Sir,
I am doing some research on my family tree and I have found a number of my family were miners, in Scotland, Canada and Galicia.

I am currently looking for information on the death of John Smart who died on March 19/1847. John was working at the Fothar Quarry in Collessie, Fife, Scotland.

I realize this is a long shot, but if you are unable to assist me in finding information about the mine or the events of the incident could you point me in a direction that may be of assistance.

Thank you,

Joe

Hi there
Miners Voices is an award winning voluntary project dedicated to record the living history of our Coalminers and their families for the education of future generations. Using digital recording technology and the internet, it aims to give the men and women who were involved in the Coalmining industry an opportunity to share their life experiences with the wider community.

On 19th November 1957 an underground explosion occurred in the 6ft section of the West Mine at Kames Colliery Muirkirk resulting in the deaths of 17 men. It was one of the last major explosions in the British coal mining industry. Miners Voices have digitally recorded the memories of the miners who were underground in the West Mine on the night of the explosion and who were involved in the rescue and recovery operation that followed. The recordings are now online at:- http://www.muirkirk.org.uk/minersvoices

Were building a links page for other coalmining and oral history sites and I was wondering if you could send me a brief description of your site and web address to be included in it. I was also wondering if you could include our site on your links page. http://www.muirkirk.org.uk/minersvoices

Kind regards
Johnny Templeton

Hi, my name is David Thomson. My grandfather's name was Walter Todd. Sadly, he passed away (peacefully), early on Monday morning (5th May 08). The family are looking for information about people who may have worked with him, or stories about him.

He worked in the Mines Rescue Station in Kilmarnock from 1957 to 1969 as an instructor.

After that he moved to Coatbridge from 1969 to about 1984ish. At Coatbridge he was the assistant superintendant.

After retiring he and my gran moved to Cumnock, and then to Hamilton in 1991, where they stayed with their daughter, Nancy.

Would anyone with information please get in contact?

Thanks!

David Thomson

March 2013 - Hi David, I have had an email from Emma Preston who would like to get in touch

Dear friend
Whilst metal detecting in Clackmannan, Central Scotland my friend found, what he now knows to be a "Miners Check" from Balsover Colliery, it is brass and circular. Both his grandfather and his father were miners in Clackmannan, but the pits closed many decades ago. His father recognised the item but not the pit, but still after looking on the web we cannot understand how it came up here.
Any ideas?

Many thanks,
Mick Mingay

Can you or your members help? Apparently my great grandfather, John Kerr was a contractor in the “Doctor's Pit" in Motherwell. I cannot find any records of this pit anywhere. My great grandfather was a contractor and apparently he stopped 1d (as in one old penny) from every single man's wage and 2d from every married man whom he employed.

This was used to pay for a doctor for the single man when he needed it but covered all of a married man's family (wife and children). He also allegedly built a house and brought a Dr Kay/Carr?? from Ayrshire to live in this house and minister to his employees. The foundations of this house could still be seen near Flemington in Motherwell (near to Firpark) in 1960. Taggart's showroom now occupies the site. John Kerr originally came from Benwhat near Dalmellington.

If anyone can give me any information on this I would be greatly obliged

Regards

Mary

Doctor’s Pit, Broomside Colliery, Wishaw Coal Coy's, Motherwell.
Registered Office: 41, St. Vincent Place, Glasgow
Annual Output: 185,000 tons
Class of Coal: Household, Manufacturing, Steam

From: Sent: Subject:

Dr Denis Curran 03 July 2011 Info on Doctors Pit Motherwell

I couldn't figure out how to send an answer to the lady who was asking about the Doctors Pit. 

We used to play there when we were boys. It was near the Clyde in Motherwell close to a place we called the Private. The buildings were still there around 1951. 

My mother Hannah McMenemy work there believe it or not when she was a wee girl. Hope this helps.

We're a' Jock Tamson's bairns!

Dr Denis Curran

From: Sent: Subject:

Tom A Mackle 06 February 2013 Information on 'Doctors Pit' Motherwell

Perhaps a bit more information for Mary Semple and adding to that of Dr. Denis Curran, I vaguely remember the Doctor's Pit in Motherwell.  It was no longer a working pit when I roamed the area in the 1940s.  As far as I can recall there were tomato houses on the site then and into the fifties.  You could buy a big bag of small or misshape tomatoes for a penny (1d). 
They kept you going till you got home for your tea - if you could afford the penny.

Like Dr. Curran I passed many a happy hour playing in the "Private" with my pals.  We used to get into the area from an entry in Airbles Road almost opposite the bottom of Airbles Street.  You had to walk along the side of the "Electric Bar" pub.

You could also get to it from North Lodge Avenue/Manse Road.

I visited the area last year.  It is now part of Baron's Haugh. 

Lanarkshire steel works More Information At Lanarkshire Steel Works Wordpress

Unfortunately after many years away from childhood and from Motherwell I could not locate the position of either the pit or the tomato houses. My father was killed in an accident in the Lanarkshire steel works.  Of course, coal and steel went hand in hand in Motherwell and both my father's and mother's families may well have worked in the pits because I know my father was born in Oakfield Place and my mother in Logans Rows, and that suggests miners. I was born and raised just down the road from Watsonville Park in Motherwell and, there had been a pit there at one time.  As children we were always warned about playing in the park in case the shaft subsided and we tumbled into the ground.  Naturally we never paid any attention to the warnings, but I do often wonder if there is any danger in case the shaft was not properly filled in.  Of course, there were about half a dozen pits in Motherwell at one time though none of them, as far as I know, active in my days, but am now wondering when I read that the "Doctor's" pit was on the go into the forties/fifties.

Tom Mackle

I hope you can help I am researching my family History. My Grand farther was a miner in the 1920s/30/40 in Scotland I don't know the pit he worked at is there any where I can search the roll of employees working in different pits. I know he lived in SHOTTS his name was JOHN MC DOWELL . What would conditions have been like down the pit then and what were the wages.

Hope you can assist
Thank you Jean

From: Sent:

Jenny 11 Apr 2007

Hope you can help? I was looking at your site came across the name Jean Kolat looking for info on her grandfather
John Mc Dowell. My grans dad was John Mc Dowell and he worked in the pits he would've been in pits at times stated. Too much of a coincidence [my dad was called after him].

Please get in touch.
Jenny

From: Sent:

Jenny 30 April 2007

Jenny

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