We are very grateful to Elaine Mcchesney, Curator at Campbeltown Museum, for allowing us to post this photograph of a list of employees from Argyll Colliery, which was donated to the museum collection by Mrs. McNaughton. The list is thought to date back to just before the closure of the mine in 1967. We are interested in tracking down the men/relatives of the men on the list so that we can find out a bit more about these employees. Any information about them would be a valuable contribution to The Road to Drumleman Community Exhibition and archive. If you can help please contact us via the blog or at jan@jannimmo.com
Employee List/Argyll Colliery c. 1967 courtesy of Campbeltown Museum/Mrs McNaughton
Meantime we have established the following but are looking for anyone who can shed more light on these men – we’ll continue to update as information comes in:
John Anderson – 35.
We think this is John Anderson who was know as Kyamp rather than John Anderson, who came originally from Douglas and who drove some of the first roads at Lady Lithgow mine as Argyll Colliery was formerly known.
George Cook – 41.
Collier
Jim Kelly – 48.
We think this may have been Jim kelly, who was originally from Machrihanish.
Collier
Jimmy Steele – 69
Jimmy is thought to have moved to Canada.
Collier
More info?
A. Stephens – 72.
Collier
More info?
Willie McIntyre – 77.
Willie worked at the mine for the duration of the time it was open as a collier. Willie survived a bad accident at A.C. He still lives in Campbeltown with his wife, Janet.
Robert Armour – 78
We think this is Robert Robina Armour.
Collier
JD Evans – 80.
Taffy Evans was the only Welshman to have worked at Argyll Colliery.
Collier
Willie Colville – 103
Collier
A Gilchrist – 126
Angu Gilchrist
Collier
Dan Stalker – 112.
Collier
A McEachran – 128.
More info?
Collier
J McGeachy – 52.
More info?
Collier
C McMillan – 58.
Charlie McMillan – collier – there is also another Charlie McMillan, who is resident a Machrihanish, and worked in the garage at Argyll Colliery.
JK McKerral – 59.
Collier
D. McPhee – 63.
Muckaphee?
Collier
R Martin – 65.
More info?
Collier
Robert Brown – 71.
Rab Broon
Collier
Angus Mckinlay – 73.
Angus Ibrox Mckinlay – still resident in Campbeltown
Collier
Willie Galbraith – 82.
Willie Baish (?) Galbraith
Collier
Davy Anderson – 92.
Davy Gas Anderson
Davy came with his father, John, from Douglas in Lanarkshire too Campbeltown his father drove some of the original roads at Argyll Colliery. Davy was one of the miners who was working on the day that Jimmy Woodcock was killed at the colliery. When the mine closed he started to sell (calor?) gas, hence his nickname. Davy was one of the miners who contributed to the documentary film, The Road to Drumleman
Collier
Malcolm Milloy – 96.
More info?
Collier
JD McMIllan – 99.
More info?
Collier
George McMillan – 120.
George McMillan worked at the coalface at A.C and was also a labour councillor at the time when Campbeltown Council built 2 new housing schemes for the miners of Argyll Colliery. George has gathered information and given talks about mining. He was involved with the Amenity Trust that runs the local Heritage Centre and which was responsible for refurbing and converting the Old School House into a bunk house. George was one of the miners who contributed to the documentary film, The Road to Drumleman. He still lives in Campbeltown and where he runs a newsagent.
A McKerral -123.
More info?
David Seaman – 1.
Colliery Manager
Under Manager – 2.
We know that Willie Mair was an under manager but think that there was someone different working in this post around this date. More info?
D Scott – 3.
Safety Officer
Malcolm Hamilton – 4.
Malcolm The Tiger Hamilton worked at nightshift Oversman
Joe Currie – 5.
More info?
Willie Livingstone – 6.
More info?
Tommy Woodford – 7.
more info?
Davy McNaughton – 8
Shot-firer
Jock Kerr (senior) – 9.
Shot-firer
Angus A McDonald – 10
Angus Gus McDonald
Shot-firer
Archie McCallum – 11.
Shot-firer
Jock Campbell – 12.
Shot-firer
Tommy Wilson – 13.
Shot-firer
Jock Kerr (Junior) – 16.
Shot-firer
J Soudan – 76.
On cost
More info?
Willie McKerral – 81.
On cost
Dan McArthur – 113
On cost
John Short – 106.
On cost
John Brown – 118.
On cost
J McNeill – 119
On cost
More info?
Jackie Galbraith – 95.
On cost
Tommy Tucker Robertson – 107.
On cost
Neil Munro – 67.
On cost
Jimmy Fleming – 43.
On cost
Matthew Deans – 117.
On cost
Jackie Hall – 18.
Electrician
W Morris – 19.
Charge hand
Jock(?) Henderson – 23.
More info?
Hughie Lee – 22.
Electrician
Willie Durance – 23.
Electrician
Willie Hughs – 54.
Day shift
Joe Duncan – 70.
Day shift
Jimmy Thompson – 60.
Day shift
Campbell Maloney – 86
Campbell was youth delegate for the NUM (National Union of Mineworks) and travelled all over Scotland. When he left the mine, when it closed, he went to work in a garage. Campbell was a drummer with Campbeltown Pipe band. Campbell was one of the contributors to The Road to Drumleman documentary.
Day shift
Malcolm Malkie McDonald – 91.
Day shift working with splice the wires for the bogeys (?)
Andy Grogan – 98.
Day shift
Peter McCallum – 114
Day shift
Danny Mitchell – 119.
Pumper
Campbell The Doo Wilkinson – 95.
Pumper
Charlie Farmer – 115.
Pumper
Willie Mc Kinven – 127.
Willie left the local fishing industry to work at A.C in around 1955. He worked at the coalface at A.C. and suffered a terrible accident, which he recovered from and went back to mining. He is survived by his wife, Jenny. Willie was one of the contributors to The Road to Drumleman documentary.
Nightshift
Jimmy Conley – 75.
Nightshift
Willie McMillan – 108.
Willie worked at A.C. after leaving his National Service. He worked at the coalface. He still has his pick and is mashing hammer which as his employee number, 108, welded on to it. When the mine closed he went to work at Springbank Distillery. Willie was one of the contributors to The Road to Drumleman documentary.
Nightshift
Alec McLachlin – 26.
Engineer
Dennis Morrison – 27.
From England
Jack McCallum – 28
Engineer
Rankin McGown – 29.
Engineer
Rankin worked at them until it closed and he went to work in a factory in Bathgate. He returned to Kintyre to live at Machrihanish. Rankin was one of the contributors to The Road to Drumleman documentary.
Davy Livingston – 30.
Engineer
Willie White – 31.
Engineer
From Grangemouth – More info?
Alistair McLachlan – 33.
Engineer
Peter McDougall – 144.
Joiner
The Road to Drumleman 