Benhar unidentified pits

References

COAL TO BE LET and entered to immediately. THE COAL now working by Lord Torphichen at BONHAR, commonly called ihe, HARTHILL or BONHAR COAL. This Coal is too well known for its superior quality to require any description. It is level free, can be wrought at very moderate expense and had a new pit sunk to it last vear. It is remarkably well situated for markets, being near to the turnpike road between Edinburgh and Glasgow, by Whitburn, about three miles west of Whitburn, and from the turnpike road to the colliery a good road has lately been made. There are houses for the accommodation of coal overseers and colliers, and the tenant of the coal may have a lease of what land he may wish for, between the a colliery and the turnpike road. Offers for a lease, not cxceeding 19 years, may be given in to Mr Sandilands, W. S: North St Andrew's Street, Edinburgh.

Caledonian Mercury, 16th May 1801

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On Monday morning, while two of Mr. Bown's men, at Benhar colliery, in the parish of Shott were descending to their work, the hutch in which they were struck the side of the pit slightly, when one of them, a young man, was precipitated to the bottom killed on the spot. - His companion did not know the accident till he reached the bottom of the pit their lights having gone out when the hutch got entangled.

Caledonian Mercury, 20th October 1825

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Fatal Pit Accident.—An accident, resulting in the instantaneous death of a miner named John Thomason. occurred Saturday in No. 2 ironstone pit, Benhar. near Harthill. The deceased, along with two other miners, was descending to his work, and when within a few feet of the bottom the cage was raised. One of the workmen managed to get out, and asked the others to follow, but Thomason and James Soobie, the other workman, could not leave the cage, and when it arrived at the pit-mouth it was found that Thomason had fallen out during the ascent. His death must have been instantaneous. His mangled remains were found at the bottom of the pit. The deceased was thirty four years of age, and married.

The Scotsman, 27th October 1868