Stonelaw Colliery explosion, 1858

An explosion of firedamp at Stonelaw Colliery, Rutherglen, killed its sub-oversman and two roadsmen on 15 May 1858.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp.

What happened

On 15 May 1858 firedamp exploded at John R. Reid's Stonelaw Colliery at Rutherglen, killing three men: John Angus, the sub-oversman, aged 45, and two roadsmen of 26, James Hughes and Thomas Malloy. The accident appears in the Mines Inspector's report for the year.

Recorded claims

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

• On 15 May 1858 an explosion of firedamp at Stonelaw Colliery, Rutherglen, killed three men. ^1,2,3
• The dead were John Angus, 45, sub-oversman, and the roadsmen James Hughes and Thomas Malloy, both 26. ^1,2,3
• The colliery was worked by John R. Reid. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion of firedamp at Stonelaw Colliery, Rutherglen, killed its sub-oversman and two roadsmen on 15 May 1858.”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion of firedamp at Stonelaw Colliery, Rutherglen, killed its sub-oversman and two…”

Sources

1. (primary) Stonelaw Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1850-1859, surnames A (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists), via the Internet Archive
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1850-1859, surnames H part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists), via the Internet Archive

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026