A sensitive story next from 1909, which I can’t help but feel there was more to. A warning that this article contains some upsetting content and you should be aware that despite the names being published in papers, I have decided to mask the identity of all surnames. In February 1909, a miner Francis C […]
Who remembers the “big shed” near Haughhead? Situated on the west side of the Blantyre Ferme Road, beyond the railway bridge, these works serviced the nearby mine The photos are all from 1981, taken 40 years ago, the buildings all now removed with only foundations and floor slab remaining. Surprisingly, I have very few notes […]
Local man, Jim Donnelly was walking through the derelict grounds of St Joseph’s Primary School in June 2018, when he spotted this brick amongst the rubble. Imprinted on it was “Blantyre Ferme”, fairly good evidence that the school was built using bricks from the relatively nearby former brickworks. I wonder just how many public buildings […]
Thursday 15th November 1928 was a sad day at Blantyre Ferme Colliery. An accumulation of gas in the virgin coal seam at Blantyre Ferme Colliery resulted in the death of one miner and injury to several others. It appeared that the fireman, on going round, missed one man, and on a search being made, a […]
On Sunday 6th January 1929, a woman descended into the far bottom depths of Blantyre Ferme Colliery for the first time. What a story she had to tell and will be remembered for her heroism. On that afternoon, Dr. Anne Mitchell descended into the Blantyre Ferme Colliery Pit 3, Lanarkshire, and saved a miner’s life. It […]
Haughhead Brickworks were constructed around 1955. They were also known as Newton brickworks by some people as well as the name, Blantyre Ferme Brickworks. This may have confused visitors and locals, as there was a Newton and Blantyre Ferme brickworks not far from this location, albeit in different but nearby areas. Haughhead brickworks were certainly […]
Wednesday 6th January 1937 gave the miners a real scare at Blantyreferme Colliery 3. Whilst 3oo miners dashed to the safety of the surface after firedamp had been discovered in the colliery, one man failed to respond to the alarm signal and was tragically suffocated. He was James Brown, of Bargeddie, who left a wife […]