Cappers No.1 pit

An early ironstone pit in the lands of Polkemmet, with a shaft to the Boghead Gas Coal at 32 fathoms. Total depth 141 ft. Cappers No.1 appears to have been erroneously labelled as Cappers No.2 (and vica versa) on Ordnance Survey maps.

References

Cappers No.2 pit is situated 12 Chains East of No 1 Pit & North of Cappers Plantation - It is 33 fathoms to the Seam which is from 3 to 4 feet 10 inches in thickness including Rough & Parrat Coal with Ironstone, the latter varying from 6 to 12 inches - The Water engine is 35 and the winding engine is 15 horse power - It is wrought by the Shotts Iron Company.

OS Name Book

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WHITBURN – MELANCHOLY DEATH OF A BOY. On Tuesday afternoon, Alexander Waugh, aged 14 years, son of Charles Waugh, brusher, at Cappers Rows, met his death under the following melancholy circumstances. Deceased and another boy of a similar age were at No. 1 Pit, Polkemmet, belonging to the Shotts Iron Company, wheeling out ashes from the fire outside the engine-house. At this time the engineman had occasion to set the engine in motion to let two miners down the pit in the cage, and heard immediately after it commenced a noise as of wood breaking. He at once stopped the engine, and found the fencing of the fly-wheel of the engine and part of the flooring of the engine -house had been torn down. The deceased was found lying dead beneath the fly-wheel. His right leg was broken and also the right arm. He had not been missed by his companion, and the manner of his death is the result entirely of conjecture. It is supposed that he had got upon a chest which stands beside the fence of the fly-wheel, and while looking over had been struck by one of the spokes, which would knock him into the wheel and tear down the fencing.

Daily Review (Edinburgh), 3rd April 1863