+ Larger Font | - Smaller Font

Pitheid Patter Home

Latest Updates:

12 June 2008

"What's happening at Barony A Frame?

PLB are getting to grips with some Pitheid Patter. We're working with the Barony A Frame Trust, to enhance the site around the restored A Frame at the former Barony Colliery, near Auchinleck.

The project will provide a way to enjoy and share the history of the community, making use of oral histories that have been collected. We will reflect all aspects of life at Barony pit, from the workers over - and underground to their families and communities.

This is your opportunity to see and comment on what's planned for Barony A Frame."

www.plbltd.com/barony

5th June 2008

The Barony 'A' Frame launch and Fun Day is on Saturday 14th June from 12 noon to 4pm at Barony Road Auchinleck. Click here to find out more....

Press Release 8th May, 2008

The community launch of the Barony A Frame Restoration project takes place on Saturday 14 June at 12 noon. There will be lots of activities for both children and adults on the day including a bouncy castle, climbing wall, face painting and balloon modelling. Entertainment will be provided by The Ghosties, Muirkirk Pipe Band, Auchinleck Academy Silver Band and other performers.  Children can compete for a prize in the fancy dress contest and the adults try their luck at the bottle stall. There will also be a tea tent and burger stall to keep the hunger pangs at bay.

To celebrate this event there will be a parade around the centre of Auchinleck led by Muirkirk Pipe Band starting at 10.15am. Any organisation that wishes to take part in the parade should contact Margaret Butler on 01294 276434. Free transport will be provided to the site by Coalfields Community Transport.

There are still a few spaces for stalls at the Barony launch. This is a great opportunity to promote your group and raise funds. Participation is free and tables can be provided if required. Contact Margaret Butler for more details.

28/11/07

Peoples Millions TV Vote - Thank you!

As you may now realise the Pitheid Patter project - an oral history of the miners, and their families, who worked at the Barony Colliery in Auchinleck - was successful in the Peoples Millions TV vote on Monday evening. On behalf of all of the Trustees I would like to thank everyone who took the trouble to vote for the project, securing this additional funding is a fantastic achievement for all involved, it will now allow the finishing touches to be made to the on-site interpretation and school educational materials.

26/11/07

Tonight Monday 26th November, The Barony Trust "Pitheid Patter" project competes for £80,000 from the Peoples Millions during STV's Scotland Today. Your Vote is needed so that we can tell the story of the Barony Colliery.

Tune in to STV Scotland Today at 6pmor phone now on 08702 436 701. Phone Lines are open until Midnight.

 

Pitheid Patter makes the news.

News of Pitheid Patter has now reached the BBC where a news article on the Pithied Patter restoration has now been posted. The article discusses the project, the mining history surrounding the area and what the restoration offers to the public.
To view the news article click the link to the BBC Website Article.

Accompanying the BBC Article is a video clip of the meeting at New Cumnock Bowling Club on 31st August with interviews with Willim Menzies, Chairman of the Barony Trust, Robbie Frame from ATS Heritage and Former Miner Jonas Templeton.

To view the clip click on the links below.

BBC Report - Windows Media Player Version

BBC Report - Real Player Version

Did you or a member of your family work at the Barony Colliery?
What was life like at that time?
Tell us about your experiences for Pitheid Patter – part of the restoration of the Barony 'A' Frame.
You may have missed the meeting at New Cumnock Bowling Club If you wish to share your memories, stories and/or poetry, please contact Robbie Frame at ATS Heritage.

New facility to increase text size on the site; making it easier for those that are visually impaired. At the top of each page below the title are two links which allow you to change the size of the font.

Newest Section of the website; we have begun a collection of mining poetry, many thanks to Jonas Templeton for starting off this collection. We are hoping to add many more poems, stories or articles. Please contact Robbie Frame if you have anything that you would like to submit.

To view more news click the news link on the left of the page.

Background

This community heritage project began in August 2005 to record memories of the old Barony Pit in Auchinleck. ATS Heritage have been appointed by the Barony Trust to plan the interpretation of the remaining pithead. As part of this plan, locals who worked at the Barony are being asked to participate in an oral history collection exercise, known as ‘Pitheid Patter’.

The project will encourage locals’ to retell aspects of life in and around the Barony Pit in their own words (the ‘patter’). Miners who worked at the Barony are being asked to come along to a local hall where ATS staff will record them over a cup of tea. Arrangements can be made for those who are unable to travel to be interviewed in their own homes.

Interviews and Meetings

Interviews started from late October, 2005. The first one was 19th October. Watch local press or this website for any further events. The result of this project will be the formation of an Education pack, to be used in schools and selected pieces will be heard in the onsite interpretation at the Barony A Frame.

The oral history project forms part of the complete restoration and preservation of the Barony ‘A Frame’ winding gear, an enormous landmark structure which towers above the Doon Valley. Plans include landscaping and a memorial to the miners who worked and died there.

Pitheid Patter, a community heritage project set up by the Barony Trust, takes its programme of recording memories of the old Barony Pit to Muirkirk village.

With several meetings already held, the project consultants, ATS Heritage, are seeking interviews with ex-Barony miners and their families. They are especially interested in listening to anyone whose husbands or fathers worked at the Barony and can give their views on family life and how it was affected by employment, the ‘84 Miners’ Strike and closure of the Barony Colliery. Any (ex)teachers who took care of miner’s children during the latter years before the Barony’s closure would be also welcome.

The recordings were held on Monday 13th March, 2006 at Muirkirk Bowling Green, 15, Wellwood Street, Muirkirk (tel: 01290 661701). Patter-merchants and worthies were welcome to come along between 10.30a.m. and 3pm where Jackie Lee, ATS consultant, chatted with them in a group with friends or individually over a cup of tea.

Those with memories to share can contact:

Margaret Butler: project administrator: 012942 76434 
email: margaret.butler@zen.co.uk

Robbie Frame, ATS Heritage tel: 0131 247 7435

Do you know sombody with an interesting story to tell?