Maxwell Colliery, Dailly

Overview

A South Ayrshire colliery at Dailly in the Girvan valley, steep, hot and subject to underground fire from at least the First World War, where two miners were suffocated in 1919; the National Coal Board's Maxwell mine closed in 1973.

History

Maxwell Colliery, also called Maxwell Pit, worked coal at Dailly in South Ayrshire, in the Girvan valley. Two accounts place an underground fire at Maxwell in the nineteenth century: Wikipedia's article on Dailly says a fire broke out in Maxwell Colliery in 1849 and burned for 50 years, while the Scotsman of 2 April 1919 reported that fumes came from an adjoining pit which 'accidentally went on fire about 95 years ago', that is about 1824, and had smouldered underground ever since; attempts to put it out by flooding had failed.

Wullie Baillie, later an area manager for the National Coal Board, worked in the Maxwell Pit from 1916 to 1924 and recalled very steep workings, up to 60 degrees, and an exceptionally warm pit that was on fire in several places; it was the only place in his career where he saw an underground fire. On one backshift the men were called out because a fire had broken out in an old road, and water dripping from the roof burned the skin.

South Ayrshire Collieries (Ltd.) owned the pit in 1919. On 1 April 1919 two miners, Matthew Dunlop and John Smellie (Smylie in another report), went down the pit early in the morning, evidently to inspect it before pumping began, after work had been suspended because fumes from the burning pit were noticed, and were suffocated. Four men later received gold watches from the Carnegie Hero Fund for their attempt to save them, and the Fund's list shows two other awards for Maxwell Pit, in 1909 and 1918. Reported fatal accidents at the pit include roof falls in 1933, 1935, 1938 and 1940, and in October 1929 a fall seriously injured two men.

Canmore records the mine known as Maxwell 4, in the Girvan valley, as owned by the National Coal Board, producing steam coal from 1950 and closed in 1973, with its coal sent to Killochan colliery to be screened; it was abandoned in 1977. The Commons debated the closure of Maxwell on 2 July 1973, when the member for South Ayrshire said heating had long been a feature of the Dailly pits and the Minister spoke of dangers to life and limb and of geological uncertainties, Maxwell being a particular example; Dalquharran colliery, at the end of the village, was left as Dailly's remaining pit.

Geology

Coal of the Ayrshire coalfield at Dailly, worked on steep dips of up to 60 degrees in 1916 to 1924 and prone to heating and underground fire. The Commons was told in 1973 that geological factors, of which Maxwell was a particular example, brought uncertainty and danger.

Workings

Very steep workings, up to 60 degrees, in 1916 to 1924, with fires underground in several places. The later mine recorded by Canmore as Maxwell 4 sent its coal to Killochan colliery for screening, and the abandonment plans show Maxwell Nos. 1, 2 and 3 tips.

Closure

The mine closed in 1973 and was abandoned in 1977. The Commons debate of 2 July 1973 tied the closure to heating and to geological conditions, and the Maxwell and Dalquharran men held a joint branch meeting over the closure shortly before.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Dalquharran Colliery — Dalquharran and Maxwell tips are shown together on one abandonment plan, both belonged to the National Coal Board and heated, and Dalquharran was Dailly's only remaining pit when Maxwell closed in 1973.
• Killochan Colliery — Killochan took Maxwell's coal to be screened and washed, and South Ayrshire Collieries owned both pits.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• Wikipedia says a fire broke out in Maxwell Colliery in 1849 and continued to burn for 50 years. (disputed) ¹
• The Scotsman of 2 April 1919 reported that fumes came from an adjoining pit which accidentally went on fire about 95 years earlier and had smouldered since, and that flooding had failed to put it out. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Wikipedia says a fire broke out in Maxwell Colliery in 1849 and continued to burn for 50 years. (disputed) ¹
• The Scotsman of 2 April 1919 reported that fumes came from an adjoining pit which accidentally went on fire about 95 years earlier and had smouldered since, and that flooding had failed to put it out. (disputed) ²
• Wullie Baillie worked in the Maxwell Pit from 1916 to 1924 and recalled workings as steep as 60 degrees and a very warm pit on fire in several places. ³
• On 1 April 1919 two miners, Matthew Dunlop and John Smellie, were suffocated by fumes from a burning pit when they went down Maxwell Pit after work had been suspended. ²
• Four men received gold watches from the Carnegie Hero Fund for their attempt to save the two miners on 1 April 1919; other awards for Maxwell Pit were made for 1909 and 1918. ^2,4
• South Ayrshire Collieries (Ltd.) owned Maxwell Pit in 1919, with John Blake as manager of the company. ²
• Falls of stone killed miners at Maxwell Pit on 1 April 1933, 14 October 1935, 25 March 1938 and 17 October 1940, and a fall seriously injured two men in October 1929. ²
• Canmore records Maxwell 4 coal mine at Dailly as owned by the National Coal Board, producing steam coal from 1950, closed in 1973 and abandoned in 1977, with its coal sent to Killochan colliery to be screened. ⁵
• The Commons debated the closure of Maxwell Colliery and its effect on Dailly on 2 July 1973, when heating and geological factors were cited. ⁶
• After Maxwell closed, Dalquharran colliery at the end of Dailly was left as the village's remaining pit. ⁶
• The British Geological Survey catalogues abandonment plans for Dalquharran and Maxwell Nos. 1, 2 and 3 tips located at Maxwell Colliery. ⁷

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Dailly (Wikipedia) — Wikipedia
2. (secondary) Dailly Mines - Ayrshire Pit Accident (Healey Hero) — Healey Hero
3. (secondary) Ayrshire Mining History: Wullie Baillie's Tale (Visit Dailly) — Visit Dailly
4. (secondary) Heroism Awards (Scottish Mining Website) — Scottish Mining Website
5. (secondary) Maxwell Colliery (Canmore) — Canmore (Historic Environment Scotland)
6. (primary) South Ayrshire (Employment), Hansard, 2 July 1973 — Hansard
7. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority abandonment plans: DALQUHARRAN (& MAXWELL) — British Geological Survey

Record created: 30 September 2026 · Last researched: 30 September 2026