VALLEYFIELD remembered the 1939 mining disaster that killed 35 men at a special commemoration service on Sunday.

Hundreds of villagers turned out for the 75th anniversary of the colliery explosion which was one of Fife’s greatest industrial tragedies.

West Fife Villages councillor Kate Stewart (above right) laid a wreath in memory of her grandad, James McFadzean, who was 28 when he was killed.

She said, “When I was young I asked my mum who he was as his picture always hung on the wall in the living room. She still remembers running to the pit steps for him coming home from work – I used to do that when my dad worked in the pits too – but obviously on that day he didn’t come home.

“My mum was only about five when it happened.” Cllr Stewart added, “At the time, my gran was pregnant and because of the grief she lost the baby. One of her brothers survived but her husband, another brother and brother-in-law all died, and she lost her unborn child too.

“It must have been devastating.” On 28th October 1939, an ignition of firedamp and coaldust caused an explosion which ripped through the mine, eventually claiming 35 lives and leaving 42 children without a dad.

The King and Prime Minister sent messages of condolence and the manager of the colliery and agent of the coal company were later prosecuted and fined.

The service was held at the memorial in Valleyfield Avenue, erected on the 50th anniversary of the disaster in 1989, and attended by Dunfermline MP Thomas Docherty, MSP Cara Hilton and Fife Provost Jim Leishman. Cllr Stewart added, “It was nice that people came together on Sunday.

“It was a good ceremony and you could see that community spirit as the village turned out, all ages, in large numbers.

“I would like the history of the village to be more prominent so young people know what their grans and grandads went through and how life is so different compared to what it is now.

“It’s something we’re looking at doing and we’re in the early stages of discussing a project.” Mr Docherty spoke about the disaster in the House of Commons on Tuesday in the coalfield communities debate.

He said, “Valleyfield Colliery was responsible for providing much needed fuel in the 20th century, never was this more important than during the war effort.

“The Valleyfield disaster saw a huge amount of casualties during an already difficult time and left 42 children fatherless. This must have been a truly devastating period for the individual families and the wider community.

“It was a privilege to meet with the families of those affected by this awful disaster. Even 75 years after the event, the local community are still standing strong and supporting each other.

“There was a real sense of community at the remembrance on Sunday that the local people of High Valleyfield and the surrounding villages should be proud of. “I felt honoured to have been asked by the Valleyfield Mining Disaster Project Group to attend the event and would like to thank them for their time and effort to ensure the lives of the miners are never forgotten.” Also on Tuesday, exactly 75 years to the date of the tragedy, a presentation on the history of the disaster and mining in the area was given by Ian Headrick and Robert McKenzie, of the Valleyfield Mining Disaster Project Group.

And tonight (Thursday), Mr Headrick will give a talk on ‘Valleyfield, The People and the Pit Disaster’ at 7.30pm in Torryburn Hall.