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Post by Waverley on Mar 22, 2008 15:50:14 GMT 1
mining disaster Nitshill memorial stone next to the nitshill railway station asked charlie were to put this but no reply so if you see this charlie please put it were it should be Originally posted elsewhere by Ronnie Auld
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Post by Waverley on Mar 22, 2008 15:52:02 GMT 1
a wee bit of the history
Nitshill Mining Disaster,1651 - The most important pits in the 'greater Darnley area were Victoria and its subsidiary, the Free Trade, at Nitshill. Both pits were connected underground. Owned by Mr. Coats of Paisley, they were thought to be most up-to-date and safety conscious. But these pits were the scene of the most calamitous mining disaster up until that time ever to have taken place in Scotland. Sixty-one people were killed. The disaster occurred at 5a.m. on Saturday, 15th.'March 1851. Ventilation was poor in both pits and the miners were reluctant to us the Davey Safety Lamp and instead used candle. Believed to have set. Alight a current of inflammable gases trapped in the mine. An explosion took place over the, whole of .the extensive workings of both pits (over 70 acres) which were linked underground. 'Violent "explosions then occurred in "both shafts, although they were 800 yards apart. Fires were burning and the collapses of the winding gear made Rescue imposable. Miners were burnt to death in every part of the colliery. Only two men came out alive. When rescue was finally attempted, the charred and blackened bodies were taken to St. John's Church, Barrhead for identification. Robert Stewart, then Lord Provost of Glasgow, donated a large sum of money for the miners' dependants, as-did the owner Mr. Coats and a further sum was raised by public subscription, Why the pit was so poorly ventilated at that time it was believed that too well-ventilated a pit produced the greatest explosions. Ironically, the ventilation of this colliery believed to be so excellent that a model of it was almost complete to be displayed at the Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace in London. After the disaster, the mine owner turned the Victoria and Free Trader into one of the best ventilated mines in the country, with 30,000 cubic feet of air per minute passing through as ventilation.
Originally posted elsewhere by Ronnie Auld
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Post by Waverley on Mar 22, 2008 15:54:00 GMT 1
I have just dug out from my 'archive' the following report on the Nitshill Mining Disaster from The Herald dated 17th December 1991 ;
' A memorial to the 61 men and boys who died 140 years ago at Nitshill, Glasgow, in one of Scotland's worst mining disasters was unveiled yesterday. The community of Nitshill was devastated after an explosion at the Victoria Coal Pit on 15th March, 1851, left the then hamlet without many husbands, fathers and sons. As the Glasgow Herald of March 17th 1851 recorded ' What has rendered the catastrophe the more fatal and disasterous is the circumstance that it happened to be the pay Saturday, when there was a larger number of men than usual down the pit.'
Mrs Rose McCloy, a Glasgow district councillor for the area, took on the job of raising local awareness about the forgotten mine workers of Nitshill following an approach 18 months ago by local historian Mr. Ian Strickland.
Mrs McCloy mustered the support of public and private bodies, including the National Union of Mineworkers and the district council, in raising the £5000 cost of the memorial. She said it was regrettable that the men and boys who had died had not been recognised sooner.
Yesterday about 30 people including three relatives of the 61 victims, and Scottish NUM officials attending the unveiling.
Mr. Archie Wilson, general secretary of the Scottish NUM, said the 61 people had not died in vain because many lessons had been learned from the disaster at the 'model pit' which had previously received acclaim at an exhibition in London. The mine covered 70 acres and at 1050ft was the deepest in Scotland.'
The Nitshill Disaster seems to have been forgotten in Glasgow's history, but hopefully posts like this on Kelies will raise awareness of the struggles of mine workers in the past, and in particular in the Glasgow area.
Originally posted elsewhere by Peter Mortimer
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Post by Waverley on Dec 1, 2011 20:32:55 GMT 1
Need to get out and photograph this memorial asap...
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Post by Aine on Jan 5, 2018 13:02:45 GMT 1
Iam doing family research about my great grandmother Annie O'Farrell who we were told was born in Scotland. I think she was born in Milton 1886 at 66 Stewart Street, along with her two other sister they returned to Donegal and recorded as living with their aunt in the 1901 Irish census. Nothing is known about their parents, Thomas and Catherine and I have been wondering was there a tragedy and were they victims. So this is what brought me to this website. Is it possible to know who the poor men and boys were that were sadly killed in the horrific explosion? I'm hoping to find any information that could lead me to find out why they were alone without their parents. I take into account that the explosion covered an area of 70 acres and extensive underground damage also. Would it be possible for men living in Milton during the 1880's to be working in that area? I don't know Glasgow's geography. Thanks any help would be appreciated.
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