Steel/Iron Works Accidents

LizzieS · Post by **LizzieS** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:17 pm

Hi,
Does anyone know if there are any records of accidents in steel and/or iron works anywhere?
Lizzie

Post by **marilyn morning** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:50 pm

Hi Lizzie,

The Coalmining History Centre migh be a good place to begin. It contains a hugh database of accidents and deaths.

http://www.cmhrc.co.uk/site/home/

http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10337

Regards
Marilyn

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:16 pm

Hi Lizzie,

Are you looking for details of accidents in general, or a specific accident?

There might be more information in a newspaper as, if steel works were anything like coal mines, there were probably too many accidents for each to be individually recorded in detail.

Best wishes

Brian

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:54 am

Hello Lizzie,

Yes, why not post the particulars if appropriate. You never know your luck.

All the best,
Alan

LizzieS · Post by **LizzieS** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:09 pm

Hi,

Thanks for your thoughts.

I have possibly 2 accidents that I would like to find more about.

My grandfather George Cunningham (b 1887) in my memory always walked with a stick. I understood he had had an accident at work. He was a Melting shop manager at one of the Mossend steel works, possibly Stewart & Lloyds.

My GGGrandfather Peter Cunningham age 63, died 1890 as a result of a partial amputation to his hand which had been smashed, followed by a secondary amputation. He was a foreman Engineer. At his marriage 1848, he worked at Langloan and remained in that area. He died Bank St, Coatbridge. This of course may not be a work related accident.

Any thought?

Regards
Lizzie

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 3:29 am

Hello Lizzie,

I found an article for Peter Cunningham.

Glasgow Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), Tuesday, December 3, 1889
MACHINERY ACCIDENT AT LANGLOAN IRON-WORKS.—Peter Cunningham, foreman engineer in Langloan Iron-works, was yesterday reported to have sustained a severe injury to his left hand, which was badly crushed in the machinery of a horizontal engine. Dr Marshall had to amputate three of the fingers.

I had a look for George Cunningham in the Scotsman but I’m getting too many results and can’t narrow it down. Was he a serviceman during WW1? If so, presumably any accident would have been after the War. The Scotsman Archives are to 1950, any ideas of when the earliest memory of him being injured may date from? I can only check the GH to 1900 and quite possibly it didn’t make the Edinburgh papers.

If you want the image of the Glasgow Herald article please send me a PM with an email address to which I can send it.

All the best,
Alan

LizzieS · Post by **LizzieS** » Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:02 pm

Hi All,
Just a note to thank Alan, he not only found an article about my GGGrandfather but also one about my GGrandfather!
Still nothing on George though. I don't know if he served inWW1. I had always thought he had but then he worked in the steel industry and that could well have been a reserved occupation so maybe not. I would think the accident would have been after 1900 so as Alan has no acces to GH after that date does anyone else or does anyone know if the Mitchell might have such records? I am hoping to spend a day there very soon.
Regards
Lizzie

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:20 am

That’s okay Lizzie,

The Mitchell appears to have copies of the Glasgow Herald, probably on microfilm, for the years you want. I haven’t heard of any digitisation project for the period after 1900 so it could be a winding for a needle in the haystack exercise.

There may be an index. This page seems to be saying “Glasgow Herald, 1909-68 and 1973-4 (microfilm)”. Maybe that would help if it covers the right categories. It may be a good idea to email the Mitchell to check. http://www.rchs.org.uk/trial/gwpf.php?wpage=Newspapers

Whether George’s would have made the newspaper may depend on what type of incident caused his incapacity. A workplace accident would probably have more chance of being reported than a relatively dull workplace injury. If there was a compensation payout of some kind that may have been reported.
http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/ ... papers.htm

All the best,
Alan

LizzieS · Post by **LizzieS** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 4:54 pm

Hi Alan,

Thank you so much for all your help both on this question and the one I posted in the Scottish People Forum.

I doubt that I will be able to find out what happend to George. I was in the Mitchell last week and as you say they only have the GH on microfilm so it was like looking for a needle in the proverbial.... I even looked in what few records they have on Steel Works. Maybe next time I get down to that area I will call into the local library where they may have local information.

My searches were not in vain though as I did find the death notifications for both my ggrandfather and gggrandfather, both Peter N Cunninghams (though this is the first real indication I had that gg had the same middle name). These gave me where they are both buried.

There was also an orbituary for Gg Peter which gives lots of info about his life. It cleared up why he isn't in this country in 1891. He was in Kentucky involved somehow in the setting up of the Middlesborough Iron & Steel Works.

So this leads to another question

Hope this isn't too remotely off beam but I've had a look on the internet to see what I could find out about this and have so far been unsuccessful. I don't suppose you have access to local papers for that area

As always thanks again for your help.

Lizzie

Bob C · Post by **Bob C** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 6:41 pm

LizzieS wrote:
There was also an orbituary for Gg Peter which gives lots of info about his life. It cleared up why he isn't in this country in 1891. He was in Kentucky involved somehow in the setting up of the Middlesborough Iron & Steel Works.

In the 1880s an Englishman surnamed Arthur purchased large tracts of land in Bell County Kentucky which contained copius amounts of coal and timber. On part of these lands he laid out the town of Middlesborough. One of his enterprises was the Middlesborough Iron and Steel Works which was to take advantage of all the coal. He brought a large number of English and Scots skilled workers to help build his various enterprises. There is a fairly long write up on Mr Arthur in HH Fuson's "History of Bell County Volume 2" of which I have a copy.

Also, you might want to contact the Bell County Historical Society to see if they have any information. Their contact information can be found at http://www.geocities.com/bellhistorical

Bob