#mining disaster

[scotianostra]

Tragedy struck Midlothian on September 5th 1889 when Sixty-three miners, some as young as thirteen, died in an underground fire at Mauricewood Pit, at Penicuik, Midlothian.

This was the worst mining disaster in the history of the Lothians and the cause was never discovered, or at least disclosed.

The following is extracted from “The Mauricewood Braves” one of Wilsons ‘Mining Lays, Tales and Folk-lore’ published 1916.

“The Mauricewood Pit, at Penicuik, near Edinburgh, took fire on September 5th, 1889, and sixty eight men and boys lost their lives. The principal product from the pit was ironstone, although coal in small quantities was also produced. The pit had a vertical shaft of 480 feet then a level roadway eastwards of 180 feet and this was followed by a one in eight dip decline of 960 feet (Deaths Incline). Halfway down the decline a steam engine had been erected and another steam engine did duty at the bottom. The steam pipes traversed this route, and it was at the 800 ft slant that the fire broke out among the support timbers. The wood was tinder and inflammable, and it was soon apparent that the conflagration would spread and become disastrous. There were no other outlets to or from the lower level, and unless the men below received a warning note to give them a chance of escape, they must inevitably perish. Three trapper and pony boys – Robert Hook Tolmie (my own surname but no relation) , aged 14; Michael Hamilton, aged 15; and Thomas Foster, aged 17 years, volunteered to go round the mine and warn all the men below of their danger, but the only shiftman there, his mate was away in another district of the pit- pleaded with the boys not to go away and said that he would go himself to warn the other men of the fires danger, but the boys in unison shouted as they ran “No, we’ll go” ….. And they went. The brave boys never came back alive. “They died to save” The bodies of the boys were afterwards recovered (surrounded by over twenty other bodies) near a trapdoor that had got blocked up in the meantime cutting off the avenue of escape. The mine was subsequently flooded to quench the fire that was raging in the workings, and over a year elapsed before the last body was brought to the surface.

The heroism and self-sacrifice of the three lads aroused sympathetic expressions and admiration throughout the mining world, and a monument marks their last resting place in the Penicuik’s KirkHill Cemetery.

Names of Dead

The alphabetical list of names below is from a report in the Scotsman. Among the names is a Robert Tolmie, I wonder if he was some sort of relation to my family, although I did know of some Penicuik Tolmie’s who were not related to us.

Thomas Adams, 7 Manderston Place David Anderson, 1 Manderston Place T Bennett, 4 Lindsay Place William Brockie, 13 Walker Place William Brown, 1 Lindsay Place William Brown, Glebe William Daly, 3 Fieldsend J Davidson, Edinburgh Rd Robert Dempster, father, 6 Lindsay Place R Dempster, son, 6 Lindsay Place William Dempster, 19 Walker Place Robert Dickson, 13 Fieldsend Thomas Foster 13 Leslie Place John Fraser 27 Napier St John Glass, Pryde's Place William Grieve, 5 Leslie Place C Hamilton, son, Greenlaw Cottages Mitchell Hamilton, father, Greenlaw Cottages Mitchell Hamilton, son, Greenlaw Cottages Robert Hamilton, 4 Leslie Place - uncle of Richard Hamilton, brother-in-law of Robert Tolmie Richard Hamilton, 4 Leslie Place - nephew of Robert Hamilton Robert Hunter, Roads farm William Hunter, 8 Walker Place- father-in-law of David Penman Thomas Hunter, Pike James Irvine, 10 Leslie Place David Kinnimont, father, Roslin Robert Kinnimont, son, Roslin William Lamb, 5 Walker Place - son of Robert Lamb, Leven, Fife George Livingstone, 22 Fieldsend Alex McInlay, 12 Leslie Place David McKenzie, 10 Lindsay Place Hugh McPherson, father, 12 Lindsay Place Peter McPherson, son, 12 Lindsay Place Thomas Meikle, 5 Lindsay Place William Meikle, father, 6 Leslie Place William Meikle, son, 6 Leslie Place Walter Meikle, 6 Leslie Place Robert Millar, 3 Fieldsend - stepson of William Daly William Miller, 3 Fieldsend - stepson of William Daly Martin Morgan, Pryde's Place G Muir, Greenlaw Cottages David Penman, 8 Walker Place - son-in-law of Wm Hunter George Pennycuik, father, 12 Walker Place George Pennycuik, son, 12 Walker Place D Porterfield (brother of Robert Porterfield) Robert Porterfield (brother of D Porterfield) James Porteous, 5 Walker Place J Purves, 10 Lindsay Place John Sinnott 7 Fieldsend James Somerville, 18 Napier St Alex Stewart, John Street James Stark, nephew, Pike M Stark, uncle, Pike Thomas Strang, 2 Walker Place Robert Tolmie, brother-in-law of Robert Hamilton William Urquhart, Eskbridge John Walker 4 Fieldsend John Walker, James Place Andrew Wallace, brothers, 2 Lindsay Place David Wallace, brothers, 2 Lindsay Place James Wright, brothers, 9 Lindsay Place William Wright, brothers, 9 Lindsay Place Matt Wright, 8 Leslie Place

