The Scottish War Memorials Project

David McNay

This small memorial plaque is on the wall of what is now an Indian Restaurant. I'm told it used to be a railway workers welfare club or similar organisation.

Grant Cullen · Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Worksop, Notts

Hi, David,

I can fill you in on a little of the background on this memorial. The North British Railway had a locomotive maintenance shed and yard about half a mile east of the present site of Coatbridge Sunnyside station known as `Kipps` - apparently that was the name of the farm upon whose land the shed was built in the 1860`s. In the early part of the 20th century this depot was home to almost 80 railway engines and was a big employer in the area. The memorial was erected in the early 1920`s and was affixed to the outside wall of the engine shed offices. When the shed was closed by British Railways in 1964 with subsequent demolition and site clearance taking place several years later. Tthe plaque was recovered by local railwaymen and taken and affixed to wall of what was then the quite new Railway Staff Association Social Club. After the Social Club in the 70`s closed the premises was empty for a while before becoming a short lived pub. I understand the present Indian restaurant is one of the better `eateries` in Coatbridge. I stopped to take photos of the plaque a few years ago and spoke to the owner who seemed quite proud of his little piece of history . Using the CWGC website and a book `Coatbridge and the Great War`, published in 1919 by the local Baptist Minister , Rev Lindsay and his daughters. I did a bit of research on the names on the plaque and had an article published in the North British Railway Study Group Journal several years ago.

Grant Cullen
(Coatbridge Exile)

Adam Brown · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:58 pm Post subject:

Grant

That's an excellent piece of background on this memorial. The memorial only gives names so if you've any more information on the names on this memorial we'd be delighted to read it here.

Regards

Adam

David McNay · Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:21 pm Post subject:

The Scotsman, Tuesday 21st March 1922:

Coatbridge - Mr William Whitelaw, chairman of the North British Railway Company, yesterday visited Coatbridge, and in presence of a large gathering, unveiled a large grey granite tablet containing the names of the men employed at Kipps who served during the war. The memorial, which was dedicated by the Rev. Adam Maxwell, has been placed on the wall of the office facing the Company's main line between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and between Kipps and Sunnyside Station.

Small note: The Rev. Adam Maxwell was my great-great-great-uncle.