Townhill Miners Village
A Memory of Townhill.
I am interested in family history. Many of my relatives surnamed Hunter came from the Townhill Miners Village, the earliest being William Hunter, born 1750. I have been researching the area my ancestors were miners, it was a tough life - "Clackmannanshire Miner Killed - A miner named Robert Hunter (22), married, residing at Ramsay Street, Coalsnaughton, met with a fatal accident in the underground workings of the Devon Colliery, belonging to the Alloa Coal Company. He was knocked down and seriously injured by a runaway hutch, and died on the way to the County Accidents Hospital. He leaves a widow and child." [The Scotsman 26 January 1925]- An extract from "Report on mining villages" -"There are, it is true, several instances of colliers living in houses of their own at Townhill, near Dunfermline; and I am told that Mr Stevenson, the proprietor of the neighbouring pits, takes great interest in the social well-being of his people, yet the old rows in the village over which he presides almost equal, in disrepair and discomfort, any to be found in the district. In simple truth, Fife and Clackmannan are no way superior." I would like to find out more about mining life in Townhill. Are there any old photos or memories of the miners and the village out there? alanroy@telkomsa.net.
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I hope despite the time that has passed since you posted your comment, that you get this message.
Our family is related to yours.
My maiden name is Eleanor Hunter. My grandfather (David Hunter) was your grandfather's brother, I think. He was orphaned at 14 years of age. He was the youngest child in his family and lost most of his hearing at the age of 10 due to the carelessness of a doctor probing in his ears. At the time my great-grandparents died, his siblings had families of their own and were struggling to make ends meet. As a result, he lived with Auntie Jack (Jacobina Hunter), Uncle Will and their family (from memory) and became a coal miner in Townhill which he worked at all of his life until he was forced to retire with heart problems.
My Di married my granny (Alison Scobie) who was a widow with a young daughter named Jenny Cowley (her father's name was Andrew Cowley) and together my Di and Granny Hunter had 3 children of their own (Isa, Charlie and Alice) and raised them alongside Jenny. Unfortunately, my Dad's younger sister, Alice, died from complications from Rheumatic Fever which she'd contracted at age 14 and died in 1953 at age 20 or thereabouts. My Di Hunter died in 1959 in Dunfermline and my granny passed away in Kelty in 1980 where she was living with her sister (Aunty Famie - Euphemia Moffat).
I remember when I was about 10 years old attending the wedding spree for David Hunter (Aunty Jack's son) and his wife-to-be (Grace?) at a hall in Townhill. It was great fun! My classmate, Mary Boag, was there, too, but tragically she was run over and killed by a bus not long after. The Boags were somehow related to Auntie Jack's family, but I'm not sure how, and I think my Di Hunter may also have boarded with them at some stage when he was a youth.
Several years ago, my Mum gave me a lovely set of silver teaspoons in a leather box that Auntie Jack had given my parents as a wedding present. These are much cherished by me.
My Dad is Charlie Hunter. He married Mary Steel in Dunfermline in 1951 and later had 3 girls (me, Alison and Carolyn). We lived at 104, Townhill Road, Dunfermline, and I think Auntie Jack lived a bit further up the hill on the other side of the road from us. I'm pretty sure that David did too. My Dad successfully ran his own painting and decorating business with Bill Reid in Dunfermline ("Hunter & Reid, Painter and Decorators"). They had a shop in the New Row.
In 1966 our family emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, where my dad's sister, Isa, was living with her husband (Jimmy Reilly) and their 4 children (Michael, Alice, Margaret and David). Sadly, Uncle Jimmy passed away many years ago and Aunty Isa died 4 years ago.
My Mum and Dad are now 87 years old and celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in March this year. They still live in Melbourne. Although they're both now rather frail, we still reminisce about the past and all the people we knew "back hame." I've just returned home to Tasmania after spending 4 weeks with them and my Di Hunter's family was included in our chats. I think my Dad said that Aunty Jack and Uncle Will had 7 sons and no daughters and I remember the names Charlie, Will, David and Walter being mentioned. These must have been your dad and uncles, I guess.
Although we've lived down-under for nearly 50 years, as far as my Dad and I are concerned, our hearts have never left Scotland.
If there's anything you'd like to know about your family or ours, please contact me and I'll be glad to help by asking my parents for information for you.
Best wishes to you and your family.
"Fer auld lang syne."
Eleanor Wylie (nee Hunter)