Anne Mikolay asked me, “My great grandfather, John Taggart, worked in the Bothwell Castle Colliery, and had a fatal accident on July 24, 1916. He and his wife and children lived in Shuttle Row. My research indicates notification of the accident was placed in the Hamilton Advertiser on August 12, 1916. Can you please tell me how I can get a copy of that notification?”
Attached are the newspaper reports covering the incident.
About 2 o’clock on Monday 24th July 1916 in Bothwell Castle Pit 1, belonging to Messrs William Baird & Co, a collapse of the roof amounting to around 20 tonnes, fell on top of several miners. When recovery work commenced, a second collapse occurred and it was found that John Taggart , 40 year old miner of the colliery tied cottages at Baird’s Rows, Blantyre had been instantaneously killed. Several other men were injured.His address was 18 Craighead Rows (Bairds). A fatal accident enquiry took place on 15th August 1916 in Hamilton Sherrif Court into his, and the deaths of other miners involved in local accidents.
Bothwell Colliery Pit 1 commenced coal extraction in 1875 and closed in 1950. William Baird & Company during this time became known as “Bairds & Scottish Steel Limited”
On social media:
I believe I am related to John Taggart. I am pretty sure he is my grandfather’s brother, who also worked in the mines in Blantyre. I visited Blantyre back in 1990 and stayed with relatives who are descendants of another brother.
Ihello Timothy
hope you see this reply, as it is 2021 n I have only just now seen your post. Please tell me about your grandfather! I’d like to learn more about the Taggarts.
Anne Mikolay