[ribzinc]

Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada

Part of the former town of Frank was entombed in 1903 by a landslide. Historically the Blackfoot and Kutenai didn't camp there due to the slope's instability.

The scale is difficult to communicate but the larger boulders are building sized.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"The bill's fate was clear evidence of the impenetrable nature of the Alabama legislature when major interests were at stake. Martin was a conservative and not at all imbued with crusading zeal. His bill had made no change in the operation of the system. Yet what Martin had done was to attack the very vitals of the institution-he wanted to change where the money went. From the recipients' view, that was the most important matter of them all. Whatever the state did with its prisoners was its own business, but county convicts should be dealt with by the counties.

The merest thought of Martin's changes must have caused fear and trembling (and steely resolve) in every courthouse ring in the state.It was obvious that reform sentiment on the convict lease system was hardly a match for the deeply entrenched status quo. The issues of society often seem to rest on a seesaw, now heavily weighted at one end and skewed in that direction, now slowly rising as some added pressure moves the issue into equilibrium or on to reversal and change. In early 1911, there were no weights causing the side of reform to rise. The newspapers and the public pressure that they fueled were silent. Crusades are episodic; the attention span for reform is incredibly short as new sensations rise to replace the old.

With the tilt toward inaction, the explosion that ripped the Banner Mine threw the heavy weight of shock and surprise on the side of change. Disaster created an air of immediacy. Reopening the question, a Republican newspaper repeated Moulthrop's arguments and called for a change: "It should not be part of the sentence to put inexperienced men in places of danger. The State cannot afford to take the risk of having its convicts killed. Nor is it a square deal to the experienced miners to be forced into competition with convicts." H. M. Wilson, editor of the Opelika Times and a member of the convict board, believed that the sentiment of Alabamians "is overwhelming against the working of convicts in mines." Another editor wrote that "the spirit of commercialism has eaten too far into the system of dealing with our criminal classes. " The voices of change were in the air.

Even so, invoking the arguments of justice, compassion, and every instinct of humanitarianism was plainly not enough. Echoes of former governor Comer's speech still reverberated within the capitol walls: if the convict lease system was abolished, what would take its place? To confine state and county prisoners to a penitentiary would eliminate the lucrative revenues that leasing provided and would place a continuous burden on the state treasury. The progressives were advocates of putting the prisoners to work on public roads and highways-an answer that satisfied their social consciousness with practical results. The state would receive the full benefit of their labor, and-a most naive thought-the convicts would be better protected because their treatment could be scrutinized by the general public. The lines were drawn between the supporters of convict leasing (and their allies, the doubtful and the undecided) and the reformers. The question was whether the balance would change-or could be changed."

