My dear Fionn maybe you can help me to contact some family members who I worked with in Auchengeich.

I was in the Square Pit when the disaster was taking place that Friday morning. I was only 20yrs.of age at the time.

P.S. you are free to pass on my email to some of these people.

Yours Sincerely
Pat Doyle

Hi,
I am contacting you in the hope you can point me in the right direction, I’ve just discovered that my father who I didn’t know was killed at Auchengeich 1959 disaster, his name was Peter Kelly age 40, where do you think I could get info or picture etc of him. I know he stayed in Gartcosh at time of his death. I would appreciate any comment.

Hi,

My name is John McCabe and I live in Glasgow but work all over Strathclyde populating Bus Stops with timetables. Whilst on my travels today I was in Chryston and spotted the Auchengeich Memorial. I went over for a look and one name that immediately stood out to me was Robert McCoid.

My Great Gran (I always call her my wee gran) passed away in 1996, aged 96. Her name was Agnes McCoid. I have no idea what her maiden name was or what my Great Grandfather's first name was. I only know that his surname was obviously McCoid. He died when I was only a baby around the late 70's.

I don't know very much at all about him or his family; however I do know that the name McCoid is not a very common one. I remember when my wee Gran passed away, a few family members asked me to consider changing my name to McCoid to keep the name alive within the family as she was the last of the family with
that surname. Back then I was only 19 and didn't understand the sentiment attached to such a request, and refused to do so.

As I am aware the name is quite rare, I am intrigued to find out if I am in some way related to Robert McCoid. My hope is that you may have possibly heard from the family of Robert McCoid that you could help me contact, or that you may in fact have information yourself that you can share with me.

I really hope you can help and look forward to hearing back from you.

Kindest Regards

John McCabe

My name is John (Iain) Urquhart and I was underground at Auchengeich colliery on the day of the fire. I was on my coalface training with Alec Sharp and would have been with him on the second boggies if the faceline had not hit a fault and was being redeveloped.

As the pit had been on strike for three days I could not get my boots on as I had been working at a muddy and wet oncost job until the faceline was ready. I had to go and run my boots under the water taps to get them on. Along with others I was waiting in the pit bottom xcut as the smoke was getting worse. I went inbye when Tom Green was found and went up the pit with him and the other men who helped him. I went to the first aid room with Tom and then got washed and changed. When they asked for volunteers I got changed again but wore my shoes as I still could not get my boots on. We took hoses up to the fan site and walked down the road of the fire a short distance. Later on we were asked to assist the Mines Rescue team that was trying to break through a crosscut near the pit bottom. After the breakthrough it was deemed too dangerous to search any distance due to smoke and high temperatures. After that we came back up the pit about 6pm.

I was redeployed to Wester Auchengeich where I completed my coalface training. I was a deputy and overman at Cardowan Colliery until I transferred to the Alloa Area in 1965 when the Longannet Project started. I trained in mines rescue and was a member of the Area Specialist team for 17 years based at Cowdenbeath Rescue Station. I was 21years old at the time of the fire so there cannot be many people left who were underground on that day.  I am in regular contact with James [Jim] Dickson who was the manager’s assistant/clerk at the colliery and also Ian Hogarth. Both gave evidence at the inquiry.

Wester Auchengeich

PS I knew Eric Savage

My Father worked there at the time. He was on the "Ham and Egg Shift" 9am to 5 pm so he missed the accident. He seldom spoke about it, it made him very distressed. He did tell me he had his photo taken by the Evening Citizen when manning the hoses; he knew by his own experiences that there was no hope for the men. He worked with one of the casualties the week before but he got moved to the Fatal Shift.

My father was Tom Cannon from Airdrie

Thomas Cannon

Hi there, My dad John Armour, was a mines rescue worker at Coatbridge, Lanarkshire. He died aged 45 of lung cancer just after retiring. I play in a band, and have written a song dedicated to Mines Rescue Workers, and my dad! Any comments on lyrics welcome from an expert such as yourself! Of course I can send you a tape of the music if you'd like. all the best (and a great site you have developed).   Rab Armour

Rab Armour, 'MySpace'

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Charles Sharkey
Rescue Brigadesman