8 Jun 1957 - David Guthrie (31), 29 Hillcrest, Cowdenbeath, was electrocuted while at work at the surface power station. Deceased was unmarried.
1 Aug 1957 - John Keir and Andrew Lithgow were descending No. 1 Pit when there was an overwind. The ascending cage, which was empty, overshot the pithead and the descending cage, with the two miners aboard, hit the pit bottom at speed. Both men suffered bruises and shock. Mr Lithgow was taken to Bridge of Earn Hospital for treatment but Mr Keir was allowed home after receiving medical attention at the pit.
16 Nov 1957 - Mr William Bell, oversman, who has been appointed under-manager at Blairhall Colliery, was the guest of honour at a social function held in Bowhill Hotel, where he was met by the workers of No. 15 West and Diamond Sections in a social capacity.
4 Jan 1958 - A level mine, 1300 yards long, has been driven from No. 1 Pit to connect with the 360 fathoms inset at No. 3 shaft. This mine, which passed through the same water bearing whinstone as No. 3 shaft, is now connected to the inset and will eventually be the main coal transport road at this horizon to No. 3 shaft. Work is now in progress for the formation of the 360 fathom horizon pit bottom in preparation for coal winding. In No. 1 and 2 shafts, two low roadways, each 2000 yards long, are being driven so that output can be concentrated on the 218 fathom horizon for No. 2 pit. The aim of the project is to increase the output of the colliery from 300,000 to 1,000,000 tons per annum. The manpower complement will be 3000. The output from the three shafts will be treated in a new preparation plant which is at present under construction. There will also be provided for common use, adequate waggon siding capacity, waggon-handling arrangements, stockyard, workshops, offices, power distribution, extension to pithead baths, lamp room, etc. Duplicate main surface fans have to be installed. No. 2 pit steam winding engine was electrified during the July holiday period. Work has started on the extension of No. 1 winding engine house in preparation for the installation of equipment to electrify this winder during the 1958 July holiday period.
3 May 1958 - Slurry - dust swilled from coal by water at the colliery washery plant - would put out even a brightly-burning living-room fire, yet it is being burned in Bowhill Power Station to provide one-third of the electricity used in the West Fife coalfield. The Bowhill and the Kelty power stations now supply the electricity used in the twenty pits, the two new sinkings, and the two training pits in the West Fife Area, and one-third of the power comes from this slurry-burning plant.
13 Dec 1958 - An excavator driver, John Yeoman, 29 Gordon Street, [Lochgelly] received burning injuries when tons of hot ash cascaded toward him while he was at work on the old redd bing at Bowhill Colliery. Yeoman was operating an excavator at the Wallsgreen end of the bing, when an overhanging part of the bing gave way. He jumped clear of his machine and missed most of the ash that tumbled down, but he received burns on the arms. He was taken to Kirkcaldy General Hospital.
17 Jan 1959 - The new No. 3 shaft at Bowhill Colliery reached 2500 feet, and an inset was formed at the 360-fathom level. The formation of the pit bottom at this level has been completed. Bowhill’s output build-up will take several years, but towards the end of next year there should be a beginning of the planned expansion.
30 May 1959 - This week two miners from the Soviet Union will visit Bowhill, at the invitation of the Bowhill branch of the N.U.M. They will be accompanied by an interpreter. The guests will not be union officials but two miners who work in the coal mines of the Soviet Union.
13 Jun 1959 - William John Wishart (50), sinker, 95 Myreside Avenue, Kennoway, was killed by a fall of stone while at work last Friday at No. 3 pit.
5 Mar 1960 - Scattered all over the world are pipers who have been pupils of one of Scotland’s best-known Pipe-Majors, Mr Chris Sutherland, of Bowhill Colliery Pipe Band. Yet in a few months’ time he will have the job of teaching perhaps the most difficult pupil he has ever had - himself.
In December, while he was at work as a deputy, Mr Sutherland had his right hand on a piece of machinery when a lump of redd fell from the roof on to his forefinger. For the last three months, doctors and staff at the Kirkcaldy General Hospital have tried to save this finger which means so much to a piper. Last week, however, it was found necessary to amputate the finger.
??Bowhill Colliery’s World Championship Pipe Band from 1947, with Pipe-Major Chris Sutherland standing at the extreme left of the front row. In later years, his son, Christopher (Chris) Clark Sutherland, would become a piper in the band.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here