Wishaw Colliery

Overview

Mr Wilson's colliery at Wishaw, a group of numbered pits worked in the 1830s and 1840s before the burgh grew round them. On 13 August 1849 firedamp exploded in No. 6 pit as the morning shift went down, blowing the cages and one man out of the shaft and killing all nine men and boys below.

History

Wishaw Colliery was a group of numbered pits at Wishaw, belonging in 1849 to a Mr Wilson. In 1836 a father and son were killed when a link of the chain joining the tow to the bucket broke as they went down; in 1845 a miner was crushed when the winding machinery ran away in No. 3 pit; and in 1847 a man was killed and another accident followed months later.

At half past five on the morning of Monday 13 August 1849, with nearly thirty men waiting to go down, firedamp exploded in No. 6 pit. Both cages, the slides, part of the shaft barring and the midwall were blown out of the pit, with one man, Alexander M'Kimmin; a boy below cried to be taken up, but the pit filled with damp before a rope could be rigged. All nine below died (see Disasters, below). The underground manager, John Gillion, had inspected the air-courses two days before.

The Ell workings of Wishaw No. 6, also called Netherton or Berryhill No. 1, and No. 7 were abandoned in 1853, No. 2's Main in 1861 and other Ell and Main workings in 1862.

Geology

The Ell and Main coals of the Wishaw district; No. 6 pit was fiery.

Workings

Numbered pits including Nos. 2, 3, 6 and 7, with cages running in slides, a midwall in the shaft and air-courses; buckets on chains in the 1830s.

Closure

Unknown. The No. 6 and No. 7 Ell workings were abandoned in 1853, No. 2's Main in 1861, and Ell and Main workings in 1862.

What remains

Unknown.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Disasters & major incidents

• Wishaw Colliery explosion, 1849
  13 August 1849 · Explosion · 9 fatalities
  At half past five on the morning of 13 August 1849 firedamp exploded in Mr Wilson's No. 6 pit at Wishaw Colliery as the shift went down. The blast threw both cages, the slides, part of the barring and the midwall out of the shaft, with one man, and scattered remains 400 yards. A boy below called to be taken up, but the pit filled with damp; all nine underground died, while nearly thirty more waited at the top.

Recorded claims

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

• In 1849 Wishaw Colliery's No. 6 pit belonged to Mr Wilson. ^1,2
• An explosion in No. 6 pit on 13 August 1849 killed nine. ^1,2
• In 1836 a father and son were killed when the chain of the bucket broke as they descended. ¹
• Wishaw No. 6 was also called Netherton or Berryhill No. 1; its Ell workings and No. 7's were abandoned in 1853. ³
• The Main workings of Wishaw No. 2 were abandoned in 1861. ⁴

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: Cambusnethan parish accidents — Scottish Mining Website
2. (secondary) NMRS: Wishaw Colliery Explosion, Wishaw, 1849 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: Wishaw No. 6 (Netherton or Berryhill No. 1) and No. 7, Ell, abandoned 1853 — British Geological Survey
4. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: Wishaw No. 2, Main, abandoned 1861 — British Geological Survey
5. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: Wishaw, Ell and Main, abandoned 1862 — British Geological Survey

Record created: 13 October 2026 · Last researched: 13 October 2026