One of Scotland's worst mining disasters is to be remembered in words and music at a special event to mark the exact 50th anniversary of the tragedy.
Fifty years to the day after it happened, performers led by the Bill Adair and the Bridgend Sessions Band will take the stage in the uniquely atmospheric surroundings of the
Scottish Mining Museum, Midlothian
recall the events of 18 September 1959, when nearly 50 Scottish miners perished in what became known as the
Auchengeich Mining Disaster.
The disaster happened at approximately 7am on September 18, 1959, when a fire trapped 47 miners underground. Smoke from the blaze - caused by an electrical fault 1,000ft below the surface - quickly overcame the miners who were travelling down in bogies to start work at the coal face. Rescue attempts failed due to the severity of the fire and later that day Ronald Parker, Scottish chairman of the National Coal Board, told the waiting crowd of 1,200 people that a decision had been made to flood the pit to extinguish the fire, even though the men were still missing.
The water put out the flames, but only one man survived that fateful shift. The people in the community will never forget that horrific day when so many men were killed, women became widows and mothers lost their sons.
The event,
which is sponsored by the Friends of the Scottish Mining Museum
, will take place on
Friday 18th September, commencing at 7pm with a brief tour of the museum
, and the
concert beginning at approximately 8.00pm
. The CD will be available to purchase at the event and the
proceeds will go to a newly formed trust fund, “The Auchengeich Colliery Schools Trust,
set up for the two local primary schools in Moodiesburn – Glenmanor Primary and St Michael’s Primary.
Entry to the event is ee – tickets (available now from the museum’s reception) will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
