Dunfermline -Emigration of Miners To America – On account of the great depression which still exists in the mining and iron trade, a considerable number of miners in the Dunfermline district left last week for America acting on the suggestion of Mr M’Donald, president of the Miners’ Association. The mining trade is giving no evidence of improvement, and many men are still unemployed. The markets are dull, and coal continues to accumulate at the pitheads. One colliery in the district has a stock on hand of about 36,000 tons. [Scotsman 2 March 1868]
Letters To The Editor – The Scotch Miners
Wellhall, Hamilton, April 16, 1878
Sir – In your issue of today I observe an article on the Scotch miners, at least that is its heading. In the article you discuss various phases in connection with the condition of the miner. In it it is stated, “in the beginning of last year Mr Macdonald advised 20,000 of the younger men to leave an occupation which could only afford starvation wages and emigrate to the great coal-fields of America.” I take the clearest and most unmistakable way that I can in declaring the assertion that I advised either young or old to go to the coal-fields of America, when I spokeof emigration, is utterly untrue. I observe in the article other statements of a similar character. As they, however, do not concern me, I rest myself satisfied with this unqualified contradiction. —I am, &c. Alexander Macdonald.
[Mr Macdonald specified in his speech on March 29th of last year certain coal-fields in America to which the young miners who were to emigrate were not to go. So far his contradiction is justifiable. But he told them where to go and it is certain that if they had taken his advice they would have been worse off than they are at home, just as they are much worse off at home for having taken his advice on various occasions, including last year. Mr Macdonald speaks of “other statements” in the article which are inaccurate, but he does not point them out. He is very kind but such unusual kindness is perfectly intelligible in the circumstances.] [Scotsman 18 April 1878]
Emigration of Miners – A number of miners and their families have left the Baillieston district for America. They sailed on the Anchor Line steamer on Saturday, in the hopes of bettering their condition across the Atlantic. [Scotsman 23 March 1923]
Scots Miners For Canada – The White Star liner Regina sails this evening from the Clyde for Canada with a good complement of emigrants, drawn from all parts of Scotland. There is an increasing number of miners emigrating to the Canadian mines in Nova Scotia, and, judging from the number of families now proceeding to join miners already in Canada, it would appear that conditions have been found favourable. The usual number of domestics and ironworkers, &c., also figure in the passenger list. Miners also figure in the passenger list of the Canadian Pacific liner Montclair which sails from the Tail of the Bank today for Canada. The party number six, of whom two hail from Portobello and one from Dunfermline. Also on board will be a party of domestic servants for Canada. Altogether 150 passengers embark at the Tail of the Bank. [Scotsman 6 October 1926]
Scots Miners For Canada – The trek of miners and other workers from Scotland to Canada continues. A large party of miners and families, from-various parts of Scotland, and particularly the Hamilton, Burnbank, and Blantyre districts , sailed on the White Star liner Doric from the Clyde on Saturday evening. for Canada. There were also considerable numbers of domestics, iron workers and farm workers included in the passenger list. The St Lawrence season from Glasgow closes with: the sailing of the White Star lined Regina on Saturday; 13th November for Quebec and Montreal. Thereafter a monthly service will be maintained by this line from Glasgow to Halifax and New York. [Scotsman 1 November 1926]
Young Miners For Canada – At Hamilton Employment Exchange yesterday hundreds of young miners enrolled as trainees with a view to emigration to Canada for farm work. There has been an attempt on the part of Communists to break up the propaganda meetings which the Ministry of Labour are holding in many industrial centres in Lanarkshire, but Mr. J. M. Cramond, Controller for Scotland for the Department, addressing a meeting of miners, said he was pleased with the response already made to the scheme of free training and passages by Scotland’s young and virile manhood. He was satisfied that they were going to get all the muscular manhood they wanted. The scheme was daily growing in favour among the miners of Scotland. Intimation was made of the intention of the Ministry of Labour to open early in the year a big training centre at Carstairs, Lanarkshire. [The Times 29 November 1928]