Continuing a transcript of evidence given by Blantyre miners to the Blantyre Pit Disaster Inquiry in November 1877. On Page 187 is the evidence of local man Alexander Gardiner who was questioned by Mr Dickinson. Alexander said,
“I am 59 years of age. I live in Auchenraith, High Blantyre, in the parish of Blantyre and am night pit headsman in No 2 pit, Blantyre colliery. On Sunday night, 21st October last, I got to the pit about 10 o’clock. There would then be only the cubeman down the pit attending to the ventilating fires. At 12 o’clock the first to go down was Daniel Hendry. He had his party of night men, 14 or 15 altogether. After that, a little before half-past 4 o’clock, the day firemen went down. They were Alexander Wood, Alexander Watt, William Black and James Wright. Of these four Wood is the only one now living.”
“After that the man that feeds the horses went down about 5 o’clock. None after that until the signal was given at 20 minutes part 5 o’clock, all, unless it were one other two, had gone down. By 5 of 10 minutes part 6, all had gone down.”
“The oversman, Joseph Gilmour went down with the men before the 6 o’clock horn blew that morning. The final man to come out was the night cubeaman, George MCClellan. He came out after the day firemen had gone down. He came up about 20 minutes to 5 o’clock. The day cubeaman was William Welsh. He went down with the other colliers before 6 o’clock. I left the pit about 10 minutes past 6, Kirkland then came on duty. Hendry the night fireman, came up about 6 o’clock, after the day firemen had gone down, his party coming up about the same time.”
Such testmimony shows the luck involved in having a shift ending prior to that fateful moment.
