Ashgill Colliery explosion, 1874

On 30 June 1874 firedamp exploded at Andrew Spencer's Ashgill Colliery, near Larkhall, as the fireman John Findlayson and the engineman Andrew Forrest were putting in brattice by the light of naked lamps rather than safety lamps, killing them both.

Cause

Firedamp ignited at naked lights while brattice was being put in.

What happened

Findlayson and Forrest were putting in brattice, working by naked lights instead of safety lamps, when the gas fired and killed them both.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• On 30 June 1874 an explosion of firedamp at Ashgill Colliery, Dalserf, killed the fireman John Findlayson and the engineman Andrew Forrest. ^1,2
• The gas ignited while they were putting in brattice with naked lights instead of safety lamps. ^1,2
• The colliery was then worked by Andrew Spencer. ¹

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…John Findlayson and the engineman Andrew Forrest were putting in brattice by the light of naked lamps rather than safety lamps, killing them…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “On 30 June 1874 firedamp exploded at Andrew Spencer's Ashgill Colliery, near Larkhall, as the fireman John Findlayson and the engineman…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 30 June 1874 firedamp exploded at Andrew Spencer's Ashgill Colliery, near Larkhall, as the…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…exploded at Andrew Spencer's Ashgill Colliery, near Larkhall, as the fireman John Findlayson and the engineman Andrew Forrest were putting in…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Firedamp ignited at naked lights while brattice was being put in.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Fatal accidents in mines in Scotland, 1874 — Scottish Mining Website
2. (primary) Ashgill Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 21 October 2026