I think this article deserves to be shared to show some awareness and memory of the dead. All too often when we think of the 200+ victims of the 1877 Blantyre Explosion, we may think they are all buried in High Blantyre Cemetery. After all, there was a large monument erected by Dixon’s in their memory. That part is very much true.

However, lesser known is the fact that many of the Catholic men and boys who died that fateful day in the High Blantyre mine, were taken from Blantyre later and were buried in Dalbeath Cemetery, just off the London Road. Dalbeath Cemetery is also known as St.Peters Cemetery.

A rather small and unimposing monument stands in the cemetery in memory of all the Catholic men and boys from Blantyre who were buried there.

Names of the deceased men who were killed in Dixon’s Pit of High Blantyre, interred by special arrangement in the plot forming the north west corner of Section 9 consisting of 11 lairs, internments made at 22/- each. Paid by Messrs Dixon Limited. There are many modern Blantyre surnames in there.

With thanks to Alex Rochead for taking the photos and providing this long, well researched and extensive list.

Month	Day	Forename	Surname	Age	Cause	£	S	D
Oct	24	Michael	Brannan	26	accident	1	2	–
“	“	Charles	Devers	27	“	1	2	–
“	25	Charles	Gainer	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	Michael	Cairns	33	“	1	2	–
“	“	Patrick	Kelly	27	“	1	2	–
“	28	John	Conlan	14	“	1	2	–
“	“	Hugh	Larkin	25	“	1	2	–
“	“	John	Kenney	–	“	1	2	–
“	“	Francis	Murphy	25	“	1	2	–
“	29	John	Cavanagh	18	“	1	2	–
“	“	Hugh	Morgan	35	“	1	2	–
“	“	John	McLaughlan	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	Edward	McLaughlan	18	“	1	2	–
“	“	John	Campbell	–	“	1	2	–
“	“	James	Murphy	39	“	1	2	–
“	“	William	Boyle	49	“	1	2	–
“	“	Peter	O’Brien	–	“	1	2	–
“	“	John or James	Kelly	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	James	Irvine	38	“	1	2	–
“	30	John	Dolan	19	“	1	2	–
“	31	John	Craw	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	Owen	Brannaghan	19	“	1	2	–
Nov	1	John	O’Donnell	26	“	1	2	–
“	“	Patrick	Smith	37	“	1	2	–
“	2	James	McCuskar	–	“	1	2	–
“	“	Simon	Boyle	15	“	1	2	–
“	“	Edward	McCallum	15	“	1	2	–
“	3	John	O’Donnell	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	William	Graham	14	“	1	2	–
“	“	John	Connaghan	21	“	1	2	–
“	“	William	Hanlan	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	James	Murray	40	“	1	2	–
“	“	Thomas	Burns	23	“	1	2	–
“	“	Peter	Burns	13	“	1	2	–
“	4	Simon	Boyle	15	“	1	2	–
“	5	Bernard	McTavie	56	“	1	2	–
“	“	Hugh	Martin	55	“	1	2	–
“	6	William	Miller	24	“	1	2	–
“	“	James	Clyde	–	“	1	2	–
“	“	William	Clyde	–	“	1	2	–
“	“	James	Clarke	–	“	1	2	–
“	7	James	Kelly	34	“	1	2	–
“	“	Peter	Carlin	33	“	1	2	–
“	8	Bernard	Murray	21	“	1	2	–
“	9	James	McGarry	36	“	1	2	–
“	“	John	O’Brien	–	“	1	2	–
“	10	Edward	Smith	22	“	1	2	–
£51	14	0
28	Henry	McCuskar	–	not charged