Redding Pit Disaster Source List - Falkirk Community Trust

Falkirk Archives 

Source List 2 - Redding Pit Disaster, 

1923 

Contents 

Redding Pit Disaster 

Health and Safety in Coal Mining in 

Scotland 

Hazards in Coal Mining 

Further Reading 

List of sources in Falkirk Council Archives 

This source list contains a list of some of the archives and photographs held 

by Falkirk Archives which can be used for studying the Redding Pit Disaster 

and mining in the Falkirk area. Digital versions of some of the documents 

can be found on the Collections Browser or on the Falkirk Archives pages in 

GLOW. 

The Redding Pit Disaster tells us about changes in attitudes to the safety of 

mineworkers. To help you get started this source list includes a brief 

introduction to the history of industrial relations and health and safety in coal 

mining. 

What other options are there? 

Visit Falkirk Archives to see the archives and photographs in the list 

Search the on-line Collections Browser for photographs 

http://collections.falkirk.gov.uk/ 

Visit your local library to read the Falkirk Herald and other local 

newspapers. 

Talk to your school librarian about borrowing books on mining disasters 

Falkirk Archives 

Callendar House 

Callendar Park 

Falkirk, FK1 1YR 

Tel: 01324 503779 

Email: archives@falkirkcommunitytrust.org 

Opening hours: 10.00-12.30, 1,30-5.00; Monday to 

Friday

Redding Pit Disaster 

Pit 23 of Redding Colliery was the site of a flood in September 1923. Sixtysix 

men were trapped by the flood, and most of these men died. Some of the 

survivors were in the mine for up to nine days before they were rescued and 

some of these men never fully recovered from the effects. 

The flood itself occurred because a sump had been cut in a dyke to collect 

water, but the location of this sump was not properly recorded and coal was 

stripped from the area, weakening the sump and so flooding the mine. The 

disaster was compounded by poor working practices, which meant that noone 

knew exactly how many men were in the mine at the time of the flood. 

The rescue effort was hampered by the lack of reliable plans of the mines and 

by the difficult access above ground for the ambulances. Gas, rockfalls and 

more flooding were hazards throughout the rescue. 

In 1923 Redding Colliery was owned by James Nimmo & Co. The land was 

owned by the Duke of Hamilton who also owned the rights to the minerals in 

the whole area. 

Following the disaster, a public inquiry was held in Glasgow as well as the 

statutory fatal accident inquiry which was held at Falkirk Sheriff Court. 

The public inquiry recommended that correct records be kept of who was in a 

mine at any one time, that better telephone communications should exist 

below ground and that new legislation should be put in place regarding mining 

in areas approaching water. 

The flood was a disaster for the people of Redding and the Braes, where 

most of the men had come from. Quite apart from the grief of losing 

husbands, fathers, brothers and sons, the families affected also lost their 

breadwinners. Many of the survivors were never able to work in the mines 

again and it was some months before the mine itself re-opened. 

The Redding Disaster Relief Fund was opened by the Provost of Falkirk a few 

days after the disaster and subscriptions poured in from Scotland and from 

other countries, including Australia and the United States. The Fund was 

used to give allowances to the widows and children of the men who died and 

allowances to the men who survived because most of them were unable to 

work again. In the 1920s Britain did not have a national welfare system. 

Also, as there was no National Health Service, any medical needs had to be 

paid for, and so the Fund provided expenses for the survivors to go to 

convalescent homes.

Health and Safety in Coal Mining in Scotland 

Coal mines have always been dangerous places to work. In earlier centuries 

it was so dangerous that mine owners found it difficult to get people to work in 

the mines. And so, from 1606 until 1799, legislation gave the mine owners 

various powers over mineworkers which prevented miners from working 

elsewhere. 

It became almost impossible for a mineworker to leave the mine. Mine 

owners were able to force any beggars or homeless people to work in the 

mines. If the mine was sold, the mineworkers were transferred to the new 

owner. Mineworkers could also be moved to any other mine their master 

owned. Mine owners therefore had no incentive to provide reasonable 

working conditions. 

