Howmuir Colliery chokedamp accident, 1902

On the morning of 8 July 1902 a sinker reopening an old shaft at Howmuir, Cleland, slid down the rope into chokedamp; the Auchinlea Coal Company's manager went down after him on a hand line, and both were dead before help arrived.

Cause

Chokedamp at the bottom of an old shaft being reopened and enlarged, entered without a light to test the air.

What happened

An old shaft was being reopened and enlarged, and chokedamp had troubled the sinkers almost from the start. After breakfast James Jardine slid down the rope, and on reaching the bottom, seven fathoms down, he shouted that he was among damp. The manager, John McDonald, who had just arrived, at once went down on a hand line to rescue him, and he too was overcome. No artificial light was in use.

Rescue & recovery

Both men were dead before further help could reach them.

Recorded claims

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

• On the morning of 8 July 1902 the sinker James Jardine and the manager, John McDonald, were killed by chokedamp in an old shaft being reopened at Howmuir, Cleland. ^1,2
• Jardine slid down the rope after breakfast and shouted from the bottom that he was among damp; McDonald, just arrived, went down on a hand line to rescue him and was overcome too. ^1,2
• The shaft had been reopened to only 7 fathoms, chokedamp had troubled the sinkers from the start, and no artificial light was used. ^1,2
• The shaft belonged to the Auchinlea Coal Company. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Chokedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…reopening an old shaft at Howmuir, Cleland, slid down the rope into chokedamp; the Auchinlea Coal Company's manager went down after him on a hand…”
• Fathom (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…James Jardine slid down the rope, and on reaching the bottom, seven fathoms down, he shouted that he was among damp. The manager, John McDonald,…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On the morning of 8 July 1902 a sinker reopening an old shaft at Howmuir, Cleland, slid down the rope into chokedamp; the…”
• Shaft Sinking (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On the morning of 8 July 1902 a sinker reopening an old shaft at Howmuir, Cleland, slid down the rope into…”

Sources

1. (secondary) 1902 Deaths in Scottish mines — Scottish Mining Website
2. (primary) Howmuir Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

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