Cardowan

I was brought up in Cardowan, near Stepps, and spent most of my first 27 years there. For the early part of my life Craigendmuir, to give it its correct name, was the location of Cardowan Colliery, and so the 'scheme' just took the name of the colliery.

By the 1960s Cardowan was the only remaining working pit in Lanarkshire and, having narrowly avoided closure in 1969, finally closed in 1983.

Two weeks ago, a memorial was unveiled and dedicated to all those who had lost their lives working in Cardowan Colliery and others who were injured or, as the memorial states, "hastened to an early grave" while or as a result of working there.

With today being another day of persistent rain, I drove over to Cardowan this afternoon to have my first look at the new memorial, to take a photo or two, and to pay my respects.