Published: Thursday, 20th March, 2008 11:55am

£50,000 Forth Bridge memorial appeal launched

Comments (2) | Print | Email

AN APPEAL has been launched for £50,000 to erect a memorial honouring those who died in the construction of the Forth Bridge.

Fife Council has given planning permission for the North Queensferry memorial stone and the Forth Bridge Memorial Committee is now looking for cash to put it up.

James Lawson, a committee member and chairman of the North Queensferry Heritage Trust, said that because of the large amount of funding required, they were targeting big companies which had a bridge connection.

'We are looking first to see what might be available from the main players like Network Rail and their contractors,' he said.

It is hoped that the sandstone memorial can be unveiled in time for the 125th anniversary of the laying of the bridge"s foundation stone in June.

Mr Lawson continued, 'Fife Council have given their support but they are yet to say what they mean.

"Donations from the public would also be most welcome.'

The memorial, inscribed with the names of those who lost their lives in the construction of the bridge, will be placed at the corner of Battery Road car park.

The committee is also appealing for stories and information about the men who built the bridge.

And it is looking for the graves of those who died and others who lost their lives but whose names are not yet known.

Committee vice-chair Len Saunders said, 'The names of some 70 men who died are now known but as yet not one gravestone has been found.

"Perhaps that makes the project to erect a memorial even more poignant.'

Mr Lawson added, 'The number of people are in excess of the official figures.'

Any information on the bridge workers should be passed to Len Saunders by writing to len.qferryman@virgin.net or 1, Stoneyflatts, South Queensferry, EH30 9XT.

Donations for the memorial can be made c/o Iain Mitchell QC, 17 Carlingnose Point, North Queensferry, KY11 1ER.