Greenfield Colliery

Overview

A deep, wet colliery at Burnbank, Hamilton, opened in the early 1860s and later Archibald Russell's, employing up to 1,348; a boiler explosion there in 1874 sent a boiler end through the village schoolroom.

History

Greenfield Colliery stood at Burnbank, Hamilton, within a hundred yards of the Caledonian Railway. It was opened in the early 1860s and reached its coal at about 120 fathoms, through so much water that unusually powerful pumping and winding machinery was needed, steamed by a range of five or six large boilers. In January 1867 the sinkers David Black and Alexander Millar were killed when an explosion of firedamp threw them into the pit.

On the evening of 9 April 1874, when the colliery belonged to the Hamilton Coal Company, one of the boilers burst (see Disasters, below): one end was blown 150 yards over a row of houses and through the roof of the village schoolroom during a meeting, killing three children and fatally injuring an engineman. The inspector found the boiler corroded and worn out, and the owners replaced the whole range with double-flued boilers.

Later owned by Archibald Russell and then Archibald Russell Ltd, Greenfield was employing 800 in 1894 and 1,348 in 1905, and 1,117 in 1920. It worked the Blackband, Ell, Humph, Main, Pyotshaw and Splint seams. By 1933 only 270 were employed.

Geology

Lanarkshire Coal Measures. The colliery worked the Blackband, Ell, Humph, Main, Pyotshaw and Splint seams by 1920.

Workings

A deep shaft colliery, heavily watered, with powerful pumping and winding engines steamed by a range of five or six egg-ended boilers until 1874, then double-flued boilers.

Closure

Employment fell to 270 by 1933; the closure date is Unknown.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Disasters & major incidents

• Greenfield Colliery boiler explosion, 1874
  9 April 1874 · Machinery · 4 fatalities
  On the evening of 9 April 1874 a boiler burst at Greenfield Colliery, Hamilton; one end was flung 150 yards through the roof of the village schoolroom during a meeting, killing three children, and an engine-keeper also died.

Recorded claims

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

• Greenfield employed 800 in 1894, 1,348 in 1905, 1,117 in 1920 and 270 in 1933. ¹
• The owners were Archibald Russell and then Archibald Russell Ltd. ¹
• In 1874 the colliery belonged to the Hamilton Coal Company. ²
• The pit had been opened some 10 or 12 years before 1874; the coal lay at some 120 fathoms and the great flood of water required machinery of novel construction and great power. ²
• On 31 January 1867 the sinkers David Black and Alexander Millar were killed by an explosion of firedamp, blown into the pit and falling about 16 fathoms. ¹
• In 1920 the colliery worked the Blackband, Ell, Humph, Main, Pyotshaw and Splint seams. ¹

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Greenfield Colliery (UK) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Greenfield 1874 - Scottish Mining Website — Scottish Mining Website

Record created: 1 October 2026 · Last researched: 2 October 2026