People/miner, labour leader

J. B. McLachlan

J. B. McLachlan (1869–1937), miner, labour leader, from United Kingdom. Linked to coal.

The lucky break

Went from a Scottish colliery to Cape Breton union leadership.1

Legacy

After the 25 July 1917 explosion at New Waterford killed 65 men and boys, he pushed for compensation, prosecution of company officials and changes to the Coal Mines Regulation Act.1

Story cards

Where next

People

ExamplesKeir HardieHardie went from a Scottish pit to union leadership, as McLachlan did in Cape Breton.1ExamplesAlbert 'Ginger' GoodwinTwo union leaders from British pits who led miners in Canada.2

Sources

  1. McLACHLAN, JAMES BRYSON Dictionary of Canadian Biography
  2. GOODWIN, ALBERT (Ginger) Dictionary of Canadian Biography

Pictures on this page: Keir Hardie by George Grantham Bain.jpg, George Grantham Bain (American photographer and journalist (1865–1944)) / Adam Cuerden (Public domain).

From the Prospector Trails mining history dataset: each fact links to the source it was checked against. Figures are as the source gives them, in the money of their day. Not investment advice.

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Cover photos from Wikimedia Commons: Super Pit, Kalgoorlie by Kgbo, CC BY-SA 4.0; Haul trucks by Lechhabmed, CC BY-SA 4.0.