As news of the Blantyre Pit Disaster spread on 22nd October 1877, a special train was laid on that afternoon to bring doctors quickly to the scene. The magnitude of so many miners below ground potentially needing medical assistance prompted a wave of many doctors responding. Arriving on the scene were doctors Marshall, Lennox, Loudon, […]
From my forthcoming Blantyre mining book, “Hollow Earth & Hardship“. It wasn’t just those who were underground who were injured or died in the Blantyre Pit Disaster. The force of the explosion also reached people on the surface! On that morning of Monday 22nd October 1877, the fearful dull rumbling sound heard above ground was […]
There’s a story by one of the rescuers who went into Pit 2 and 3 that despite its tragic wording, is very touching. It tells of two men who were killed in the pit disaster, a strapper and a drawer, who were great friends. Whenever opportunity arose, they were always together. In death too, they […]
Today we look back at the life and remember James ALLAN, who has the unfortunate position of being first alphabetically in the list of 215 miners who died in the Blantyre Pit Disaster on Monday 22nd October 1877. James Allan was just 22 years old, a single man when he died in Pit 3 in […]
Continued from Parts 1 – 8….from the Scotsman, Tuesday 23rd October 1877…..the day after the disaster describing events in detail of the terrible day before. Here crowds arrive around the pithead on the Monday afternoon. “Then sharp breathing and excited groups pressed round the shaft mouth, anxious to be relieved from suspense, yet fearful that […]
Continued from Parts 1 – 7….from the Scotsman, Tuesday 23rd October 1877…..the day after the disaster describing events in detail of the tragic day before…..here the account of rescuers finding bodies is described, which may make for upsetting reading. Mr McFarlane described the scene in the workings, so far as they could, penetrate, as something […]
Continued from Parts 1 – 5….from the Scotsman, Tuesday 23rd October 1877…..describing events in detail from the disaster morning before. We return to Pit 2 and the bravery of the first men sent down to inspect what was happening. One man, however, who made a very narrow escape with his life—to wit, John Sharp, a […]