<meta name="Keywords" content="Knockshinnoch,Knockshinnoch Disaster Official Enquiry, New Cumnock,mining disasters,trapped miners,scottish mining,coal mining scotland, disasters,The brave don't,cry,Miners-Voices,Alex-Mills,Kames-Colliery-Disaster,The-Miners-Strike,Miners-Voices,Highhouse-Colliery,Barony-Colliery,Alex-Mills,Auchinleck,Kames-Colliery-Disaster,Muirkirk,The-Miners-Strike,Ayrshire-Mining-History, AN ADDRESS TO THE COLLIERS OF AYRSHIRE AT THE FORMATION OF THE COLLIERS ASSOCIATION IN 1824." />
On Thursday 7th September 1950, an inrush of 60,000 tons of peat and moss engulfed the workings of Knockshinnoch Castle Colliery, New Cumnock trapping 129 miners on the backshift.
As word of the disaster spread round the mining communities, hundreds of men, women and children gathered at the pithead. Over the next 36 hours, a huge rescue operation was mounted involving hundreds of miners and Mines Rescue Brigades from all over Scotland.More
Alex Mills
Alex Mills is one of the last great trade union men to represent the miners their families and communities. For over 60 years he has worked tirelessly for the rights of others as an NUM delegate and as secretary of the retired branch of the retired and redundant miners.More
In Rememberance
John
Dalziel
50
Loader Attendant
James D.
Houston
46
Coal miner
Thomas
Houston
40
Coal miner
William
Howat
61
Switch Attendant
William
Lee
48
Coal miner
James
Love
48
Coal Miner
William
McFarlane
36
Coal Miner
John
McLatchie
48
Shotfirer
John
Taylor
33
Coal Miner
Samuel
Rowan
25
Coal Miner
John
Smith
55
Coal Miner
Daniel
Strachan
38
Fireman
John
White
26
Coal Miner
Kames Colliery Disaster
On 19th November 1957 at 7.30pm a coaldust explosion rocked the 6ft section of the West Mine Kames Colliery Muirkirk, killing 17 men. It was one of the last major explosions in the coal mining industry.More
The 1824 Kilmarnock Address
"An address to the colliers of Ayrshire at the formation of the colliers association on 29th October 1824 at the formation of the colliers association".
When this pamphlet was originally published in 1824; Coal miners were emerging from over 200 years of slavery and bondage. In 1799, an act of Scottish parliament freed the miners but the introduction of the Combination Acts in 1799 and 1800 prevented them from combining to form unions. However this did not prevent the miners in Ayrshire from organising unions and they had a well organized and disciplined network of delegates throughout Ayrshire and Lanarkshire in the early parts of the 18th century.More
