CAVANAGH, James ^{1 2}

   Cause of his death was fire damp explosion.

  General Notes:

The birth of James was notified to the registrar, James Burdon, at Old Monkland on 18 June 1861 by the child's grandfather, Thomas Crawford, who made his X mark.

James was baptised in June 1861 by Father Henry O'Loughlin. His baptismal sponsors were James McCaffry and Ellen Cavanagh.

James was recorded by the 1871 census when he was 10 years old. He had been born in Old Monkland parish, and was living there, in the Rosehall area, with his family. He was still a scholar.

James died along with his brother John in the Blantyre mine disaster. He was 16 years old and worked as a colliery drawer. His usual address was 5 Calder Street Blantyre. An account of the Blantyre Mining Disaster and the life of the miners of that time and place can be found in

A Blast From The Past by Andrew Paterson pub 2005 ISBN 0-9550000-0-9 ^{2 3 4}

  Research Notes:

BLANTYRE MINING DISASTER OF 1877

The explosion that took place at 8.45 am at Dixon's Pit in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on Monday 22 October 1877, is sometimes called the Blantyre Disaster or even the Blantyre Calamity.

Two hundred and thirty three men and boys went down the pit that morning at about 5.30 am to start their day shift. Only twenty four of them survived the firedamp explosion. It was caused by a lethal build up of firedamp and fine coal dust which could be as explosive as dynamite in certain circumstances. The disaster was the biggest colliery disaster in Scotland.

The site of the explosion is to be found in the present day layout of Blantyre on the Hillhouse Road halfway between the roundabouts at Douglas Street and the Industrial Estate.

  Medical Notes:

James' death was certified by William Grant.

His mother Martha Morgan was the informant. ¹