Pencaitland choke-damp deaths, 1865

On 30 August 1865 George Duncan, an engineman, went down a pit ladder near Pencaitland against orders and was overcome by choke damp from an old coal waste. Andrew Cairns, who saw him fall and went down to help, was suffocated beside him.

Cause

Choke damp (blackdamp) issuing from an old coal waste into the shaft.

What happened

John Deans junior worked coal at Pencaitland in East Lothian. Around noon on 30 August 1865 George Duncan, aged 52, the engineman, went down a ladder in the shaft of an old pit next to the working one, to see to the pump that carried off the water. About 18 feet below the surface, at the top of the pumps, he was met by choke damp issuing from an old coal waste, and was seen from the top to fall. He had gone down against orders.

Andrew Cairns, aged 36, a labourer recorded also as one of the banksmen, thought Duncan had been taken ill and went down the ladder to help him; he too was seen to fall at Duncan's side. Others went down with precautions and found both men dead. Duncan left a widow and ten children; Cairns was the only support of his aged father and mother.

Recorded claims

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

• On 30 August 1865 two men, George Duncan and Andrew Cairns, were suffocated by bad air in a pit at Pencaitland worked by John Deans junior. ^1,2,3
• George Duncan, 52, the engineman, went down a ladder to the top of the pumps about 18 feet below the surface, against orders, and was suffocated by choke damp from an old coal waste. ^4,1
• Andrew Cairns, 36, seeing him lying near the surface and thinking him unwell, went down to help and fell beside him. ^1,2
• The newspaper report names the place as the Dean Pit, Duncan having gone down the shaft of an adjoining old pit to see to a pump. ²
• Duncan left a widow and ten of a family; Cairns was the sole support of his aged father and mother. ²

Related terminology

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

• Bad Air (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…a pit ladder near Pencaitland against orders and was overcome by choke damp from an old coal waste. Andrew Cairns, who saw him fall and went…”
• Chokedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Choke damp (blackdamp) issuing from an old coal waste into the shaft.”
• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…against orders and was overcome by choke damp from an old coal waste. Andrew Cairns, who saw him fall and went down to help, was…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Choke damp (blackdamp) issuing from an old coal waste into the shaft.”

Photographs & further reading

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

Sources

1. (primary) Colliery Disaster: Pencaitland, 30 August 1865 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Accidents 1855-1870 — Scottish Mining Website
3. (secondary) Scottish Mining Website - 1865 Deaths — Scottish Mining Website
4. (primary) Pencaitland Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 5 October 2026 · Last researched: 5 October 2026