The following article accompanies the Google Maps entry for the Coal Miners’ Cairn located at the “Wee Wood” near the junction of Beith Road and Quarrelton Road. The Johnstone Coal Miners Cairn was built in 1994 in memory of the local miners who lost their lives in the local coal industry.

Introduction-

Records show that coal was being mined in Johnstone as early as 1634. The coal seam at Quarrelton was among the thickest in the United Kingdom, reaching up to 100 feet in places. Although extensive, the coal was not considered high quality, and persistent flooding made mining both difficult and dangerous.

An account from 1790 records that 30 men and 12 horses worked in the local mines, producing approximately 20,000 tons of coal annually. Although the cairn primarily commemorates the miners who died in the Quarrelton disaster of 1818 and the Benston disaster of 1860, many other mining fatalities in Johnstone have received little recognition. This article attempts to acknowledge those losses.

The focus here is solely on coal mining within Johnstone itself. Had surrounding areas such as Linwood and Elderslie — or other industries including ironstone and limestone mining — been included, the number of recorded deaths would have been considerably higher.

The list below is far from complete. Before 1852, there were no official records of mining fatalities, and statutory registration of deaths did not begin until 1855. Earlier information therefore relies heavily on newspaper reports and Old Parish Records.

Much of the information presented here has been sourced from Scottish Mining , which has made a significant contribution to documenting mining accidents and disasters across Scotland.

5th January 1805- Quarrelton
The first recorded accident where miners lost their lives occurred on this date. Three men were descending the Quarrelton mine in a bucket when the rope broke causing the bucket to plumet to the bottom of the pit. Two men died instantly, the third a few hours later. [Caledonian Mercury 5th January 1805].

2nd May 1818- Quarrelton
This is the first of the two disasters commemorated on the cairn. Twenty-five men and four horses were working underground when one of the miners accidentally broke through into an old flooded mine releasing a torrent of floodwater. Although seven men were initially feared dead two brothers William and James Hodgert were dramatically rescued after being trapped underground for 10 days.
A summary of the accident as reported in the newspapers of the time is given below but a more detailed report can be found at Scottish Mining - Quarrelton Disaster.

Newspaper Reports-

"Melancholy Accident – On the morning of Saturday last, the workmen in one of the coal pits belonging to Mr Houston of Johnston, at Quarrelton, had unfortunately taken out the coal too near an old pit filled with water, when the water broke in and inundated the work, by which seven men, it is feared, have lost their lives". [Edinburgh Advertiser 8 May 1818]

Follow up report- "Two of the men supposed to have been drowned in the coal-pit at Johnston, as mentioned in last Friday's Advertiser, were got out alive on Tuesday morning. Their only sustenance for ten days and ten nights, in total darkness, amidst bad air, was the impure water of the pit and three pieces of oat cake, which, by groping round the work, they found in the pockets of the clothes left by some of the men who escaped. [Edinburgh Advertiser 15 May 1818].
The men who lost their lives were- James Brodie, James Inglis, Alexander Barr, Alexander Shaw (Young boy) and John Hunter (85 years old) . Brothers William and James Hodgert were rescued after being trapped underground for 10 days. The bodies were later recovered".

12th March 1944- High Craig
Man Killed.—Tuesday last, while a collier, named James Gatherer, (recorded as “Gatherim”) , Age 47, was working in the High Craig coal pit, Quarrelton, a part of the roof fell, and so severely hurt him that he died within ten minutes afterwards. His fellow-workmen, although quite near, and, we believe, speaking at the time to him, luckily escaped. The deceased, who was much respected by all who knew him as a sober and intelligent man, has left a wife and family to lament his loss.—Paisley Advertiser. [Glasgow Herald 18 March 1844]

13th September 1856- Auchengreoch
John Grey, the unfortunate individual (who was the underground manager) had been examining the state of the shaft at Auchengreoch colliery, and signalled to be taken up, on reaching the surface and finding the cage being raised above the regular landing place he leapt off it, (no doubt thinking to avoid being drawn over the pulley,) and falling partly on the plates and partly on a beam of wood at the pit mouth, was so much injured that he died shortly after. [From the official report].

1st October 1857- Benston
Drawer John Freil was killed by a roof fall near to the coalface he was working on at the Benston pit.

23rd July 1859- Corseford
Miner James Watson, age 16 was killed in a roof fall at Corseford.

