Single Record

Full Details

Surname

PARIS

Forename

Charles Hodge

Day

12

Month

01

Year

1929

Age

33

Occupation

Shale Miner

Mine/Quarry Name

Hopetoun, No.35 (Threemiletown) Pit

Mineral Worked

Oil Shale

Owner

Young's Paraffin Light & Mineral Oil Co. Ltd

Location

Winchburgh

County

Linlithgowshire

Details of Event

12 January 1929 Shale Mine Explosion – Four Men Injured - By an explosion of gas in No.35 Pit, near Winchburgh, on Saturday, three shale miners and a fireman were more or less seriously injured two of them being removed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment. The names of the injured are:- Samuel M'Ghie , Church Street, Broxburn; George Paris, Niddry Rows, Winchburgh; James Jack, Uphall; and Thomas Bell, Three-mile-town, Philpstoun. The explosion occurred in a place being worked by Paris and M'Ghie, while Jack was working in a place adjoining. Bell, who is a fireman was a short distance away when the explosion took place. The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined. Paris and Bell were badly burned about the face and body, and their condition was such that their removal to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was considered advisable. Jack received slighter burns, while M'Ghie was cut about the face and head by falling shale. [Scotsman 14 January 1929] Broxburn - Four Men Injured In Explosion - By an explosion of gas in No.35 Pit, near Winchburgh, on Saturday, three shale miners and a fireman were more or less seriously injured, two of them being removed to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment. The names of the injured are:- Samuel M'Ghie, Church Street, Broxburn; George Paris, Niddry Rows, Winchburgh; James Jack, Uphall; and Thomas Bell, Three-mile-town, Philpstoun. The explosion occurred in a place being worked by Paris and M'Ghie, while Jack was working in a place adjoining. Bell, who is a fireman, was a short distance away when the explosion took place. The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined. Paris and Bell were badly burned about the face and body, and their condition was such that their removal to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was considered advisable. Jack received slighter burns, while M'Ghie was cut about the face and head by falling shale. [Hamilton Advertiser 19 January 1929] (According to the Mines Inspectors report two of the men subsequently died. One was Charles Hodge Paris age 33, who died January 15 1929, the other is as yet unidentified) FAI record – Charles Hodge Paris, shale miner, 78 Niddry Rows, Winchburgh, died on 15 January 1929 at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, from injuries sustained on 12 January 1929 in No.35 Mine, Hopetoun, Ecclesmachan Parish, West Lothian, after an explosion of firedamp. NAS Reference: SC41/13/1929/5 Information from the Inspectors of Mines - 1929: Explosion "At Hopetoun No.35 (Oil Shale) Mine, in a steeply rising place 12ft. Wide by 6ft. 6in., high, in which only safety lamps were allowed, but in which, being an oil shale mine, Bickford igniters were used to light the fuses of the shots, a fireman said he was lighting the second of two shots near the floor level when the igniter split, flame shot out and ignited gas. The fireman and a miner, who died a day or two later were burned, and two other workers not far away were thrown down and injured.