Auchinraith cage accident, 1901

The cage carrying eight men down No. 1 Pit at Merry and Cunninghame's Auchinraith Colliery, Blantyre, left its slides on 24 July 1901, and two of the men fell out and were killed.

Cause

The descending cage left its slides for an unexplained reason and two men fell from it.

What happened

On 24 July 1901 James McGurk, a 37-year-old bottomer, and Henry Tennent, a 17-year-old miner, were descending No. 1 Pit at Auchinraith Colliery in the cage with six other men. In some way that could not be explained, the cage left its slides, the guides that kept it steady in the shaft, and McGurk and Tennent fell out and were killed.

Recorded claims

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

• On 24 July 1901 two men were killed in No. 1 Pit, Auchinraith Colliery. ^1,2,3
• While they were descending in the cage with six other men, the cage in some unexplained manner left the slides and they fell out. ^1,2,3
• The dead were James McGurk, 37, bottomer, and Henry Tennent, 17, miner. ^1,2,3
• The colliery was owned by Merry and Cunninghame Limited. ^1,2,3

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “The cage carrying eight men down No. 1 Pit at Merry and Cunninghame's…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…eight men down No. 1 Pit at Merry and Cunninghame's Auchinraith Colliery, Blantyre, left its slides on 24 July 1901, and two of the men fell…”
• Onsetter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “On 24 July 1901 James McGurk, a 37-year-old bottomer, and Henry Tennent, a 17-year-old miner, were descending No. 1 Pit…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…the cage left its slides, the guides that kept it steady in the shaft, and McGurk and Tennent fell out and were killed.”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Auchinraith No. 1 Pit, 24 July 1901 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: James McGurk, Auchinraith, 1901 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Henry Tennent, Auchinraith, 1901 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 17 October 2026 · Last researched: 17 October 2026