MineArchiveBothwell Castle Colliery shaft accident, 1922
On 23 August 1922 two brushers were killed at Bothwell Castle Colliery, near Uddingston, when they stepped into the shaft believing the cage was there and fell to the bottom.
| Date | 23 August 1922 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Bothwell Castle Colliery |
| Region | South Lanarkshire |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 2 (John McFadden (34) and James McGinley (23), brushers of Leechlee Street, Hamilton.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
The men stepped from a mid-shaft inset into the shaft, believing the cage was waiting, and fell to the bottom.
What happened
John McFadden (34) and James McGinley (23), brushers, both of Leechlee Street, Hamilton, were working in the ell coal seam, some 250 feet above the shaft bottom. Finishing their shift, they stepped out into the shaft in the belief that the cage was there and, unable to draw back, fell to the bottom; their bodies were badly mutilated. The safety devices were said to be in order, and the accident was thought to have turned on the onsetter or the engineman.
Sources
- (secondary) Accidents post 1914 (Bothwell Parish) — Scottish Mining Website
- (secondary) Durham Mining Museum - Bothwell Castle Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 18 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026