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Wellshot Colliery

Duke's Road, Eastfield, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire.

Associated with the Wellshot Brickworks (at Wellshot Quarry, now Quarryfield Park). Do not confuse with Wellshot Pit, Shettleston.

The collieries situated at Wellshot are said to have been the oldest in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, and the following extract from "The Statistical Account of Lanarkshire" published in 1851, may be of interest:

"In 1790 about 62 men, young and old, were employed in these collieries; at present 100 are employed. An ordinary collier can easily dig 40 cwts, for which he then received 2s 2d per day, and if he wrought hard, 13s per week. At present a collier can make 3s 6d or 4s a day, or at the rate of £1 to £1 4s a week. The wages of colliers an other incidental expenses were then estimated at £2000 per annum; they may be now estimated at £2500. In 1790 about 600 carst, or 360 tons, were put out per week, and 18,000 tons per annum. At present the output is nearly 550 per week or 30,000 per annum. In 1750 a cart of coals of 9cwt cost 9d on the coal hill; in 1790 they cost 2s; and at present 2s 11d. A cart of coals from Wellshot, weighing 20 cwts, is now laid down at the village of Kirkhill for 7s 4d. The driving is 1s. 6d., toll 3d., and cost at the hill 5s 7d." [Scottish Mining Website]

10/08/1895 - Dundee Advertiser - New joint-stock companies - Dunn & Glen to carry on the business of David Gardner Dunn and Hugh Glen, coal masters, Wellshot, Cambuslang and to carry on the trade of coal masters, brick and tile makers, quarry masters etc. Capital £10,000 in £10 shares. [Scottish Brick History]

10/08/1895 - Glasgow Herald - The following joint-stock companies were registered in Scotland during the present week ... Dunn & Glen, established with a capital of £10,000 divided into £10 shares to acquire and carry on the business at Wellshot, Cambuslang of coal masters, brick and tile makers and quarry masters. The registered office of the company is at Wellshot Colliery, Cambuslang. The first subscribers were D. G. Dunn, Hugh Glen, Jessie R. Dunn, Kate M. C. Dunn, Mrs Elzabeth Glen, all of Cambuslang; J. T. T. Brown writer, Glasgow and Nicol F. Cameron, writer, Glasgow ... [Scottish Brick History]

09/03/1898 - The Dundee Courier - The subscription list will open today (Wednesday) 09/03/1898 and close on or before Friday 11/03/1898. The Commercial Bank of Scotland Limited and the National Bank of Scotland Limited, Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and branches are authorised to receive subscriptions for the undermentioned capital. The United Collieries Limited - Share capital £200,000. 100,000 5% cumulative preference shares of £ each and 100,000 ordinary shares of £1 each. The following are the names of the collieries and brickworks acquired ... Wellshot Brickwork at Cambuslang. Ellismuir Brickwork at Ballieston. ... It should be explained that the profit on bricks for the same period is at the rate of 6s 8d per 1000 being equal to £1741 6s 8d per annum. Future profits are projected at this same amount. Mr Hugh Glen who has been so long successfully connected with Wellshot Colliery will be associated with the management of that concern and will take charge of the sales of brick made by the company. [Scottish Brick History]

06/05/1899 - Dundee Advertiser - The first meeting of the shareholders of the United Collieries Company Limited was held at the Merchants Hall, Glasgow yesterday ... The directors had found that the manufacture of the bricks at Wellshot was very remunerative and they resolved early in the year on the erection of an additional kiln, which had practically doubled the output which was now about 30,000 bricks daily. [Scottish Brick History]

1899 - 1900 - Wellshot Brickworks office, 109 Hope Street. Wellshot Collieries; office, 109 Hope St.

1901 - Directory of Clayworkers - Dunn and Glenn Limited, Wellshot Colliery and Brick Works, Cambuslang, Glasgow.

1903 - 1904 - Wellshot Brickworks Office, 109 Hope Street. Wellshot Collieries Office, 109 Hope St.

15/03/1905 - Hamilton Herald - Homeless labourers. Robert Fraser and James Ryan, two homeless labourers, were at Hamilton J.P. Court on Monday each fined 10s or 14 days, for sleeping at Wellfield Brickwork. [Scottish Brick History]

28/12/1907 - Hamilton Herald - Death of Hugh Glen, Wellshot House, Buchan Drive, Cambuslang - Miner to Coalmaster ... Now safely embarked upon a commercial career he transferred his services to a brickmaking firm in the Parkhead district (Note - SBH - possibly the Westmuir Colliery Brickworks, Parkhead) and it was the knowledge of the industry which he acquired there that enabled him to start a brickwork in Cambuslang at a later period in his life. [Scottish Brick History]

Alternative Names: None recorded.

Notes: Mine Owner(s): 1873-1880 Dunn Brothers, 1885 James Dunn, 1890 D.G. Dunn, 1895-1896 Dunn & Glen Ltd, 1900-1905 United Collieries Ltd.

The associated businesses (Colliery, Quarry and the nearby Wellshot Brewery) take their name from Wellshot Farm and later Wellshot House near Cambuslang.

Wellshot farm has been demolished but Wellshot House survived (c. 2024) on Milton Road. [This may be wrong 1939 map shows Wellshot House replaced by domestic housing (Milton Avenue). The farm has now also been replaced by later housing.]

Originally built in 1806 for John More, Cashier for the Royal Bank of Scotland on land which had belonged to David Dale. It passed through two further owners before being bought by Thomas Gray Buchanan in 1841 who established an estate around it including gardens and an orchard. The estate was sold off piecemeal in the 1860's by his son Thomas for the construction of suburban villas. Today the house has been sub-divided into 3 flats and stands anonymously in a cul-de-sac of smaller houses. [MacDonald]

Checking on Google Earth shows a slightly shabby but still grand building on Milton Avenue, surrounded by 1940s semi-detached bungalows (now with attic conversions).

Hydrographic Feeds: None

Hydrographic Resurgences: None