The Tragedy of Knockshinnoch

0 - 0 • Published 1 May 2009 15:58 0 Comments

GLOUCESTERSHIRE-BASED Amberley Publishing has just re-issued 'Black Avalanche", the celebrated account, by husband and wife team of Arthur and Mary Sellwood, of the Knockshinnoch Disaster.

First published in 1960, the book tells the epic story of the days in September, 1950, when the world"s media focused their attention on New Cumnock and the battle to pull 116 entombed miners, alive, from the Stygian darkness of Knockshinnoch Castle Colliery"s West Mine.

As we all know, the rescue succeeded brilliantly, but 13 other men perished when that terrible crater opened above the pit"s number 5 heading, and inrushed a murderous torrent of wet peat.

The authors relied heavily on word-of-mouth and eyewitness testimony. 'The Disaster" was truly an epic tale which loses nothing in the re-telling and this new paperback edition is a worthy enterprise.

It would be wrong to call it a great read - the tragedy is still too raw for those of us in New Cumnock. Even if, like me, you"re an 'Incomer', you soon know the story, how it affected the entire village.

But this new version is a riveting read, a real page-turner, paying due respect to the parts which Andrew Houston, the oversman who led the trapped 116, and Davie Park, the NCB official who went way beyond the call of duty, played in the rescue and to the stoicism of the other trapped miners. The George Medals won by Houston and Park were small recognition of extreme bravery.

I defy anyone from these airts not to be moved by the final page.

This book should be in every local home, it tells better than most, the true price of coal. However, in recommending this book, I must say - its not a patch on the much shorter, but far more vivid account of the events of 7-10 September, 1950 which can be gleaned from pages 35 to 38 of John Moore"s 'Among They Green Braes", the guide to Cumnock and Doon Valley District, which was published in 1977.

That piece, written by the late Bill Aitken of the Chronicle says more in less and says it better; but as those of us who knew him can testify 'Stop Press" was a truly great journalist.

Black Avalanche - by Arthur and Mary Sellwood, published by Amberley Publishing is available from all good book shops. At 128 pages, it retails at £14.99.

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