MineArchiveKingseat Colliery roof fall, 1873
On 10 September 1873 two colliers were killed by a fall of roof at the face at Kingseat Colliery, near Dunfermline in Fife.
| Date | 10 September 1873 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Kingseat Colliery |
| Region | Fife |
| Type | Collapse / Roof Fall |
| Fatalities | 2 (George Condie (20) and Robert Condie (47), colliers.) |
| Context | During active mining (Henderson, Wallace and Co.'s Kingseat Colliery near Dunfermline, in its first year of work.) |
Location
Plotted at Kingseat Colliery. Recorded location. The large pin is the mine; the small round markers are the nearest mines on record. Click one for its page. View on full map
Cause
A fall of roof at the face, in a place the fireman had already reported bad.
Contributing factors
The fireman knew the place was bad and told the men so, but did not prevent them from going in.
What happened
George Condie, aged 20, and Robert Condie, aged 47, colliers at Henderson, Wallace and Co.'s Kingseat Colliery near Dunfermline, were killed by a fall of roof at the face; the fireman had told them it was bad and, it was said, should have kept them out.
Investigation & inquiry
The Inspector of Mines for the East of Scotland, Ralph Moore, recorded that the fireman had told them the place was bad and should have prevented them from going in. Recorded in the 1873 Mines Inspectors Report (C. 1056), Scotland East District, page 158, accident no. 24.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- George Condie, 20, and Robert Condie, 47, colliers, were killed by a fall of roof at the face at Kingseat on 10 September 1873; the fireman had told them the place was bad and, the Inspector said, should have prevented them from going in. 1,2,3
- Kingseat Colliery, near Dunfermline in Fife, belonged to Henderson, Wallace and Co. 2,3,4
- Ralph Moore, the inspector for the East of Scotland, recorded the deaths as accident no. 24 in his report for 1873 (C. 1056), page 158. 4
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “On 10 September 1873 a fall of roof at the face at Kingseat Colliery, near Dunfermline, killed two colliers named Condie, George, aged…” - Fireman (contributing factor)
The fireman knew the place was bad but let them in. - HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s investigation: “The Inspector of Mines for the East of Scotland, Ralph Moore, recorded that the fireman had…” - Roof Fall (direct cause)
A fall of roof at the face.
Sources
- (primary) Kingseat Colliery — Durham Mining Museum — Durham Mining Museum
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Colliery Disaster 1873 (Kingseat) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Fatal accidents in mines in Scotland, 1873 — Scottish Mining Website
- (primary) George Condie, Kingseat, 10 September 1873 (individual page) — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 12 September 2026 · Last researched: 3 November 2026