Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Shocking state of the miners’ memorial
Dear Editor Recently the Advertiser carried a splendid article on the Stanrigg monument that commemorates the 19 miners killed in the colliery disaster of 1918 [Advertiser, August 9].
It was gratifying to read of people who give to their community; Stanrigg is a synonym for community spirit and respect.
A pity, though, that not all memorials in the district are blessed with community and council support.
My wife and I found the article uplifting to the extent we were inspired to visit the Whinhall Moss-side memorial to pay our respects to the three miners killed when the mine flooded on September 22, 1939.
One of the victims was my great- uncle, James Walker. All three men are entombed benenath the moss.
My wife’s gran and aunt (a babe in arms at that time) were part of the crowd gathered at the pit head for news of the doomed miners. Such a tragedy can bond a community, but the collective memory dissipates with succeeding generations.
The location of the cairn-like monument is not obvious. A signpost or information board would have been helpful; I had to ask a resident its whereabouts.
Down a secluded footpath, and there it stands, neglected and vandalised.
The plaque with the inscribed names of the miners is missing, the brickwork requires washing and repointing, and the site is on the fringe of a copse, its seclusion maybe a factor in it being an easy target for vandals. If sited 50 or so yards up the lane – nearer the position of where the pit head was – it would be in public view.
All around, broken wine bottles were crushed underfoot, and I was informed gangs of youths were chased periodically from the wood by police.
It does appear the council is remiss in its obligatory commitment to maintain all public monuments. By contrast, the Common head miners’ memorial displayed blooming daffodils all around in the sunshine and was simply resplendent.
Sadly, the Whinhall site is in a depressing state that is disrespectful.
We urge the council not to write off the Whinhall memorial or the area’s people, but to tidy up the site, replace the inscribed plaque and clear and repoint the cairn masonry. Steven McAuley, Caldercruix