Civic Week History
Researched by Liz Rae
March 2024
Source: Central Libraries Service, Dunfermline Library
Cowdenbeath Miners and the Gala Day.
Cowdenbeath Advertiser – 18th April 1930
A meeting of the Cowdenbeath Branch of Fife, Clackmannan and Kinross Miner’s Union was held in the Miner’s Welfare Institute on Wednesday afternoon, ex Provost Russell presiding. The monthly report submitted by the Delegates was approved with the exception of the suggested venue at the Annual Gala on 2nd, June. The meeting decided to recommend to the board to hold the event in Burntisland instead of Dunfermline as had been suggested.
Cowdenbeath Advertiser – Fri 6th June 1930
The month of the longest day and of the brightest sunshine is with us. Locally it is ushered in by the Miner’s Gala Day, which, for sixty-one years, has been held to commemorate the great achievement of our forebears in reducing and fixing the hours in the nimes.
This annual event has lost much of its old glory. A generation ago everybody in the mining belt was up betimes on Gala Day morning, awakened to the music of the brass and flute bands which paraded the streets. Today the old enthusiasm is not there and the centres fixed for demonstrations are no longer the mecca.
The holiday is still observed, but, with the facilities for travel, people are now inclined to take their ain gait, and the meetings no longer attract their thousands.
It is not our purpose to judge the reasons for the change but to lament it, for these great demonstrations of old were a sign of the unity sweetened the life of the people. Then, the atmosphere was one of hope of better things ahead; today the atmosphere is charged, if not with despair, certainly with despondency and disruption. Let us hope that the coming generation will profit by the experience of the present, avoid the pitfalls into the latter has stumbled, and seize the substance rather than the shadow.
Cowdenbeath Advertiser – 30th June 1933
COWDENBEATH CO-OPERATIVE GALA
The decision of the Committee of the Co-Operative Children’s Gala Trea Committee to drop the sports from the Gala programme this year and replace the same with other attractions and by giving each child a new penny has been the subject of a protest from a large number of the Kirkford members.
The decision of the Gala Committee bya majority was that the sports had become unmanageable on account of the large number of kiddies particularly, but this has not met with the approval of the Kirkford parents, who insisted that the sports should go on. As the result of several protest meetings, a deputation comprising Mr.M.Morran, Mr.R.Smith, Mrs.Low and Mrs.Cameron interviewed the board of management of the Society on Monday evening, who, after discussion, decided that they had no power to over-ride arrangements made by the full Gala committee. This decision was communicated to a meeting of the parents in Kirkford Institute on Tuesday night when it was agreed to adhere to their former finding and not allow their children to take part in the procession as the Gala takes place tomorrow (Saturday).
Cowdenbeath Advertiser – 4th July 1930
THE CHILDREN’S GALA DAYS
LUMPHINNANS-HILL-OF-BEATH, AND LOCHORE
PICTURESQUE FUNCTIONS
The week-end brought the first of the Children’s Gala Days, three in all being staged locally. At Lumphinnans, Hill-of-Beath and Lochore, the children met the incoming summer with their annual outing.
The Hill-of-Beath boys and girls whose Gala took place on the Friday afternoon, were favoured with glorious weather, but, unfortunately, heavy intermittent showers early on Saturday afternoon interrupted the Lumphinnans and Lochore festivals. It failed, however, to interrupt the enjoyment of the merrymakers.
The joyful scene of the Galas, the processions with their fluttering flags, and white summer outfits, their enthusiastic cheers and smiling faces; did much to brighten the surroundings. It was a glad day for the parents as well as the children.
LUMPHINNANS GALA
The Lumphinnans children left the school on Saturday, half-an-hour before noon, and headed by the Cowdenbeath British Legion Pipe Band, wearing their new outfits for the first time, the picturesque and happy procession moved along Main Street to the accompaniment of encouraging cheers and waves from the parents who lined the streets. The column wound its way down Sligo Street and into the park, kindly granted by Mrs. Stewart of Lumphinnans farm.
The procession was further enlivened by the presence of many of the children in fancy dress. These were judged for prizes by Mrs.Stewart, Lumphinnans farm, Mr.Gra, Headmaster of the school, and Mr.Kelly, schoolmaster. The winners were; – 1. A.Shields, 7 Lochgelly Road; 2. M & D Duncan, Leuchatsbeath Cottages.
Thanks are due to the teachers who marshalled the procession and assisted invaluably in the sports. The class races were run off in the morning, after the bags and milk had been distributed by the teachers and the committee.
