Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Falling silent in remembrance
Tribute to men and boys who died in pit
The centenary of the Stanrigg disaster was commemorated with a poignant service at the mine memorial, located just yards away from the site of the tragedy.
Nineteen men and boys were killed at the Airdrie coal pit when it was overwhelmed by an inrush of peat on the morning of July 9 1918.
They included eight teenagers, two sets of fathers and sons, three brothers and three brothers-in-law. Eleven of the bodies were never recovered from the colliery site, near Plains.
Around 100 people – including visitors from Australia, America and Canada – gathered at the memorial stones on Sunday for a service of remembrance, organised by members of the Stanrigg memorial committee and the Moodiesburn, Chryston and District retired miners’ branch.
It included a poignant twominute silence following the reading of the deceased miners’ names – William and Thomas Brady, Robert Campbell, William Campbell, William, Alexander and Leslie Gilchrist, Neil Lindsay, Bernard McAdam, David McNiven, William Marshall, Alexander Park, Robert Pollock senior and junior, John Queen, James Sneddon, John Sneddon, George Templeton and William Williamson.
Event organiser Peter Downie told the Advertiser: “You could have heard a pin drop when the service was going on – there wasn’t a noise or a movement.
“It seemed to be very much appreciated and everything went very well; we were very pleased with the turnout of 100 people as we’d thought that
numbers of 60 or 70 would be doing exceptionally well.
“The service was beautiful – Rev William Jackson of Greengairs Parish Church and Father Thomas Trench of St David’s Church gave readings and prayers and were both outstanding, and they thanked us afterwards for inviting them to be part of such an important event in local history.
“All those who gave speeches and talked of the historical significance of Stanrigg were first class, and the Croy Silver Band who led the hymns were excellent. Planning for the centenary service began a year ago; I think now it could become a regular occurrence.”
Wreaths were laid at the memorial stone by attending dignitaries including National Union of Mineworkers representative Nicky Wilson, Alex Neil MSP, Neil Gray MP, Airdrie North councillors Alan Beveridge, Sophia Coyle, David Cullen and Tommy Morgan, and their Glenboig colleague Willie Doolan.
Peter said of the memorial ser vice’s internationa l attendees: “We’d had phone calls from abroad, from people who’d heard online about the service and wanted to take part.
“There were people from overseas who were over here on holiday and wanted to take part and were looking to make contact with their Scottish families, relatives of those who were killed.
“People were coming from all over and the amount of support from people who attended was great to see.”
Organisers also thanked North Lanarkshire Council for their support of the event and for maintaining the memorial grounds ahead of the service; Airdrie vegetable firm Albert Bartlett, who offered their services and painted the memorial’s historic winding wheel; caterers Llaza of Plains and programme printers Boico.