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Full Details

Surname
PRYDE
Forename
John
Day
05
Month
06
Year
1941
Age
45
Occupation
Shot Firer
Mine/Quarry Name
Lindsay
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Fife Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Kelty
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
5 June 1941: Fife pit accident - Three men dead; two injured - Extensive roof fall - Three pit workers lost their lives and two were injured when they were buried under an extensive fall yesterday morning in the underground workings of the Lindsay Colliery, Kelty, belonging to the Fife Coal Company Ltd. The three men killed were: - Bernard Lynch 65, conveyor engine attendant, Woodend Park, Kelty; Peter Wilson 29, stripper, pick the Street, Lumphinnans; and Robert Nicol 29, stripper, Naysmith Place, Kelty The injured are: - Edward Drummond, 23, stripper, Naysmith Place, and John Pryde 45, shot firer, Lower Oakfield, Kelty. The men had just begun work in the Lochgelly splint section of the colliery, when there was an extensive fall of material from the roof, and they were trapped. Rescue parties under the direction of Dr J N Williamson, the company's Safety Engineer; Mr W E S Peach, colliery agent; Mr T Thyne, manager; and Mr A Thomson, under manager, made heroic efforts to extricate the men. The body of Lynch was recovered shortly before midday Drummond and Pryde were extricated at about the same time, and it was found that, although injured, their condition was not serious. Several hours elapsed before the bodies of Wilson and Nicol were brought to the surface. Drummond and Pryde, who were removed to Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital as suffering from shock and general bruising. [Scotsman 6 June 1941] TRAPPED IN FIFE PIT - THREE DEAD, TWO INJURED - Three miners were killed and two injured in a Fife accident to-day. The men had commenced work the Lochgelly Seam of the Lindsay Colliery belonging to the Fife Coal company, when there was very heavy fall of coal and they were trapped. Under Mr W E S. Peach, colliery agent, and Mr Thomas Thyne, colliery manager, a rescue party was quickly at work. Before noon the body of Bernard Lynch (65), 11 Woodend Park, Kelty was recovered. Edward Drummond (23), 44 Naismyth Place, Kelty and John Pryde, Lily bank, Lower Oakfield Kelty, were taken out injured, but not seriously. The rescue party continued their efforts and this afternoon the bodies of Robert Nicoll (29), Naismyth Place, Kelty, and Peter Wilson (29), 45 Main Street, Lumphinnans, were brought to the surface. Lynch leaves a wife and a large grown-up family. Nicoll was a well-known junior footballer. He played for Kirkford Juniors and was well-known locally as "Tippy" Nicoll because of his neat passing. [Evening Telegraph 5 June 1941] NB John Pryde subsequently died on 14 June 1941 - ref NAS Fatal Accident Inquiry: John Pryde, coal miner, Lilybank, Oakfield Street, Kelty, died on 14 Jun 1941 in West Fife Hospital, Dunfermline, from injuries sustained on 5 Jun 1941 at Lindsay Colliery, Kelty, Beath Parish, Fife, by a roof fall The Glasgow Herald - Jun 6, 1941, p6, column 3