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Blantyre Miners Community Resource Centre is delighted to announce that we have been successful in a bid to Heritage Lottery for funding of almost £30,000. The result of hard work by the Steering Group set up for the purpose, Bill Sim, Andy Paterson and Jim Cornfield along with Kay Macintosh (Changing Places), Blantyre Miners and staff.

With this money we will:

• Decorating the new Centre with local historical artefacts
• Restoring and preserving local artefacts
• Delivering history talks to schools and community groups

Bill Sim who is part of the Steering group and runs his own historical website, says ”www.blantyre.biz  is proud to be part of recording Blantyre's rich heritage and colourful history at the Blantyre Miners Community Resource Centre. It should be a part of every Blantyreonians life to ensure that their history, achievements and artefacts are made available for current and future generations, less it will be lost forever”.

Andy Paterson author, member of steering group and local historian added
"It will now be possible to exhibit local pictures and artefacts as a permanent reminder of Blantyre and its people in earlier days" more information can be found on www.blantyrepast.com

If you would like to be involved in the Steering Group or have some historical artefact which could be exhibited then call 01698 711100 or email manager@blantyremw.org.uk and we will be delighted to talk to you, don’t forget we have two magnificent Glass lit cabinets to fill so get into those attics and cupboards.

p.s. You can find out more about Andy's book, "A Blast from the Past", here.

p.s. For every copy of "A Blast From the Past" sold on the website, Andy Paterson will donate £5.00 in Sponsorship.

Update

We have completed the first Phase with a wall mounted Photographic Story Line taking us from The Priory c1350 up to 1953.

We have few artifacts to display but have been promised some from the Scottish Mining Museum. We also have a coin collection which will be displayed soon.

We still have to reproduce an Old Map of Blantyre 1875 and possibly a Collage.

A Day in a Miners Life story board now displayed in Reception.

New Website for the Centre - www.blantyremw.org.uk

Wilma Crainer setting up Coin Display, including an 1877 Coin Collection which the Miners of the 1877 Pit Disaster would have had in their wages.

As part of the Outreach Programme, we are supplying five Primary Schools with two Apodos which along with the existing 87 Interactive Exercises, there are 10 Interactive Programmes based on Blantyre and the Mining History.

Lord Provest Unveils Monument

The Monument which depicts the History of Coal Mining in Blantyre was designed by the Children of Calderside Academy.

Andy Paterson makes the opening Speach on behalf of the History Project Group. Andy, Lord Provest and Me.

We have now displayed two Banners in the Main Hall, Miners Union Banner:

... and Andrew McAnulty's Banner.

Update

The Community Centre asked a Company to produce a Collage on Blantyre's History so I thought I would have a go and here is my attempt, tell me what you think. Blantyre Collage