Harthill – Miners Memorial

Situated on West Main Street and adjacent to the village’s war memorial is another memorial that is dedicated to the men who worked or even lost their lives in the local Polkemmet and Kingshill pits.

The first of the three Kingshill collieries was opened in 1919 by the Coltness Iron Company, followed by Kingshill No.2 in the 1940’s, with each providing mass employment to local miners as well those who travelled from further afield. Kingshill No.3 opened in 1952 and was the first NCB colliery in Lanarkshire. Collectively, all three pits supplied coal to the nearby iron and steel foundaries, as well as coal for domestic fires and power stations. The pits closed in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, with Kingshill No.3 being the last to close in 1974.

Conditions in these pits were dark and very dangerous with the collieries being prone to accidents, including fires, gas poisonings and roof falls that often buried mineworkers. Sadly, many miners lost their lives during those episodes in 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1965 and 1968.

This memorial is one of many miners’ memorials in this area of Lanarkshire. Similar ones can be found in Allanton, Shotts and Forth.

It was sculpted by Jason Paterson.

To see more works by Jason Paterson, click HERE.

To visit Jason Paterson’s website, click HERE.