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One of my favourite photos, if only as one of my family appears in it! This is of course the photo of the Pit Disaster rescuers in 1877. The men have been presented with a large bible for their valiant efforts in descending into the pit following the disaster. The term “rescuer” is perhaps misleading […]
By the evening of Monday 22nd October 1877, the scenes at the pithead at number 3, were such that would leave a deep impression on anybody who witnessed them. By contrast to the rain and clouds so prevalent during the daytime rescue attempts, when the moon arose, it illuminated everything it seemed in the District. […]
It seems barbaric to us now, but it’s easy to forget that there were ponies being used in the mines and they too were victims of the Blantyre Pit Disaster. Such animals had underground stables, living life under the ground and would surely have been blinded by sunlight if they ever came up. Looking after […]
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, […]
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 – 6….from the Scotsman, Tuesday 23rd October 1877…..the day after the disaster describing events in detail from the disaster morning. It is only consistent with the character of miners to say that the moment the extent of the calamity was realised, there were many willing hands ready to embark on the […]