Cadder Coal Mine Disaster, Scotland,1913
This afternoon, I am straying from my usual diet of tourist related information to dwell on a 'dark' side of Scotland's history, as manifested in the deep coal mine disaster detailed below. The loss of life was bad enough but I suggest readers take a minute to reflect on the implications for the families of the deceased, especially those left abandoned with no income. For example, the wife of James Flynn (maybe age about 30 years) was left with ten children, no income and probability of being forced to exit the company owned house in which the family lived. In 1913 there would have been no cushion of social security/welfare benefits. There may well have been some sort of public subscription to assist dependents but such would have afforded short-term relief. The next year World War 1 started. Over and above the foregoing there was discrimination against Catholics in the West of Scotland, a situation which continues today in the form of continuing tension between the Pr...