Tribute planned to mark 60th anniversary of the Springhill Bump

It’s been 60 years since Springhill’s third, and nal, mining disaster.

On Oct. 23, the community will gather at St. Andrew’s-wesley United Church to remember those lost, those who survived, and those left behind after “the Bump.”

e hymn sing begins at 7 p.m., organized by Clare Canning and Jim Scopie.

“It’s a night to honour the men who lost their lives as well as their families,” said Canning, whose 32-year-old father, William Turnbull, lost his life in the deepest part of the mine when the Bump occurred.

Lt. Stephen Toynton of the Salvation Army will serve as emcee for the event, with Rev. Wayne Mccarther doing a reading and an ecumenical choir from the community will perform.

A special highlight of the evening will be a performance by three daughters of the singing miner, Maurice Ruddick, with a song written by their late father. Others include Gerald Davis, Andrew Lloyd and Marg Fisher and Canning.

At 8:06 p.m. – the time of the Bump in 1958 – proceedings will halt for a moment of silence followed by reading of the names of the 75 miners who died in the disaster. Each name will be accompanied by the ringing of a hand bell.

Canning will then sing Rita Mcneil’s Working Man and the hymn sing will continue.

She said Scopie, who is also performing, has played a huge role in helping her organize the event.

“It’s not really a church service,” Canning said. “When I was talking to my sister, Cathy, after Miner’s Memorial Day, we talked about what we should do to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Bump. Instead of having a church service, we talked about having a hymn sing that everyone could attend.”

Canning was just ve months old, the youngest of four children, when her father lost her life. Her older siblings were seven, ve and two.

Her mother, who died more than 20 years ago at age 64, was just 28 when her husband died, and she was left to raise the four young children.