History

In 2023/24 we worked with My Cowdenbeath CIC, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland, to create an online archive for the first time all about our Gala!

The archive below has images and articles which we hope provide a throwback to years gone by, with lots of happy memories for the people of Cowdenbeath and surrounding areas.

Our sincere thanks to My Cowdenbeath, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and all those involved in the project or submitting photos that helped create this new resource.

Background & Origins

Our current Children’s Gala and Civic Week have their roots in the social fabric of local culture, which evolved from the Miners Gala (often referred to as the ‘Pit Treat’) and the Co-op ‘Store Treat’ events, which brought the community together to celebrate life in the area with a grand parade, and included all the schoolchildren dressed in their best clothes, marching bands and sometimes dignatories. The parade would wind its way through the town, ending at the Public Park where children would pick up a Gala Bag and there would be sports, entertainment and music all afternoon. Families would enjoy a picnic on the grass listening to the music from the Bandstand, with the kids tucking-in to their bag of treats and sometimes receiving a ‘Gala Penny’ to spend in the local shops!

Documentation from later years in our Establishment page, details the evolution from a Store Treat in the early 1900’s into Cowdenbeath Civic Week that we know and love today, with references to a sub-committee of the Community Council operating prior to 1979 to organise the events.

This video from Joseph Graham shows one of the earliest records of the ‘Store Treat’ as it was, which demonstrates the huge role the Co-operative Society had in our community, with thousands turning out to take part and enjoy the day.

Citizen of the Year

The annual Citizen of the Year award was bestowed by Cowdenbeath Community Council to a local resident who had gone above and beyond for the town and who warranted special recognition for their efforts, often in a voluntary capacity.

The William M. Young Trophy is a large silver rosebowl, and was presented to the heroes of our town from 1979 until 2017. You’ll see from many of the Gala photos that the recipients were always celebrated right at the front of the parade in an open top car or suitably grand transportation befitting their status!

Find out more about who received this honour over the years here.

Gala Queen & Princesses

For decades Cowdenbeath selected three bonnie lassies to be their Gala Queen and Princesses, honouring the town at civic events and riding front and centre at the Gala Parade each year.

In modern times, the selection took place at a kids disco, with girls being interviewed by a small panel of local people involved in the Gala – think Miss World but on a much smaller scale! They were usually ‘crowned’ at a special ceremony by the Citizen of the Year, local politician or well-kent face.

By the mid 2010’s the female-only rule had evolved, creating a Royal Party, which included boys for the first time as our town’s Ambassador, until the selection process ceased in 2018.