 1928] Lewis Lawson's father, Robert died 30 October 1917