Cowdenbeath No. 7 roof fall, 1912

On 24 August 1912 a miner and his drawer, John Bisset and Lenus Muirhead, were buried by a large fall of stone while driving through old stoop-and-room workings in the Lochgelly Splint at Cowdenbeath No. 7 pit. It was their first shift in the place.

Cause

A large fall of stone from the roof and sides where the drive met old workings at a junction of four roads; the timber was not broken but reeled out as the roof suddenly weighted on it.

What happened

Bisset and Muirhead were driving through old workings in the Lochgelly Splint seam, where stoops of various sizes were interspersed with wastes and roads, and had come to a place where four roads met when the roof and sides came in. The fall swung out the timbering and buried them both; the cavity left behind was some 27 feet by 22 feet and 12 feet high.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector of mines drew from the accident the need, in broken and unknown ground, to tie timbers together with dogs or notches and to tie the sets together with nailed straps or long iron dogs, and for men working such places, as well as firemen, to meet at the change of shift and pass on the condition of the place. The two men killed had been working their first shift there.

Recorded claims

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

• On 24 August 1912 a miner, John Bisset, and a drawer, Lenus Muirhead, were killed by a fall of roof at No. 7 Pit, Cowdenbeath Colliery, belonging to the Fife Coal Company. ^1,2
• They were driving through old stoop and room workings in the Lochgelly Splint seam, and the face had reached a point where four roads met. ^1,2
• A large fall of stone from the roof and sides reeled out the timbering and buried both men; the cavity it left was 27 ft by 22 ft by 12 ft. ²
• The inspector said the accident showed the importance, in broken and unknown ground, of tying timbers together with dogs or notches and straps, and of men meeting at the change of shift to explain the state of the place; the two were working their first shift there. ²

Related terminology

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

• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “The inspector of mines drew from the accident the need, in broken and unknown ground, to…”
• Old Workings (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the cause: “A large fall of stone from the roof and sides where the drive met old workings at a junction of four roads; the timber was not broken but reeled…”
• Putter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “On 24 August 1912 a miner and his drawer, John Bisset and Lenus Muirhead, were buried by a large fall of…”
• Room and Pillar (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…were buried by a large fall of stone while driving through old stoop-and-room workings in the Lochgelly Splint at Cowdenbeath No. 7 pit. It was…”

Sources

1. (primary) Cowdenbeath Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: fatal accidents 1912 — Scottish Mining Website

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