Blantyre mining disaster

3 of William Dixon's Blantyre Colliery were the site of an explosion which killed 207 miners, possibly more,[5] with the youngest being a boy of 11.

[2] Four main districts were formed in the splint coal: Conditions in the mine were held to be poor by the colliers.

The previous year the miners had sought a wage rise to compensate for the poor safety and been refused.

Once a complete row of stoops had gone the props were removed from the furthest part which would collapse into the space ("goaf" or "gove") behind.

During this process settlement and fracturing of the roof and seams above could occur, potentially releasing larger quantities of gas.

The passageway was supported by props and the long wall on the shaft side of the passage excavated.

At the base it split north and south then after passing around the respective parts of the workings it was led to the upcast pit.

The larger portion went north, circulated around the north-west workings for 3,674 yards (3,360 m) before returning to the upcast pit.

The smaller part was led to the south, circulated around the south-western area for 2,901 yards (2,653 m) and then back to the upcast.

The cages and ropes had been damaged, so an attempt at descending was made in a "kettle", basically a large bucket.

[1] A brattice[e] was constructed to divert the air passing from number 3 pit directly to the upcast, and by this means More's dook became passable by 22:00.

All the men in the northern part of the colliery had left their work and headed for number 2 pit, only to be overcome by chokedamp before reaching safety.

By Sunday the first bodies could be brought up number 3 shaft, but it was not until Thursday 1 November that the mine was free of gas and recovery could be carried on from both downcast pits.

[13] The official report notes that naked flames and blasting were allowed throughout the colliery, except in the area around the stooping.

[14] In addition, the Blantyre explosion was before Trimdon Grange (1882) and the Bedford Colliery Disaster of 1886 and so the shielding of gauzes from direct currents of air had not yet been introduced.

A seventh man (James Gerrity) managed to hold on until he was assisted down and, apart from being shaken, was unhurt.

Patterson examined the indicator which showed the cage's position and found it registered 40 fathoms (240 ft; 73 m) from the pit head, about a quarter of the shaft's total depth.

After going home to clean up and change Cleland was observed heading across the fields towards Glasgow but was overtaken by a policeman and arrested.

After helping down Gerrity, Patterson had returned to the engine house and seen that the indicator now showed 7 fathoms (42 ft; 13 m) although the cage had not moved in the meantime.

Air came down number 1 pit and the current was split to ventilate the north and south workings respectively.

The inspectors report concluded "1 That the arrangements for the ventillation of this pit were sufficient, and that the quantity of air sent in was ample under ordinary conditions".

[2] Although the owners banned the men from opening lamps or from taking smoking materials below ground, several prosecutions had occurred for breaches of the rules.

Once John White, the oversman, had been summoned an attempt was made to lower the cage, but it stuck.

He, a group of men, and shortly afterwards Mr Watson (the manager) proceeded up the communication mine into number 1 pit's workings.

Various attempts were made to recover the bodies during the Thursday, but it was 04:00 on Friday before the whole workings could be reached and recovery completed.

The official investigation tentatively suggested that shot firing had displaced the gas towards the area where men were smoking and that a naked flame there triggered off the explosion.

An engraved dedication reads: "William Dixon Ltd—in memory of 240 of their workmen who were killed by explosions in Blantyre Colliery on 22 October 1877 and 2 July 1879 and many of whom are buried here".

[17] There is also a memorial to the Catholic miners killed in the disaster of October 1877 which is located in Dalbeath Cemetery, London Road, Glasgow.

Irish folk artist Christy Moore recorded a song called "Blantyre Explosion".

The exact origin of the song is unknown, but it is thought to have been collected by A. L. Lloyd from an unnamed local singer.