Redding and Braes villages prepare for Free Colliers' Pinkie March

This year’s parade marks 160 years since the brotherhood was set up by miners determined to fight for better wages and conditions. Many of those taking part will be following in the footsteps of their forefathers in what is known locally as the ‘Pinkie march’ – the tailcoated Free Colliers link their little fingers to symbolise their unity in a defiant gesture of freewill for workers.

The parade will leave the Reddingmuirhead lodge rooms in the community centre in Shieldhill Road at noon, making its way to the memorial at Redding Cross to the 40 miners who perished in the 1923 disaster.

From there it will head to The Quoit in Main Street, Redding, then the Tam Bain in Mary Street, Laurieston, before heading up through Westquarter with a stop at the Unity club.

Next marchers will head to Brightons Masonic Hall and then to Wallacestone where the traditional speeches will take place.

Then it will be back down Wallacestone Brae finishing back at the lodge rooms in the community centre.

Set up in 1863, the Sir William Wallace Grand Lodge of Scotland Free Colliers inspired 65 other lodges of colliers across the Scottish coalfields to be formed, all united in promoting the rights of the working man. However, today only the Redding colliers remain in existence.

But this will not be their only outing this year, as on Saturday, September 23 they will mark the 100th anniversary of the Redding Pit disaster with a parade to the site of the new memorial stone. It was one of the darkest days in the district’s history with women and children waiting for days for news of their loved ones who were trapped below the surface.

The event is two days before the anniversary on September 25 and will begin with a Colliers’ parade from Reddingmuirhead, calling at the pithead, the Gutterhole from which 21 of the 75 men working down pit at the time were rescued on the first day, and arriving at the memorial around 1.30pm.

The dedication itself will be made by Rev. Tom Grieg with contributions from Ian Scott, Provost Robert Bissett; former Provosts Pat Reid and Billy Buchanan and former MP Michael Connerty. The names of the 40 men who died and the five who were rescued after nine days will be read. Children will read some poems, and music will be provided by the Linlithgow Reed Band, Bo'ness and Carriden Brass Band and piper Kevin McLean.

Work on the memorial and surrounding area are nearing completion with the stone work already finished and the paths and paving being completed at the moment. The decorative work is also nearly ready including the wrought iron wheels which are being painted this week; the two coal hutches complete and ready for installation; the miner's lamps and associated electric works ready to go when other aspects are completed and the two statues cast and ready for finishing.

*Turn to page 50 for historian Ian Scott’s feature on 160 years of the Free Colliers.