This system was abolished by two Acts, in 1775 and 1798, but it left a legacy 

of hostility between mineworkers and mine owners. One result was that 

miners were among the first to try to set up trade unions at a time when trade 

unions were illegal, and trade unionism has been a strong, unifying force in 

the mines ever since. Mineworkers, through their trade unions, have been an 

important voice in making mines safer. 

During the 19th century there were various attempts to improve conditions. 

The Coal Mines Act, 1842, stopped the employment of women and children 

underground and introduced Inspectors of mines. From then on, the 

government took increasing responsibility for regulating the mining industries. 

In 1850 the Act for the Inspection of Coal Mines in Great Britain gave 

inspectors the responsibility of collecting information about accidents and the 

right to prosecute anyone who infringed safety rules. Other acts in the next 

few years brought in several important safety regulations. 

It became compulsory to have at least two exits from every mine. 

Managers of mines had to pass an examination in competency. 

Mineworkers were given the right to appoint their own representatives to 

inspect mines. 

Following this legislation, the trade unions set up systems of safety 

inspections. 

Industrial relations were poor during the first few decades of the 20th century. 

There were many strikes over working conditions. With the outbreak of the 

First World War, there was a shortage of coal, partly because so many 

miners enlisted in the army. The Sankey Commission, set up by the 

government after the war recommended that coal mines should be 

nationalised, working hours underground be limited to six hours per day and 

wages be increased by 2 shillings a week. However, the mines remained in 

private hands and working conditions worsened. By the 1920s, strikes and 

lock-outs were frequent and there was also high unemployment.

Hazards in Coal Mining 

The main dangers in mines are from dangerous gases, coal dust, subsidence 

and flooding. 

Black damp is a non-poisonous, non-inflammable gas mixture of nitrogen, 

oxygen and carbon dioxide which uses up the oxygen in the air . 

Fire-damp is methane, a flammable gas. 

White-damp is carbon monoxide, which is colourless and odourless and 

which kills by combining with human haemoglobin and preventing the 

blood from carrying oxygen. 

Further reading 

Local newspapers contain the best contemporary accounts of the Redding Pit 

Disaster. You will find copies of these on microfilm in the local libraries. 

Some are indexed. 

The Falkirk Herald 

Grangemouth Advertiser 

Bo’ness Journal 

The main source is the report of the public inquiry 

Report on the causes of and circumstances attending the Inrush of Water 

which occurred at the Redding Colliery, Falkirk, Stirlingshire on the 25th 

September 1923 

Sir Thomas H Mottram, C B E (London, HMSO, 1924. Cmd 2136) 

Other useful books about mining are: 

R Page Arnot A History of the Scottish Miners (1955) 

National Coal Board A Short History of the Coal Mining Industry 1958) 

Baron F Duckham A History of the Scottish Coal Industry (1970) 

You can find out what happened at the Redding Pit Disaster by reading the 

book “The Redding Pit Disaster” by Amanda M Jackson. A digital version of 

this book is available on the website .

How to use the List of Sources 

The list below is intended to help you choose which original items will be 

useful for your investigation. You should read it before you visit Falkirk 

Archives 

A typical entry in a source list looks like this: 

Accession No Date Brief Description 

A101.001/01 1963 News cutting with interview of John Miller, 

survivor of the Redding Pit Disaster. Written at 

time of Lengede Disaster 

The Accession No at the left hand side is used to identify the item. Give this 

number to the staff in Falkirk Archives when you want to see a particular 

archive or photograph. 

The Date is the date the item was written or photographed. It helps you put 

the item into the correct historical context. 

The Brief Description tells you about the contents of the item. You should 

read this carefully to decide if you want to see the original. Reading the 

descriptions helps you to narrow down your search for useful items.

Redding Pit Disaster Source List 

Archives 

Souvenirs and articles about the Redding Pit Disaster 

A101.001/01 1963 News cutting with interview of John Miller, 

survivor of the Redding Pit Disaster. Written at 

time of Lengede Disaster 

A101.001/03 nd Handwritten personal reminiscences of life as a 

soldier in the First World War and as an 

onlooker at the Redding Pit Disaster. 

A101.001/02 1923 "Souvenir in affectionate remembrance of the 

men who lost their lives in the Pit Disaster, 

Redding Stirlingshire." Paper tissue souvenir of 

the Redding Pit Disaster. Contains list of men 

who died in disaster. Border of violets. 

