Whilst pushing a rake of empty hutches up an incline in the Loanend Colliery in 1926, William Dowdles, James Mulvaney and Thos. Wales were trapped by a runaway train of full hutches which came hurtling down on them.
Dowdles, who lived at 6 Carfin Street, Dixon’s Row, Blantyre, was instantly killed, while Mulvaney, who stayed at 400 Hamilton Road, Cambuslang, had his leg broken and his chest crushed. He made a good recovery. Wales was thrown aside, and escaped with bruises.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2017
On social media: Shared exclusively with Blantyre Project, (not for use elsewhere):
Jane Maxwell The dangers of working in the mines.
Marian Maguire So sad.
Louise Mclachlan This sounds eerily similar to how my Great Grandpa Eddie Cairney died. I wonder if you have any of the news stories of this? He was a coal hewer, born 1902 and died july 1943 as a result of an accident that happened the year before, trapped by a rake of hutches. He lived in the blantyre / hamilton areas and worked in local pits… unsure which one.
The Blantyre Project Thanks Louise. I don’t have anything on this yet, but have added it to my “to do” list. Recording all the accidents of miners is something im keen on, having already compiled the largest list for Blantyre online to date. Its available here: https://blantyreproject.com/blantyre-mining…/
Louise Mclachlan Thanks I will have a look Paul
😊

Terry McMahon Miners’ injuries, illnesses, deaths…a national tragedy. The exact reason my Grandmother insisted on emigrating to Canada; to keep her sons out of the mines.