An annual meeting took place in Glasgow on Monday 20th December 1915, to discuss what amount was left in the Blantyre and Udston Colliery Accident Funds.
When the Blantyre Pit accident happened in 1877, a whopping sum of £48,246 (about £8m in todays money) was collected in the immediate period of National grief and shock. The amount of interest was significant in the following years with a further £33, 172. In allowances and education a sum of £63,989 had been paid out by 1915.
Even in 1915, some 38 years later, 77 people were still being paid an annual amount. Not all widows as one may think. Just 26 widows were on the roll, for generally the woman was not paid from the sum if she ever remarried. 51 men were being paid in 1915 ranging from 41 years to 84 years.
The fund had merged with the Udston Disaster fund which was collected in 1887. The Executives of both funds liked the idea of merging them and even in 1915, the idea that the funds could be wound up by 1918 was being mooted. Just 8 of the recipients was in relation to Udston.
However, it took until 5th May 1930 to wind up the fund, some 53 years after the explosion. Just 8 people were still alive receiving benefit and from the remaining amount of just over £3,000, sums were agreed to give each of them for the rest of their lives, with charitable donations given to Miners Societies with the remainder.