A873.002 Typed copy of letter written by the late Thomas 

Thomson, 38 Comely Place, Falkirk, to his wife 

and children, while trapped in Redding Pit 

A276.01 1923 Sep 25 Poem "In Memory of No 23 Redding Colliery 

Disaster, Lower Redding, Stirlingshire" 

A347.001/01 1923 Poem "The Redding Coal Pit Disaster" by 

John Fleming 

A406.01 1958 Oct 03 Evening Telegraph. Contains article on the 

Redding Pit Disaster, on 35th anniversary. 

A1034.005 1923 Dec 29 Forward newspaper. Includes article and 

comment on organisation of the Redding 

Disaster Relief Fund.

Records of the Redding Disaster Relief Fund 

A1034.001 1923 Draft deed of trust establishing the Redding 

Disaster Relief Fund by the Provost of Falkirk 

and the proprietor of the Falkirk Herald. Also 

includes example of other trust deeds 

A1034.002 1923 Scheme for the administration of the funds 

raised for relief of the sufferers by the disaster 

which occurred at Redding Colliery (No 23 Pit) 

near Falkirk on 25th September 1923 

A812.009/01 1923-1966 Minutes 

A812.009/02 1923-1966 Letter book 

A812.009/03 1943 Index to Letter Book 

A066.034 1923-1924 Special Letters. Contains correspondence 

relating to administration and disbursement of 

funds 

A066.033 1923 List of subscribers with amounts subscribed 

A1034.003 1923-1931 Lists of beneficiaries and dependants 

A066.002 1923-1924 Account book. Contains notes of payments to 

dependants, allowances to survivors, train 

fares to Saltcoats Convalescent Home and 

sundry payments 

A1034.004 1923-1946 Financial statements, synopses of allowances 

to beneficiaries, investments and information 

on surviving beneficiaries 

A812.009/04 1924-1946 Abstract of Accounts 

A1034.006 1924-1925 Abstract of accounts 

A1034.007 1925 Abstract of accounts 


























A1034.033 1951 Abstract of accounts
















A1034.049 1966 Report on investments and annuities 

A1034.050 1953-1966 Financial statements and correspondence 

A1034.051 1957-1966 General ledger

Photographs 

P02803 Circa 1930s Union Canal at Redding Pit Union Canal 

passing Redding Pit; scene of pit disaster in 

1923 

P12447 Circa 1890 Female Mine Workers at Redding Pit 

P15008 1924 Surviving miners from Redding Pit Disaster 

Formal group of the five men who were trapped 

for 10 days 

Miller, John (L); Ure, Robert (3 from L); 

Donaldson, John (R); Thomson, Andrew (2 

from L); Jack, James (4 from L) 

P16326 Circa 1917 Group of miners at Redding Pit 

G Sneddon(far R) ,T Sneddon (2nd 

R),Morrison (3rd R). 

P16950 1923 Sep 25 View of Redding Pit 

P16951 1923 Sep 25 Redding Pit Disaster : crowds waiting 

P16952 1923 Sep 25 Redding Pit Disaster : crowds waiting View 

from above : crowds waiting at entrance to pit 

P16953 1923 Sep 25 Redding Pit Disaster : crowds waiting Women 

and children waiting at pit entrance 

P16954 1923 Sep 25 Redding Pit Disaster : crowds at pump 

Pumping out water into the Union canal. 

Crowd of men around pipe and colliery in 

background 

P16955 1923 Sep 25 Redding Pit Disaster : subsidence Area of 

subsidence roped off 

P17019 1988 Redding Pit Disaster Memorial 

P17020 1988 Redding Pit Disaster Memorial 

P17021 1988 Redding Pit Disaster Memorial Detail of plaque 

with names

Other Records relating to Coal Mining 

A208.028 1879-1887 Invoices, Redding Colliery Co 

A003.025/01 1888 Apr 07 News report on coal discovery at Coneypark 

Estate during survey of proposed line of Kilsyth 

and Bonnybridge Railway 

A003.025/02 (Circa 1888) Report on transport access to Coneypark 

Colliery. 

