Glasgow’s ‘lost’ mining village brought to life
A NEW artwork commemorating a ‘lost’ mining village in the north of Glasgow will be unveiled this weekend.
Lochfauld was one of several mining rows, including Mavis Valley, Laigh Possil and Jellyhill, that appeared along the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal between Lambhill and Bishopbriggs round the 1850s at the height of the Industrial Revolution.
By the 1950s, as the mines closed and the work moved elsewhere, they were abandoned leaving virtually no trace of the once-thriving communities.
Now, through oral histories, rare photography and archive research, artist Mitch Miller, a graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, has attempted to recreate elements of life in the rows through the 100 years of their existence.
The artwork will be unveiled at Lambhill Stables on Saturday as part of the Coal, Cottages and Canals, a community history project supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, which is researching the vanished communities between Lambhill and Bishopbriggs.
The Shangie will be displayed permanently in the grounds of the Stables, allow- ing visitors to gain a deeper insight into Lambhill’s history.
Colin Clark, Heritage Coordinator for Lambhill Stables, said: “We’re thrilled to present Mitch Miller’s work at Lambhill Stables.
“His approach has been meticulous in its preparation and detailed in its execution.
“The Shangie positively teems with life, much as the whole area once did.
“The grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund has allowed us to shine a light into a part of Glasgow’s past that’s in danger of disappearing for good.
“We hope visitors come away with a deeper appreciation of what life along the canal was like and that they understand a bit more about the lost communities that played such a vital role in growing our city’s fortunes.”