REMEMBERING STANRIGG

Paying tribute...100 years on from the tragedy

A special memorial service will take place next month to mark the centenary of the Stanrigg mining disaster, in which 19 workers lost their lives.

It will be held on Sunday, July 8, at the Stanrigg memorial stone, off Arbuckle Road in Plains – a day before the 100th anniversary of the tragedy which struck on July 9, 1918.

More than 100 people are expected to attend the commemoration, including guests travelling from as far afield as Canada to honour their ancestors.

The service is being arranged by volunteers from the Stanrigg memorial committee and the Moodiesburn, Chryston and District retired miners’ branch.

It will feature a lament from a lone piper, ahead of the names of the 19 men being read aloud – including two sets of fathers and sons, three brothers, three brothersin-law, and seven teenagers.

They were Bernard McAdam, David McNiven, and James Sneddon, all teens, and fellow Greengairs miners William Marshall, Alexander Park, and John Sneddon; Wattstown brothers William, Alexander and 15- year- old Leslie Gilchrist, fathers and sons Robert Pollock senior and junior from Caldercruix, and William and Thomas Brady of Whiterigg; George Templeton, Robert Campbell and William Williamson, of Meadowhead and Plains, who were married to three sisters; Plains man William Campbell, John Queen of Darngavil; and Longriggend teenager Neil Lindsay.

Former miner Peter Downie, who will be leading the service, told the Advertiser: “Stanrigg is part of our heritage as a mining village and we want to make sure it continues to be remembered.

“It affected families in Greengairs, Caldercruix and all the villages round about – like Whiterigg, which is where part of Clarkston is now and in 100 years’ time, nobody might know where it was.”

He added: “Our local retired miners’ branch is one of the last ones left. There are around 10 of us organising the centenary service and we have been planning it for over a year.

“We’ve had quite a few people phoning and asking about it. We’ve even had letters from America and Australia from people who had relations involved, and a gentleman from Canada has been in touch as he’ll be on holiday in Scotland at the time and wants to be included.

“The last time there was a big service at Stanrigg was several years ago. This is a special anniversary, and we hope that it could become like nearby Auchengeich with something going on to take place every year.

“We’ve sent information about it to all the churches in Airdrie, and people are very welcome to attend.”

The service will include reading and prayers from Rev William Jackson of Greengairs Parish Church and Father Thomas Trench of St David’s Church in Plains.

Wreaths will be laid and a two-minute silence observed, while hymns will be led by the Croy silver band.

Dedications and speeches will be given by National Union of Mineworkers’ representative Nicky Wilson; Alex Neil, the Airdrie & Shotts MSP; Gartcosh, Glenboig & Moodiesburn councillor and former miner Willie Doolan; and Airdrie North representative Sophia Coyle.

The memorial service takes place at 2pm on Sunday, July 8, and will be followed by a civic reception at nearby St David’s Church hall in Plains.