In May 1893, William Baird & Co began sinking the Priory Pit in Blantyre. However, after only 25 feet, the shaft collapsed due to water and sand pressure. The initial efforts were deemed futile, leading to the decision to construct a new shaft 20 feet away, using iron caissons for safety.
An article appeared in the Herald Newspaper on Tuesday 18th September 2018 about the decline of exhausted pits and the perks offered to miners if they will willing to move to the new coalfields of Eastern Scotland during the mid 20th Century. One such uneconomic pit was Priory, pictured here in 1948 in the article. […]
These two photographs were taken one after another in 1948 on the same day. Pictured are children playing at Priory Pit, Low Blantyre. The identity of the children are unknown with exception of the boy on the right who is Frank Gilluly. You can read about the Blantyre Priory Pit story here
Thank you to Robert Stewart for sending in this great photo of Priory Pit. Taken by himself, Robert told me, “The photo I’ve attached of the pit I call ‘The Last Lum’ (chimney), with Carlowrie Avenue and Hillview Drive in the distance. I can’t remember when I took it but it was either late 1968 […]
1928 saw Police and fiscal intervention into a growing problem in Low Blantyre. The Fiscal at the J.P Court stated that according to his information , some 50 tons of coal were stolen every week from the siding at Priory Colliery and the matter had become serious for both the Colliery and the Railway. In […]