The five-a-side football ties were subsequently played off, the semi-finalists being;- T.Gilbert, D.Gorman, D.Drylie, J. Doyle and P.Bain.
G.Clark, L.Moffat, M.McHale, A.Melville, and D.Martin.
T.Douglas, A.Spry, A.Robertson, A.Penman, and J.Stenhouse.
D.Sneddon, H.Bain, L.Lister, P.Traynor and T.Smith
In the final, T.Gilbert’s five defeated T.Gouglas’s five by one goal to one corner.
The other events resulted as follows;- Championship race (Girls)- 1. Annie Blair, 2. M. Smith, 3. M. Ellis.
Championship race (Boys) – 1. T.Gilbert, 2. O.Nugent, 3. J.Brown.
Skipping Rope Race (Girls) – 1. J.McCusker, 2. M.Michie, 3. J.Finlayson.
Wheelbarrow Race (Boys) – 1. T.Gilbert and J.Clark, 2. J.Martin and R.Laidlaw.
3 Legged Race (Girls) – 1. L.Scott and A.Hunter. 2. P.Muir and J.Brown.
3 Legged Race (Boys) – 1.W.Ewing and A.Douglas, 2. J.Martin and R.Laidlaw.
Young Married Woman’s Race;- 1. Mrs.Stanley, 2.Mrs.Burt, 3. Mrs.McKinley.
Old Woman’s Race: – 1. Mrs.Foster, 2. Mrs.Low, 3. Mrs.York.
Old Men’s Race: – 1. A.Handyside, 2. T.Watt, 3. A.Drummond.
Bandsmen Race; – 1. Drummer Jackson, 2.Piper Neiles, 3. Pipe-Major McDade.
Committee Race; – 1. A.Craig, 2. A.Moffat, 3. W.Weir.
In the annual football match the committee beat the band by two goals to one. The arrangements for the function were in the able hands of Mr.W.Reedie and his committee. The Chairman of the Committee is Mr.G.Clark, and the Treasurer, Mr.Abe.Moffat.
HILL-OF-BEATH GALA
The Hill-of-Beath Children’s Gala, organised by the village committee, was held last Friday afternoon in fine weather. The bairns gathered in the school playground where refreshments were supplied. Full justice having been done to the good fare, they formed in processional order, led by Hill-of-Beath Pipe Band and marched through the village to Keir’s Park, where the usual sports were carried through.
Following are the winners of the various events:- Infant’s Race (Boys)- 1. J.McDonald, 2. J.McGregor, 3. T.Fynie.
Infant’s Race (Girls) – 1. M.Carradin, 2. B.Smith, 3. M/Dickie.
Boys Race (Under 8 yrs) – 1. J.Cunningham, 2. J.Allan, 3. W.Smith.
Girl’s Race (Under 8 yrs) – 1.M.Simpson, 2. J.Stenhouse, 3. J.Dakero.
Boy’s Rae (Under 10 yrs) – 1. F.Mears, 2. J.Stenhouse, 3. J.Kelly.
Girl’s Race (Under 10 yrs) – 1. B.Hastie, 2. V.McLean, 3. W,Wallace.
Boy’s Race (Under 12 yrs) – 1. H.Kinloch, 2. A.Baxter, 3. G.Hynd.
Girl’s Race (Under 10 yrs) – 1. J.Cadogan, 2. C.McHale, 3. J.McIntyre.
Boy’s Race (Over 12 yrs) – 1. D.Mullen, 2. J.Traynor, 3. T.Thomson.
Girl’s Race (Over 12 yrs) – 1. A.Forman, 2. S.Watson, 3. A.Drysdale.
Boy’s Race (Advanced Division) – 1.M.Condie, 2. T.Kelly, B.Smith.
Girl’s Race (Advanced Division) – 1. M.Horsburgh, 2. N.Izatt, 3. A.Kelly.
Boy’s High Jump (Under 12 yrs) – 1. Equal – A.Kelly and J.Burt – 3ft,7ins.
Boy’s High Jump (Over 12 yrs) – 1. M.Condie, 3ft,9ins 2. Equal – J.Smith and J.Hunter – 3ft, 8 ins.
Girl’s High Jump (Over 12 yrs) – 1. B.Robertson, 3ft,6ins. 2. N.Izatt – 3ft,5 ins, 3. M/Horsburgh – 3ft,4ins.
Throwing Cricket Ball – 1. qual G.Fairley and D.Campbell. 2, N.Hamilton.
Netball (Girls) -Finalists – M.Millar, J.Cadogan (a), M.Allan, M.Mcintyre,
Cowdenbeath Gala Events 