A003.026 (Circa 1888) Report on transport access to Banknock Colliery 

on the Kilsyth and Bonnybridge Railway 

A003.033 1888 Apr 11 Statement of coke received at Denny station for 

twelve months ending Dec 1887 

A003.035/02 1887 Report on coal traffic at Larbert Station 

A003.047 1888 Jun 09 Letter, D McRae to J Clapperton, concerning 

quarrying of whinstone at Northfield Farm, 

Denny, and proposed railway to Stirling 

A003.049/09 1958 News cuttings relating to coal mining disputes, 

productivity and union matters 

A005.009 Feb 1944 Report on the minerals and mineral working 

under and in the vicinity of the proposed site for 

the new Roman Catholic Church at Bo'ness 

A005.023/01 1847 Notice: Rules and regulations for the Grange 

Colliery and works connected with it 

A005.023/10 Mar 1939 Notice placing all employees of Bridgeness 

Colliery on one day's notice 

A005.023/11 Post 1925 Notice under Workmen's Compensation Act, 

1925 

A005.023/13 Early 20th Shot firing notice under Workmen's 

Century Compensation Act,1925 

A005.028/03 Photocopy of map of Grange showing coal waste 

and pits(SRO Ref:RHP 687) 

A005.034 1951 Jun 25 Souvenir programme for official inauguration of 

the new linking and development at Kinneil 

Colliery. Contains historical note on Kinneil, 

photographs of Kinneil House, remains of Wall 

and Roebuck's former workshop and 

Furnaceyard Pit 

A037.021 May 1829 Report by J Lauder on the north coal field of 

Callendar. (part of report missing) 

A037.038 1808 Advertisement of sale or subset of unexpired 

lease of Callendar colliery held from William 

Forbes for 19 years from 1804 

A058.001 Nov 1924 Plan showing unknown coal mine, Bo'ness 

A058.012 1880 Plan of the town of Bo'ness showing schoolyard 

Pit workings and associated dykes and mine 

shafts. 

A058.160 1929 Nov 11 Plan of wall tracings at Faulis and Kinneil Coal 

Co, at Bo'ness, for Shieldhill proposed road 

across Kinneil Bings. 

A059.003 (Early 20th Photocopy of map "Carbrook Mine Lower Fireclay 

Century) Seam" 

A066.044 General section showing the seams of coal and 

their approximate depths in the Falkirk area

A066.135 1851 Report by Alexander Black, Surveyor to the 

Committee of Stentmasters for Improving the 

Supply of Water. Relates to supply of water from 

Falkirk Muir and effect of coal mining 

A066.136 1851 Report to the Stentmasters by a Committee 

appinted at a meeting held on 12th October 

1849. Accompanies report of Alexander Black, 

Surveyor (see A066.134). Relates to water from 

Falkirk Muir and effect of coal mining 

A066.137 1850 Jun 18 Report by Alexander Black, Surveyor to the 

Committee appointed by the Stentmasters of 

Falkirk for the purpose of superintending the 

operations in the coal water under the Common 

Muirs 

A133.02 Johnston Coal Workings; taken from plan by 

United Collieries Ltd. 

A204.001 (1957) Photocopy of poem "In these dark hazards" by 

Geo. Sneddon. Relates to coal mining 

A259.03 (1967) Sketch plan showing extract of mine workings 

under the western fields of Kendieshall Farm to 

1967 

A310.01 1911 Feb 28 Lecture with lime-light lantern views delivered to 

Carronshore Continuation Classes (Mining 

Section) on Carronshore School, on "Faults met 

with in Coal Mining in Scotland" 

A529.001 Photocopy of pp 82-85 of "The British Coalmining 

Industry" Relates to employment of women and 

children in mines and includes illustration of 

notice for Redding Colliery, 1845 

A599.01 1956 Jun 21 Photocopy of programme for visit to Kinneil 

Colliery Alloa area by the Institute of Mining 

Engineers, summer meeting, 1956. Includes 

history of sinking and development of two shafts 

A650.001 Dec 1847 Map of Bo'ness showing Kinneil Mineral Field, 

West Division

Redding Pit Disaster Source List - Falkirk Community Trust

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