Blantyre Ferme 3, near scene of the gassing. Photo from A Rochead

Saturday 29th October 1932, saw yet another accident at Blantyreferme Colliery. However, this wasn’t in the pit, it was above ground and unusually for any colliery, it didn’t involve the miners but proved just as serious.

Margaret Meighan (19), residing at Laighmuir Street, Uddingston, was at work in the Blantyre colliery offices and visited the coal travelling tables. To her horror, she found her left leg became entangled with the machinery, and was almost entirely torn off. Suffering serious trauma and shock, she was removed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, where the limb was at once fully amputated.

Pictured that same decade, is Blantyre Ferme Colliery, these buildings the likely scene of the horrifying accident. It left me wondering if a claims culture existed at the time, or if Margaret simply had to deal with her injury and get on with life with no recompense.