Our 2021 campaign for remembering the miners of the Blantyre Pit Disaster got off to a flying start this month with fundraising links now live!
In early January, we teamed up with the Miners Welfare and local resident James Small to discuss raising enough funds for new engraved plaques to specifically mention all the names of the Blantyre miners lost in the Pit Disaster of 1877.
This is something sadly been missing in Blantyre until now, though the miners are remembered collectively in the memorial at High Blantyre. This latest endeavour aims, like the War memorial to personalise them, rather than as numbers, by listing their names and ages. All 215 of them!
The latest meeting this week was with South Lanarkshire Council to discuss the proposals, seeking permission to alter the existing obelisk at High Blantyre Cemetery. Further plans underway include a ‘storyboard’ to tell the unique story of the disaster and the rescue efforts. With thanks to YOUR January Supporter Group subscriptions on Blantyre Telegraph, £200 was handed over last week to Andy Simm of Blantyre Miners Welfare to get the fundraising started. With thanks also to James Small for all his hard work in obtaining quotes.
A dedicated fundraising link is now live here. See how YOU can get involved and feel free to contribute. All funds are going entirely to the Memorial Fund, being held by the Miner’s Welfare and any donations made will be transferred once every calendar month to Andy Simm.
All being well, the new plaques, intending to last hundreds of years will be unveiled on the next anniversary of the disaster in October 2021.
