Auchinraith Colliery inset collapse, 1912

The brick-arched inset at the pit bottom of Auchinraith Colliery, Blantyre, collapsed on 15 April 1912 while two men were repairing a broken haulage wheel there, burying and killing both.

Cause

The brick-arched inset at the pit bottom, itself under repair, collapsed.

What happened

On 15 April 1912 two men at Merry and Cunninghame's Auchinraith Colliery, Blantyre, were repairing a broken haulage wheel in the pit bottom when the brick-arched inset above them collapsed, burying them and killing them instantly. The arch itself was under repair at the time. The dead were Robert Cox, a 30-year-old bottomer, and Lawrence Mynes, a 35-year-old general jobber.

Recorded claims

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

• On 15 April 1912 two men were killed at Auchinraith Colliery. ^1,2,3,4
• While they were repairing a broken haulage wheel in the pit bottom the brick-arched inset collapsed and buried them; the arch was under repair at the time. ^2,3,4
• The dead were Robert Cox, 30, bottomer, and Lawrence Mynes, 35, jobber. ^1,3,4
• The colliery was owned by Merry and Cunninghame Ltd. ^2,3,4

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “The brick-arched inset at the pit bottom of Auchinraith Colliery, Blantyre, collapsed on 15 April 1912 while two men were repairing a…”
• Haulage (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…collapsed on 15 April 1912 while two men were repairing a broken haulage wheel there, burying and killing both.”
• Inset (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “The brick-arched inset at the pit bottom of Auchinraith Colliery, Blantyre, collapsed on 15…”
• Onsetter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…under repair at the time. The dead were Robert Cox, a 30-year-old bottomer, and Lawrence Mynes, a 35-year-old general jobber.”

Sources

1. (primary) Auchinraith Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Auchinraith, 15 April 1912 — Durham Mining Museum
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Robert Cox, Auchinraith, 1912 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Lawrence Mynes, Auchinraith, 1912 — Northern Mine Research Society

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