Swinhill Colliery overwinding, 1901

On 16 December 1901, as three men stood in the cage at the top of No. 6 pit, Swinhill, near Larkhall, ready to go down, the engineman started the engine the wrong way. The cage was drawn up into the headgear and two of the men fell about 50 fathoms down the shaft; the third was rescued from the top, badly crushed.

Cause

The engineman, it was alleged, pulled the wrong lever and started the engine the wrong way, overwinding the cage instead of lowering it.

What happened

The three men were in the cage ready to go down to work. Sent up instead of down, the cage stuck at the 'horrells' and Donnelly and McGowan were thrown out and fell about 50 fathoms down the shaft. Stewart, caught at the top, was taken from his precarious position severely crushed.

Recorded claims

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

• On 16 December 1901 two miners were killed at No. 6 pit, Swinhill, when the cage they had entered to go down was overwound and they fell down the shaft. ^1,2,3
• The engineman started the engine the wrong way, sending the cage up instead of down. ^1,2
• The two men fell about 50 fathoms; a third man in the cage was taken from the top severely crushed. ¹
• The pit belonged to the Darngavil Coal Co. Ltd. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Cage (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “On 16 December 1901, as three men stood in the cage at the top of No. 6 pit, Swinhill, near Larkhall, ready to go down,…”
• Fathom (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…cage was drawn up into the headgear and two of the men fell about 50 fathoms down the shaft; the third was rescued from the top, badly crushed.”
• Headgear (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “…started the engine the wrong way. The cage was drawn up into the headgear and two of the men fell about 50 fathoms down the shaft; the third…”
• Shaft (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…into the headgear and two of the men fell about 50 fathoms down the shaft; the third was rescued from the top, badly crushed.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: Lanarkshire accidents (Dalserf, Larkhall) — Scottish Mining Website
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Swinhill, No.6 Pit, 1901 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Swinhill, No.6 Pit, 1901 (McGowan) — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 15 October 2026 · Last researched: 16 October 2026