MineArchiveQuarter Colliery shaft accident, 1906
About two in the afternoon of 21 December 1906 the engineman of United Collieries' pit at Quarter, near Hamilton, felt a snatch on the rope and a piece of the cage slides fell to the bottom. The manager, Robert Gardiner, the oversman, Andrew Maxwell, and an oncostman, James Macginty, went into the shaft to examine it; a mass of debris broke away from the shaft side and crushed them and their cage at the pit bottom.
| Date | 21 December 1906 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Quarter Colliery |
| Region | South Lanarkshire |
| Type | Winding / Shaft Accident |
| Fatalities | 3 (3: Robert Gardiner (49), manager; Andrew Maxwell, oversman; and James Macginty or McGinty (39), oncostman or roadsman, who left nine children.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Part of the shaft side and barring gave way above the cage, about 12 fathoms up by the inspector's account, and some 50 tons of stone and dirt fell on it; the newspaper says the fall broke the rope and dropped the cage to the bottom.
What happened
The pit was about 150 fathoms deep. About two hundred miners at work below were brought up by No. 7 pit, which adjoined No. 8. The cage was crushed almost flat and the bodies buried under wreckage; at nine that night they had still not been recovered. It was said to be the first accident on a large scale at Quarter.
Rescue & recovery
A relief party was formed under Mr MacDougall, manager of the Upper Quarter pits, with Mr Arnott, the company's district manager, and two doctors in attendance; it was soon clear that none of the three could have survived.
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 accident happened in No. 8 pit, Quarter Colliery, sunk about twenty years before to win the Simpsonland coalfield. (disputed) 1
- The accident happened in Simpsonland No. 2 pit. (disputed) 2
- A mass of stones and dirt came away from the shaft side above the men as they went up the shaft to examine it, broke the rope and dropped the cage to the bottom. (disputed) 1
- As they were descending after repairing a defect, the barring gave way 12 fathoms above them and some 50 tons of debris fell on the cage. (disputed) 2,3
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 21 December 1906 the manager, oversman and an oncostman of the Quarter pits were killed in the shaft when debris fell on their cage. 1,2,3
- The accident happened in No. 8 pit, Quarter Colliery, sunk about twenty years before to win the Simpsonland coalfield. (disputed) 1
- The accident happened in Simpsonland No. 2 pit. (disputed) 2
- A mass of stones and dirt came away from the shaft side above the men as they went up the shaft to examine it, broke the rope and dropped the cage to the bottom. (disputed) 1
- As they were descending after repairing a defect, the barring gave way 12 fathoms above them and some 50 tons of debris fell on the cage. (disputed) 2,3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Cage (contextual relationship)
Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Quarter, near Hamilton, felt a snatch on the rope and a piece of the cage slides fell to the bottom. The manager, Robert Gardiner, the…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…two in the afternoon of 21 December 1906 the engineman of United Collieries' pit at Quarter, near Hamilton, felt a snatch on the rope and a…” - Fathom (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Part of the shaft side and barring gave way above the cage, about 12 fathoms up by the inspector's account, and some 50 tons of stone and dirt…” - Overman (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s summary: “…cage slides fell to the bottom. The manager, Robert Gardiner, the oversman, Andrew Maxwell, and an oncostman, James Macginty, went into the…” - Shaft (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Andrew Maxwell, and an oncostman, James Macginty, went into the shaft to examine it; a mass of debris broke away from the shaft side and…”
Sources
- (secondary) Hamilton Parish Accidents 1900-1914 — Scottish Mining Website
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Simpsonland, No.2 Pit, 1906 (Gardiner) — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Simpsonland, No.2 Pit, 1906 (McGinty) — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 13 October 2026 · Last researched: 13 October 2026