Newton Colliery electrical accident, 1938

On 11 March 1938 a pan used to carry coal at Newton Colliery, Cambuslang, touched a switch-box and became live, electrocuting two miners. Two more were hurt trying to help before a man knocked the switch off with a piece of wood, and the village doctor, Anne Mitchell, went down to try to revive them.

Cause

A pan carrying coal touched the switch-box and became live.

What happened

Six men were working at the face with the pans, the troughs in which the coal was carried away, when one of the pans came into contact with the switch-box and became live. Jones, who was drawing pans of coal, gave a shout and fell; McCue ran to help him and collapsed too. Manuel Wilson, who was in charge of the switch-box, tried to turn off the current, took a severe shock and was knocked unconscious, coming round at the pit bottom. George Bell of Blantyre, going to help his mate, also collapsed. Wilson's step-father, Nicholas Henshaw, then knocked off the switch with a piece of wood, and the main switch was turned off.

Dr Anne Mitchell, among the first to reach the colliery, went down the pit and gave the men artificial respiration for a long time; the Rev. M. O'Sullivan followed her to the face and gave McCue the last rites. Both men died. Wilson and Bell were taken home.

Rescue & recovery

Nicholas Henshaw knocked the switch off with a piece of wood. Dr Anne Mitchell went down the pit and gave artificial respiration for a considerable time.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• The dead were named as Miles McCue and D. Jones in The Times, and as Miles M'Hugh, fireman, and Richard James, machineman, in another report. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• On Friday 11 March 1938 two miners were electrocuted and two injured at Newton Colliery, Cambuslang. ^1,2
• Six men were working with the pans that carried the coal when one pan came into contact with the switch-box and became live, killing the two men touching it. ²
• Manuel Wilson was badly shocked trying to switch off the current, and his step-father, Nicholas Henshaw, knocked the switch off with a piece of wood. ^1,2
• The village doctor, Anne Mitchell, went down the pit and gave the men artificial respiration for a considerable time. ¹
• The dead were named as Miles McCue and D. Jones in The Times, and as Miles M'Hugh, fireman, and Richard James, machineman, in another report. (disputed) ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 11 March 1938 a pan used to carry coal at Newton Colliery, Cambuslang, touched a switch-box and became…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “On 11 March 1938 a pan used to carry coal at Newton Colliery, Cambuslang, touched a switch-box and became live, electrocuting two…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (secondary) Accidents post-1926 (newspaper reports) — Scottish Mining Website
2. (secondary) Two Miners Electrocuted — Blantyre Project

Record created: 2 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026