Stirlingshire Accidents 1855-1870

This section contains newspaper reports on accidents in Stirlingshire from 1855 to 1870 inclusive. Please check the indexes in the Accidents Section for reports by the Inspector of Mines and accidents in other areas.

2 March 1863

Falkirk – Serious Accident - On Friday, a woman called Mary Bain was engaged at No. 9 Pit, Redding colliery, along with another woman, in "trimming" waggons, and while doing so several empty hutches which were standing about six yards off broke loose from their moorings, came against the waggon which was being trimmed, and propelled it along the line. Bain, in consequence lost her balance, and fell in betwixt the waggons, and a plank used in crossing the scree caught her by the throat, injuring her severely. She afterwards got entangled with the brake, and sustained a severe blow on the forehead. No hopes are entertained of her recovery. [Scotsman 3 March 1863]

NB Mary Bain, aged 36 died 2nd March 1863. The death was not registered until 2 April 1864.

15 December 1863

Falkirk Fatal Accident – On Tuesday a woman, named Margaret Rankin, met with an accident at one of the Carronhall pits, which resulted fatally on the following evening. It appears that the poor woman had been taking a loaded waggon from under the screen, when her foot slipped, and she fell in before the hutch, which passed over her leg and arm. She was dreadfully injured, and died in great agony on the evening named. [Scotsman 18 December 1863]

8 February 1868

Lamentable Pit Accident – A lamentable accident occurred on Saturday morning to a miner, named William Bennie, at Standrig Colliery, near Falkirk, belonging to Mr Wilson of Bantaskine. The descent to the underground workings by the miners is made by a series of stairs cut out in the rock in close proximity to the main shaft. On the morning referred to, Bennie went to his work about 3 o'clock, and while making his way down the stairs, he lost his footing, and, falling through an opening in the shaft, was precipitated to the bottom, a distance from the point where the occurrence happened of about 20 fathoms. Some of his fellow workers who were following behind hear Bennie cry “Oh dear,” and immediately after a thud at the bottom of the shaft. They at once suspected that something was wrong, and on reaching the pit bottom they discovered Bennie in an insensible state. He was speedily conveyed home, and on the services of Dr Hamilton, of Falkirk, being obtained, it was discovered that both of the thigh bones of the unfortunate man were broken, in addition to severe injuries about the head. He lingered in great agony until Sunday morning, when death terminated his suffering. Deceased was married, and leaves a widow, but no family. [Herald February 11 1868]

10 February 1868

Serious Accident At Bannockburn Colliery - On Saturday evening, at half-past eleven o'clock, Alexander Stevenson, assistant-engineer at Bannockburn Colliery, went down the shaft to ascertain the depth of water accumulated, the engines being kept constantly going at the time in pumping out the water. He remained a long time, and his companion, becoming alarmed, went down the steps of the air shaft to ascertain the cause of his delay, when he found Stevenson caught between the fly-wheel of the engine and wall of the shaft, Stevenson was quite insensible when brought up, and unable to give any explanation as to how he came by the accident. His head and spine are seriously injured. [Scotsman 11 February 1868]

21 April 1868

Falkirk Fatal Pit Accident - On Tuesday evening, an accident took place at one of the pits belonging to the Grangemouth Coal Company, by which a miner was killed and another seriously injured. When the general body of the underground workers had finished their days labour, three men descended the pit for the purpose of levelling the roads, and while doing so, a mass of rock weighing upwards of a ton fell from the roof of the place where they were employed. One of the men, named William Chambers, was killed on the spot, and another named Dugald M'Farlane, while attempting to escape, was caught by the rock and, seriously injured on the back. Chambers was thirty-six years of age, and leaves a widow and six children. [Scotsman 23 April 1868]

28 October 1868

Fatal Result of an Accident – James M'Ewan, a miner, who was injured last week in one of the pits belonging to the Binniehill Colliery Company, died on Friday night from the effects of the injuries he sustained. He was 22 years of age. [Edinburgh Evening Courant 2 November 1868]

30 October 1868

Falkirk – Melancholy Pit Accident – A very lamentable accident happened on Friday last at Blackbraes, at one of the pits belonging to the colliery company there. Two men, while descending the pit in a cage, had scarcely left the pit bank when the rope which was letting down the cage snapped, and the men were hurled to the bottom of the shaft, a distance of 50 fathoms. The death was instantaneous, their bodies presenting a frightfully mangled appearance. The names of the unfortunate men are James Chalmers, a roadsman aged 33; and John Francis Sneddon, a miner aged 30. Chalmers leaves a wife and 7 children; Sneddon was unmarried. The rope was said to be in good order at the time of the accident, and no cause can be given for its breaking. [Edinburgh Evening Courant 2 November 1868]