Just back from an outdoor evening with Blantyre Heritage Group. A great evening walk around High Blantyre. Lovely company of History enthusiasts and thanks to Gordon Cook for being a wonderful and knowledgeable tour guide. Thanks to Pamela at SLC, Blantyre Heritage Group and the bus driver for laying it all on. The 1877 pit […]
The miners of Bardykes Colliery had a lucky escape on the evening of Thursday 14th October 1949. The news report is as follows: Pithead Structure Crashes The pithead structure at No. 2 Pit of Bardvkes Colliery, Blantyre, collapsed yesterday evening. No one was hurt. The main shaft caved in on Monday, since when the colliery […]
Tragic circumstances on the evening of Saturday 21st March 1936 occurred when a pit accident in Blantyre claimed the lives of five men. Exceptional bravery was demonstrated as rescue parties worked unceasingly for about 15 hours in imminent peril from a dangerous roof to recover the bodies from the debris. The accident occurred in a […]
On Saturday 30th August 1930 a huge explosion in Auchinraith pit claimed the lives of 5 men. I researched the story in some detail here http://blantyreproject.com/2014/02/15/the-auchinraith-pit-disaster-1930/ Always amazed by the kindness of Blantyre people, I have to thank local man Alex Rochead for showing me this lesser known photo. Incredibly, preserved in some clarity is […]
1877 wasn’t the only year to have a significant pit accident in Blantyre. On Saturday 30th August 1930, a huge explosion occurred at Number 1 pit, Auchinrath colliery belonging to Messrs Merry and Cunningham. Fourteen men were entombed in frightening circumstances and after great difficulty, only 10 of them could be rescued. It was officially […]
A story surfaced in the week that followed the 1877 pit disaster in Blantyre. Taken from the Scotsman archives of 27th October 1877: “Yesterday Thomas Gibbin, a labourer, having no fixed place of residence, was judicially examined before Sheriff Bernie at Hamilton Sheriff Court, and committed to prison pending further inquiries, on a charge of […]
Quite incredibly for 1877, the story and coverage of the Blantyre Pit Explosion is very, very well documented. The following is a direct transcript from local newspapers, the day after the accident.From 23rd October 1877: Appalling Colliery Accident at High Blantyre – More Than 200 Lives Lost – One of the most appalling colliery accidents […]