Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
THEN & NOWSummerlee
Judith Tonner
It’s proudly hailed as Scotland’s noisiest museum – but at this time 10 years ago, Summerlee was silent of visitor buzz.
The Coatbridge attraction was closed for a £ 10 million major refurbishment ; and had just made a significant appointment by naming the Lord Lieutenant of Lanarkshire as its appeal group chairman.
Chapelhall resident Gilbert Cox had agreed to take on the new fundraising duty – in addition to his royal appointment – and told the Advertiser of July 2007 that it was a “huge honour” to be involved.
A decade on, the revamped museum is going from strength to strength; welcoming nearly 188,000 visitors in 2015, double its pre-refurbishment numbers.
The popular attraction is also preparing to host a social event for competitors taking part in this weekend’s Transplant Games.
Mr Cox told the Advertiser this week how the request to take on the fundraising role proved to be close to home, saying: “I actually used to work at the Summerlee site in one of my first jobs, with the National Coal Board.
“They used the property between it being Gartsherrie ironworks and later the museum, and I worked there when I was a surveying officer in the 1960s.
“Back then, Summerlee was great for its time but it was starting to become a bit dated – there were no hands-on exhibits for kids, for example, while other museums were starting to have automated and digital displays.
“It needed to be more modern and for everyone to be able to make full use of it.”
Summerlee Ironworks had opened on the site in 1836; the museum was formed in the late 1980s and the refurbishment of a decade ago – also supported by lottery funding – saw the main hall completely stripped and rebuilt.
The then-lord lieutenant put together his appeal committee of local professionals, approaching businesses and trusts for major donations; while crediting council officer Jim Francis for doing much of the “spadework”.
It successfully reached its target; while unusual donations also came from unlikely sources.
Mr Cox said: “Some things always surprise you. We were trying to find a Hillman Imp, to tell the story of steel rolling – and a woman