Stuart Morris, son of the Laird of Balgonie, recently proposed a proper and permanent memorial to the 75 people (including many Dundonians) who died in the 1879 Tay Rail Bridge Disaster (see the report in the Courier over the festive period at http://tinyurl.com/balgonie).As reported in tonight's Evening Telegraph, I am very supportive of this proposal and have been in correspondence with Stuart Morris of Balgonie about the matter. We are meeting during February to discuss how the idea can be taken forward. He has had very good feedback from various sources over the proposal.
It seems only right that there is a permanent memorial to the people who died in the disaster (see a list of the Dundee folk at http://www.brand-dd.com/taybrig.html and also there's also useful background to the disaster available). I have been contacted by a number of West End constituents and others who are supportive of the proposal.
The Dundee City Archives have given me helpful feedback on the matter:
“As far as I am aware the only plaques in Dundee are the plaque on the bridge put up in 1987 to mark the bridge's centenary and the ScotRail plaque mounted on the coping stone from one of the piers of the original bridge in 1987 again to mark the centenary of the replacement bridge.
Tay Valley Family History Society published a booklet entitled "Victims of the Tay Rail Bridge Disaster" in 2005. This was seen as a means of compensating for the lack of a memorial. It brings together what information the authors were able to discover about the victims including details of where they are buried.”
They have also pointed out that monument to the disaster victims should “morally … have to also include in that monument a tribute to those workers who died by crushing or drowning (as commemorated in the Tay Road Bridge south landfall memorial) putting both bridges up in the first place.” I think that is a very sensible suggestion. As the Tele alludes to this evening, the very sad death of a rail worker on the rail bridge yesterday adds resonance to the memorial proposal.
I am keen to ensure that a lasting, permanent memorial to the victims of the Tay Bridge Disaster and would welcome anyone interested in the matter to contact me.
The Dundee City Archives have given me helpful feedback on the matter:
“As far as I am aware the only plaques in Dundee are the plaque on the bridge put up in 1987 to mark the bridge's centenary and the ScotRail plaque mounted on the coping stone from one of the piers of the original bridge in 1987 again to mark the centenary of the replacement bridge.
Tay Valley Family History Society published a booklet entitled "Victims of the Tay Rail Bridge Disaster" in 2005. This was seen as a means of compensating for the lack of a memorial. It brings together what information the authors were able to discover about the victims including details of where they are buried.”
They have also pointed out that monument to the disaster victims should “morally … have to also include in that monument a tribute to those workers who died by crushing or drowning (as commemorated in the Tay Road Bridge south landfall memorial) putting both bridges up in the first place.” I think that is a very sensible suggestion. As the Tele alludes to this evening, the very sad death of a rail worker on the rail bridge yesterday adds resonance to the memorial proposal.
I am keen to ensure that a lasting, permanent memorial to the victims of the Tay Bridge Disaster and would welcome anyone interested in the matter to contact me.