“Suddenly it stopped. And the fumes surrounded us. I knew my son was around somewhere. I tried to find him but I couldn’t. Then I headed up the remainder of the slope. The smoke and fumes were so dense, I couldn’t see more than a few inches. I was only dimly aware of the direction I was heading. The last thing I remember was seeing the gates of the cage through the gloom. I think I passed out then.

“I came-to again at the pit-head. I opened my eyes and I saw blue sky. I took a deep breath and the air felt very clean.”

Big Tam learned at Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary that his son Sam was safe but all his comrades were probably dead.

Big Tam learned at Glasgow’s Royal Infirmary that his son Sam was safe but all his comrades were probably dead.

He had been dragged to safety by 31-year-old rescuer Albert Coyle who said later, “I kicked something in the darkness, I knelt down and found I was standing on a mans face.”.

A mine official said this could have come from debris falling onto the bell.

Roman Catholic Bishop James Scanlan of Motherwell donned miners’ rig and spent two hours down the pit. He later said, “I was praying for my men.

A dozen priests and ministers took turns to go down the shaft.

The ages of the dead ranged from 20 to 62 including Celtic footballer Donald Weir, aged 30, who lived in Chryston. Most of the men were married with families and lived in the surrounding Lanarkshire villages and towns. Because of the tragedy 41 widows and 76 children were made fatherless.

It took four days for the flooded mine to be pumped clear and the bodies to be recovered. The mine was eventually closed because of the extent of the damage.