MineArchiveUdston Colliery explosion, 1882
Late on the afternoon of Monday 15 May 1882 a miner and his son driving a place through to a back drift in the main coal of No. 1 pit at Udston Colliery, near Hamilton, holed into gas with the manager and oversman beside them, and the explosion killed the manager, William Archibald, Charles Morrison and his son William, and badly burned the oversman. Most of the day shift had left the pit an hour before.
| Date | 15 May 1882 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Udston Colliery |
| Region | South Lanarkshire |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 3 (William Archibald, 52, the certificated manager, married, of Udston Rows; Charles Morrison, 35, miner, married, of Windsor Street, Burnbank; and his son William, 14 (12 in the newspaper list), collier's boy. The oversman, John Bolton, and several others were badly burned.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An explosion of firedamp when the place being driven through to a back drift broke through early and liberated gas, which was fired; how it was fired was not known.
Contributing factors
Safety lamps were used in part of the workings and naked lights allowed in others. No gas had been recorded in the fireman's books for nearly three years, and the colliery had been thought a safe one.
What happened
Udston, worked by the Udston Coal Company since about 1875 through No. 1 and No. 2 pits sunk 125 fathoms to the Ell seam, adjoined Blantyre Colliery, where more than 200 men had died in 1877. About 200 men were employed. Charles Morrison and his son were driving a place through to a back drift in the main coal while the manager, William Archibald, and the oversman, John Bolton, were there on their daily survey. They broke through earlier than expected and the explosion followed. Only about thirty men were still below; those nearest were thrown down and some badly burned.
Rescue & recovery
A boy told John Y. Ure, son of the managing director, that something had fallen down No. 1 shaft; when the cage came up with four men with burned whiskers, Ure went down with the firemen Edward Toiley and James Strachan. Foul air turned them back about a hundred yards short, and with two more firemen, Thomas Paterson and Archibald Muir, they repaired the blown-out brattice to restore the ventilation. The bodies of Charles and William Morrison were reached between six and seven o'clock and the manager's at about half past eight. All three were remarkably free from burns.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 15 May 1882 an explosion of firedamp in No. 1 pit at Udston Colliery, near Hamilton, killed the manager, William Archibald, and the miner Charles Morrison and his son William. 1,2,3
- The explosion followed when a place being driven through to a back drift in the main coal holed into gas. 1,2,3
- The oversman, John Bolton, and several others were badly burned. 3
- An exploring party had to restore the brattice before reaching the bodies, which were found between six and half past eight that evening. 3
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Bad Air (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “…Ure went down with the firemen Edward Toiley and James Strachan. Foul air turned them back about a hundred yards short, and with two more…” - Brattice (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “…Thomas Paterson and Archibald Muir, they repaired the blown-out brattice to restore the ventilation. The bodies of Charles and William…” - Drift (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…15 May 1882 a miner and his son driving a place through to a back drift in the main coal of No. 1 pit at Udston Colliery, near Hamilton,…” - Overman (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…Udston Colliery, near Hamilton, holed into gas with the manager and oversman beside them, and the explosion killed the manager, William…” - Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s contributing factors: “Safety lamps were used in part of the workings and naked lights allowed in…”
Sources
- (primary) Disasters - Names: Udston, 15 May 1882 (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: deaths 1882 — Scottish Mining Website
- (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: Udston 1882 — Scottish Mining Website
- (primary) Udston Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 25 October 2026 · Last researched: 25 October 2026