MineArchiveLittlemill Colliery explosion, 1938
An explosion in the Ashentree main coal section of Littlemill Colliery, Rankinston, on the night of 9 December 1938 killed four men from the village and injured five; most of Rankinston's men turned out to help.
| Date | 9 December 1938 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Littlemill Colliery |
| Region | East Ayrshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 4 (Four killed: John Leslie senior, James Graham and William Brown on the night, and Robert Howatson the next day.) |
| Injuries | Five injured. |
| Context | During active mining |
What happened
Shortly before nine on the night of Friday 9 December 1938 about sixteen men were at work on a face in the Ashentree main coal section of Bairds and Dalmellington's Littlemill Colliery when an explosion threw them in all directions, overturning hutches and wrecking the gear around them. John Leslie senior, 55, James Graham, 45, and William Brown, 28, were killed; John Leslie junior and Leslie's son-in-law William Ferguson were among the injured.
Men nearby hurried to help and warned the pithead, and a telephoned appeal brought most of the men of Rankinston and neighbouring Cairntable to the pit. Robert Howatson, 25, was carried to safety by a human chain of his comrades but died in Ayr County Hospital the next day. All four dead were from Rankinston; they were buried together at Coylton, seven miles away, with miners from across Ayrshire at the funeral.
Rescue & recovery
Volunteers from Rankinston and Cairntable came to the pithead; Howatson was brought out by a human chain.
Memorials & commemoration
The four were buried together in Coylton churchyard.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Shortly before 9 p.m. on 9 December 1938 an explosion at Littlemill Colliery, Rankinston, killed John Leslie senior, 55, James Graham, 45, and William Brown, 28, and injured five. 1,2
- Robert Howatson, 25, died in Ayr County Hospital the next day, making four dead. 1,2
- About sixteen men were working at a face in the Ashentree main coal section when the explosion threw them about and wrecked hutches and gear. 1,2
- An appeal for volunteers brought most of the men of Rankinston and Cairntable to the pithead, and Howatson was brought out by a human chain of his comrades. 1,2
- The colliery belonged to Bairds and Dalmellington Ltd. 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Coal (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion in the Ashentree main coal section of Littlemill Colliery, Rankinston, on the night of 9…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion in the Ashentree main coal section of Littlemill Colliery, Rankinston, on the night of 9 December 1938 killed four men from…” - Pithead (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…were among the injured. Men nearby hurried to help and warned the pithead, and a telephoned appeal brought most of the men of Rankinston and…” - Tub (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “…Colliery when an explosion threw them in all directions, overturning hutches and wrecking the gear around them. John Leslie senior, 55, James…”
Sources
- (secondary) Ayrshire Accidents 1915 onwards (newspaper reports) — Scottish Mining Website
- (secondary) Accident record: Robert Howatson, Littlemill, 1938 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 4 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026