- Robert David Ward & William Warren Rogers, Convicts, Coal, and the Banner Mine Tragedy. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1987. p. 82-84.

[abercynonhistoryblog]

The 23rd of June marks the 130th anniversary of the Albion disaster in Cilfynydd. Claiming the lives of 290 men and boys, it is one of the largest colliery disasters in Welsh history. At the time of the disaster work was underway to sink the Dowlais Pit at Aberdare Junction (Abercynon). In anticiption of this, Abercynon was already growing rapidly. A number of men in the area were employed in…

[dougielombax]

IMC Hazmat Miners: Alright, payday! Here we go! Should be a routine job. Nothing to worry about.

The Shambling Horrors that Lie Within: GNAWINGBITINGBREAKINGHACKINGBURNING! BURNINGBITINGBREAKINGHACKINGGNAWING!!!!!!!!!

[brainrotcharacters]

The moment Wade handed Mary Puppins to Logan and Logan had no protest beyond groaning, I knew

[3uhedral]

Skeleton girl!

[moonwoodhollow]

New pottery courses available this spring (beginner and advanced level) at the private studio of Britta Wilson (2nd on the Great Pottery Throw Down S4) in Henford-on-Bagley. There are only 5 spots, so enroll now!

[awesomehistoryloverblog]

The Worst US and UK Coal Mining Disasters in History

The two worst coal mining disasters in history, one in US and one in the UK, took place only six years apart – in West Virginia in 1907 and Wales in 1913. 

Two of the worst coal mining disasters in history, one in US and one in the UK, took place only six years apart – in West Virginia in 1907 and Wales in 1913.  Let’s take a closer look at them both. December 6, 1907 – Fairmont Coal Company, Monongah, West Virginia – 361 Dead Fairmont Mine Disaster, Monongah, WV, 1907 On the 6th of December 1907, a massive explosion ripped through the Fairmont…

[riickgrimes]

SALTBURN (2023) dir. Emerald Fennell

[obsob]

making and weaving and loving! like we have done for millennia!!

[scotianostra]

On 26th August 1901 the Donibristle Mining Disaster happened in the Fife coalfield.

Two men David Campbell and Alexander Smith were following a coal seam and unfortunately they had tunnelled so much that they broke through to the underneath of a peat bog. At 1.40pm tons of peat slurry from Mossmorran Moss and adjoining workings flowed into the mine workings killing both men and another two men working in the lower levels. Six others were trapped and two rescue parties were formed - one party of four led by Thomas Rattray was never seen again.

The next day, rescuers lowered on ropes down a shaft succeeded in freeing 5 of the trapped men. While searching for the sixth man Alexander Bauld, two of these rescuers, John Jones and John Sheddon were trapped as the moss once more flowed in. These men were rescued on the 29th by Robert Law, miner, Cowdenbeath.

A memorial cairn was unveiled in 1991 in Cowdenbeath with the names of the men lost.

Thomas Rattray, 54, oversman

David Campbell, 54, fireman

Alexander Smith, 48 oncostman

Geo. Herd Hutchison, 50, miner

William Hynd, 52, pit bottomer

Jas. Bowman McDonald, 32, incline bottomer

Andrew Paterson, 40 ostler

William Forsyth, 20 wheeler.

At the time there were numerous ballads written regarding the disaster, but this one has stood the test of time and was written by James R Murray of Cowdenbeath.

On the twenty-sixth of August, our fatal moss gave way.

Although we did our level best, its course we couldn’t stay.

Ten precious lives there were at stake,”Who’ll save them?” was the cry;

“We’ll bring them to the surface, or along with them we’ll die.”

There was Rattery and McDonald, Hynd and Paterson.

Too well they knew the danger and the risk they had to run.

They never stopped to count the cost; “We’ll save them,”was the cry;

“We’ll bring them to the surface or along with them we’ll die.”

They stepped upon the cage, they were ready for the fray.

They all meant business as they belled themselves away.

