George Harkness 1856-1887
Great grandfather of Alan
"George was killed in the Udston mining disaster in 1887, and Annie later married Allan Dunn. Joan Dunn 1898 was their daughter so Annie is also Anne’s great grandmother, and Joan 1898 was half sister to my grandmother Margaret Taylor Harkness. 1884 My own family tree includes the details I was able to find on Annie’s ancestors so these could help you. I found the earliest of these individuals from parish records which I was able to get through Scotland’s People and I hope they are right, but I’m less confident about them than information from the statutory records which started in the 1850s. This is the most confusing part of our family history so I hope that all makes sense!"
1856. George Harkness was born to James Harkness 1823-1897. coal miner, & Sarah Ann Parker 1833-1907
1882. George Harkness married Annie McIntyre in 1882 in Cambuslang- record obtainable on SP
Annie & George had 2 children: Margaret Taylor Harkness 1884 ( she became the 1st wife of Walter Thomson 1884, & the grandmother of Alan) & James Harkness 1886.
1887.George Harkness, died , aged 30, Hamilton- this ~ 12 k SE of Cambuslang
Does Alan have his m.c. & his dc?
The Udston mining disaster occurred in Hamilton, Scotland on Saturday, 28 May 1887 when 73 miners died in a firedamp explosion at Udston Colliery. Caused, it is thought, by unauthorised shot firing the explosion is said to be Scotland's second worst coal mining disaster. The Secretary of the Scottish Minig Confederation denounced the deaths as murder a few days later.
The morning of 28 May, 184 men had entered the mine. At 9am, having been already at work for almost three hours, many of the dayshift put down their tools for their breakfast. During this break, at approximately 9:07am, an explosion ripped through the Splint Seam destroying everything in its path. At the time of the explosion all but two of the 184 workers were still in the pit.
The explosion manifested itself in a volume of flame & dust at the number two or downcast shaft followed seconds later by a volume of flame from the upcast or number one shaft which se tfire to the wooden sheds or headings above it.
The sound of the explosion was heard in neighbouringGreenfield Colliery through a 135-foot (41 m) barrier of solid coal. In the Blantyre Colliery (where an estimated 216 men had lost their lives 10 years earlier) miners working that morning were temporarily blinded with the dust thrown up by the vibration of the explosion. An initial assessment of the damage by one of the managers revealed both compartments of No 1 shaft and one of the compartments of No 2 Pit were blocked by the cages used to lower the miners.
Rescue efforts were immediate, first by volunteers who were then aided by experienced miners from nearby colleries.. By 3pm all the men in the Ell and Main Coals were evacuated and it was discovered that these coal seams were not damaged from the explosion. Five of the men in the main coal shaft died of choke-damp arising from the Splint Coal. The Splint Coal workings were ventilated for exploration and removal of the deceased. 45 hours after the explosion they had all been explored and almost all of the bodies removed.. Two men were found alive at the bottom of pit 2, however all others were deceased.
The official causes of death were determined by Dr. Robertson of Hamilton. In his examination of the bodies he confirmed that 53 were burned and 20 were suffocated.
The 73 men who died at the Udston disaster were paid on average 3/3d (16p) per day or 17/6 (86p) per week (equivalent to £69.72 per week today in 2007) [1].
The investigation into the explosion by the Inspector of Mines, Ralph Moore, Esq, concluded that the explosion was likely caused by a (coal) dust explosion as a result of unauthorized shot-firing