Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life

I visited this local museum today. I haven't been for over 16 years and it was just fantastic. The museum celebrates the industries of the area.

My town is an old steel, iron, and mining town. It was served by my ancestors who came from Ireland after the Famine to work as low skilled labourers in Scotland. The Irish congregated, as immigrants naturally do, and nowhere was more Irish than Coatbridge. To this day the town is known as 'Little Ireland.'

The exhibits are wonderful. This old steam engine gave me goosebumps. No computers to run things, no electronics, nothing but good old fashioned mechanical levers and steam. It made me proud of my heritage!

EXTRA PHOTOS (all from the museum): old dental surgery; cooking range from 1880; Hillman Imp; 1940's living room; 1960's living room.

Weather: cloudy; 18 degrees c; shirt weather; spots of rain at times