Soon they reached the bottom, far from the light of day,

And went to search the workings, and Tom Rattery led the way.

They lost their lives, God help them. Ah, yes it was a fact,

Someone put in a stopping and they never did get back.

Was that not another blunder? My God, it was a sin.

To put a stopping where they did, it closed our heroes in,

We never shall forget them, though they have lost their lives,

So let us pay attention to their children and their wives.

It simply is our duty now, and let us all beware.

Their fathers died a noble death and left them in our care.

The price of coal………..

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"By Sunday morning the rain had ceased, and the sun shone brightly. Now the scene around the Banner Mine became one of bustle and excitement as crowds of the curious began to arrive. These "excursionists" came on the trains of the L & N and the Southern; they came by automobile, jarring along the dirt roads; the less affluent and more practical arrived by wagon and "on horseback and mules." One observer was repelled by the scene and reported that the

sights outside were enough to tum a heart of stone. The day being Sunday, the crowds flocked to Banner by the hundreds, and a holiday spirit seemed to possess the most of them."

There

clustered about on the hills and under the trees were the crowds of sight-seers. The air was filled with jokes and ribald jests, while the air also was heavy with the odor of mean whiskey.

Deputy Sheriff Dave Kennybrook and his guards strung up rope and patrolled their lines with rifles and shotguns in an overzealous effort to enforce order and to keep a way clear for the rescuers. The guards dispersed neighboring free blacks who were searching through the castaway clothes of the dead - they were unaware that the prisoners had no valuables. Through it all photographer Bert Covell of Birmingham took pictures of the crowd and of the yawning mine mouth - its darkness a testimony to mystery and fear and tragedy.

Inspector Hillhouse's strategy of reversing the fans to clear the mine gradually proved successful, and the rescue teams were able to penetrate farther into the galleries. Now tram car loads of bodies began to arrive at the surface, and a rush order was made to the Green Coffin Company of Birmingham for one hundred coffins. Other coffins and shrouds came from the John's Undertaking Company in Birmingham, but the supply was soon exhausted, and a special shipment was obtained from Nashville, Tennessee. After being cleaned in the prison washhouse, the bodies were embalmed by Echols and Angevin of Ensley. Their task was so great that the morticians had to be assisted by some of the surviving convicts. Unless families or next of kin called for the bodies, they would be buried on the mine's premises. A gang of twenty convicts began the process of digging "a long trench in the convict cemetery."

If there was curiosity and the compelling ambience of tragedy, there were few signs of bereavement and loss. One elderly black woman cried for her dead nephew. Another sorrowing black woman wept for her husband in the prison morgue. (There was mistaken identity here, and she was led away still crying.) People expected friends and relatives to appear on the scene, and the ambulance chasers of the legal profession were on hand to suggest a claim against the company. But there was little business to be done at the Banner. (Also, Pratt Consolidated's own lawyer, R. B. Watts, was there to safeguard the company from the dangers of litigation.) The locale contrasted sharply with the event. As the sun sank behind the Alabama hills, soft green with the beauty of spring, the observer who had been critical earlier was reinforced in his cynicism. "The crowds began to divide," he wrote.

Food was scarce, and so was whiskey, and the crowds left with the feeling of having had a good time. The blind-tigers [illegal liquor stands] did a land office business and so did the Pratt commissary, where a thin slice of ham and crackers cost ten cents.

- Robert David Ward & William Warren Rogers, Convicts, Coal, and the Banner Mine Tragedy. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1987. p. 22-24

[tennant]

I just want you to know that there are worlds out there safe in the sky because of her. That there are people living in the light and singing songs of Donna Noble a thousand million light years away. They will never forget her, while she can never remember. And for one moment, one shining moment, she was the most important woman in the whole wide universe.

David Tennant as Tenth Doctor DOCTOR WHO (2005-) - Series 4

[5ftboy]

[caroandcats]

Buddie + ao3 tags || 7x06