23rd December 1859- Quarrelton
Serious Accident - Yesterday a serious accident occurred in a coal pit at Quarrelton, the property of Ludovic Houston, Esq. of Johnstone Castle. While a miner, named George Higgins, was engaged at his work, he incautiously approached a mine that he had fired, under the impression that it had previously exploded, and the result was that he was most seriously burned, about the head and face particularly. His right eye appeared to be fairly destroyed, and one of his hands was almost entirely blown off. The poor fellow was conveyed to the Infirmary at Paisley, but it is questionable if he will survive. [Glasgow Herald 24 December 1859]

25th July 1860- Benston
Serious Coal Pit Explosion near Johnstone – Yesterday morning, shortly after six o'clock a serious explosion took place in the Benston coal Pit, situated near Johnstone, the property of Ludovic Houston Esq of Johnstone Castle. Shortly after six o'clock, Henry Alexander, a miner, accompanied by three boys was proceeding to his working in the pit. In passing an unused working, one of the lights of the party ignited the fire-damp, and the consequence was an immediate explosion. [Glasgow Herald 26 July 1860]
The experienced miner Henry Alexander recovered but the three young boys James Kelland, Age 14, George Hodgart, Age 14 and Johnstone Barr, Age 15 all perished.

23rd October 1860- Benston
This is the second accident referred to on the cairn. The circumstances were almost identical to the Quarrelton accident in 1818 with a miner breaking through to an old pit and releasing a torrent of water. More information can be found at Scottish Mining - Benston Disaster
Flooding of a Coal-Pit Near Johnstone and Loss of Five Lives - On Tuesday forenoon, the neighbourhood of Johnstone was thrown into a state of much excitement on account of an alarm which was raised that the Benston coal-pit, situated on the Johnstone estate, had been flooded with water from the old workings in the neighbourhood, and several of the miners drowned. The rumour proved to be but too true; at least five lives having, it is suspected, been sacrificed. About nine o'clock in the morning the alarm was first given that the water had broken in upon the pit, and it rose with fearful rapidity. At this time; there would be nearly fifty men and boys in the pit. Forty were working near to the spot when the water had come in upon them, and they at once made for the bottom of the shaft all reaching it safely but a boy, who was overtaken by the advancing stream and drowned. Efforts were at once made to raise the men to the pit mouth, but so quickly did the water rise, that before the whole forty could be got out, they had to cling on to the ropes attached to the cage and raise themselves up. Two miners, working in a separate part of the pit, were saved after the water had risen to within a foot of the roof at the bottom of the shaft; other four, who were in a still farther distant portion of the workings, it is now all but certain must have perished. In the afternoon, the water continued to rise at the rate of about two feet per hour. As there exists a vast body of water in the workings in the vicinity, it is not anticipated that the pit will be cleared for a lengthened period. The names of the unfortunate men who have perished have not been obtained as yet - the whole of them, however, were in the prime of life, one only being married. They belonged to the immediate neighbourhood of the pit. [Glasgow Herald - quoted in the Scotsman 25 October 1860]
The five men drowned were - Robert Alexander, age 24, John Alllison, age 29, John Hendry, age 21, John McMillan, age 44 and Alexander Stewart, age 12.
The Benston pit never reopened, and the bodies of the missing miners remain in the abandoned pit to this day.

30th August 1864-16th July 1873- Corseford
With the closure of the Benston pit coal mining in Johnstone effectively came to an end. However, the Corseford Coal and Lime pit continued to operate and a further 3 deaths were reported there.
Alexander McNab (16) died on 30th August 1864, John Steel (29) died on 29th January 1869, and William Allan (29) died on 16th July 1873 all from roof falls.

A letter to the editor of the Glasgow Herald published on 22nd February 1862 highlights the high number of serious accidents occurring in Scottish coal mines-
Sir,- As, at the present moment, the numerous casualties in mines, and more especially those which have recently occurred in England, are attracting the attention and exciting the sympathies of the humane and philanthropic both in England and Scotland, I deem this a fitting opportunity to direct the attention of the community officially to those which of late years have occurred in the coal mines is Scotland. I do this now because I have in view in a future communication to submit to the public a plan by which to mitigate the distress and suffering which results from so many fatal accidents as have taken place in this part of the country, as well as to provide in some measure for the relief of those who have from similar causes been rendered incapable of subsequently following their usual or even any other employment. Beginning with the year 1853, I find that the deaths from accidents in the coal mines of Scotland were as follows:- In 1853, 81; 1854, 53; 1855, 68; 1856, 92; 1857, 83; 1858, 76; 1859, 92; 1860, 93; thus showing a total of 638 lives lost in these mines in the course of eight years, or an annual average of nearly 80 deaths.

If you have an interest in Johnstone history, then why not drop into Johnstone History Museum. We are situated in Morrisons Supermarket in Napier Street Johnstone and are open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10:30 until 16:00 and entry is free of charge.
www.johnstonehistory.org.