Blantyre mining disaster
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The Blantyre mining disaster which happened on the morning of October 22, 1877, in Blantyre, Scotland, was and remains Scotland’s worst. Blantyre Colliery, William Dixons pit numbers 1 and 2 both blasted killing 207 miners. It was known that fire damp was present in the pit and it is likely that this was ignited by a naked flame.
At this time rescue arrangements were inadequate and Alexander Macdonald, president of the Miners' National Association and a former miner prevented the surviving employees from attempting a rescue on safety grounds.
There was another explosion, this time at Dixons pit number 1, on July 2, 1879, with the loss of 28 lives.
Soon after the explosions William Dixon Ltd. erected a large granite monument to mark both disasters. The dedication reads: "William Dixon Ltd. in memory of 240 of their workmen who were killed by explosions in Blantyre Colliery on 22nd October, 1877 and 2nd July 1879 and many of whom are buried here".
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