COATBRIDGE - The Town That Built Scotland

From the early 19th century right up until the 1960s Coatbridge was a major centre for the production of iron in Scotland. It was, as my 'Blue Guide to Scotland' says, 'the chief centre of the Scottish iron trade.' At its height there were over 50 blast furnaces lighting up the night sky and turning night into day.
But things change. Steel took over from iron for many construction projects, and the focus of Scotland's new industry - the manufacture of steel - shifted to Motherwell.
In this video we examine the importance of Coatbridge in supplying iron for Scotland's industrial revolution; iron that was used to build steam-engines in Glasgow, and to build the great ships and liners once built and launched on the River Clyde. For without Coatbridge, Glasgow would probably never have become the second city of the great British Empire.
We also look at the role of the Monklands Canal in moving coal from coal-pits in the Monklands area to Glasgow, and to bring both coal and iron ore along canal branches to iron works in and around Coatbridge. Branches like the Gartsherrie, Hornock and Summerlee canal branch that fed the iron works at Summerlee and Gartsherrie, the latter once the largest iron works in the world.
Summerlee Iron Works was itself the largest in Scotland; at least for a while, and lasted about 100 years between the 1830s and 1930s before closing down and being demolished. The remains of Summerlee lay buried under piles of industrial waste for around 50 years before being uncovered. Those ruins can be seen today in the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, within whose grounds much of the video was shot.
We also examine changes in the landscape in and around Coatbridge, and how the many rows of workers cottages attached to coal mines and iron works did not survive the test of time, the buildings and their street layout now obliterated and hidden under modern housing schemes.
This is a video about a lost industry, a lost way of life, and a huge part of Scotland's industrial past that has gone.

[@stewarthamilton8976]

I was born and have lived in the town my whole life and I have learned more in this 20 minute video than than I’ve learned in the last 56 years 😱 cheers for posting 👏🏻👏🏻

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thank you Stewart. 👍

[@legandrydirk]

​@@EdExploresScotlandShould do one on Kilbirnie and Garnock Valley lots off history in the area

[@thetimetraveller6550]

You tubes not giving me any notifications😢I don't know why.,. I have checked the settings but still am not. Getting. Any notifications you tubes causing this problem I think

[@martinstilton1535]

Another great history lesson Ed, more of these please!

[@frednugent2310]

Every since I stumbled upon this channel I cannot get enough of his outstanding work. So much history to preserve.

[@colinriley123]

I like the way you tell these stories,: stories which need to be remembered.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thanks Colin.

[@DannyTP1888]

Thanks Ed, that was fascinating history of Coatbridge. My dad was born in Baillieston in 1929 and fished for sticklebacks in the Monkland canal (now the Easterhouse junction of the M8). I played there in the early 1970's when they were building it.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Danny.

[@williamwilliam5242]

Edward. I loved it. Thankyou

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers William.

[@frednugent2310]

Keep up the good work. As a retired steelworker from across the pond at U.S. steel I find this presentation fascinating. Thanks for educating everyone and reviving lost history. When I visit Scotland next summer this place is a must see for me. I would have never known about this place if it was not for your channel. Thanks again.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Fred. The Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life is a must-see attraction. Enjoy your visit when it comes.

[@greigmcarthur3821]

That was absolutely brilliant Ed, thanks again. I now hope you do a Ravenscraig one with all the other steelworks in Wishaw like the Etna steelworks and Coltness Iron Works in Newmains 👍

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Greig.

[@petersmith7126]

Born and raised in Coatbridge and it was in the 1960s and 1970s a great town to grow up in.... There's another section of the canal open from Blair Rd at the West End Park out towards Easterhouse

[@caroldaviddaviejohnson2225]

What a great video. I havent been to Coatbridge since 1980s. My parents/grandparents come from there. My great grandfather was a Puddler and grandfather worked in the foundry at Gartsherrie works. Ive learnt so much from this video. My great uncle was John White, a well known archivist in Coatbridge who put together a brilliant collection of historical photographs and history. Really enjoyed this video, thankyou!

[@EdExploresScotland]

Many thanks. Hard to imagine an area of the country with a more prolific industrial past.

[@vermeerofdelftscotlandwalk3294]

A very interesting video. I didn't know that there were so many iron works in Coatbridge.

[@EdExploresScotland]

I didn't fully appreciate how many there were until I looked into it.

[@George_in_Howden]

I worked for a company based in Coatbridge in 1992 for a few years just off Dundyvan Road near the Time Capsule and I recognised a lot of place names mentioned. Brought back a few memories. Thank you for all the work you put into your exploration adventures.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thanks George.

[@piping9153]

Was it watts fireplaces by any chance

[@ianmclaughlin4043]

​@@piping9153did my yts there 1985 i think 😂

[@red00eye]

A wee FYI for those not born in the 'brig, it's Dun Dye Van rather than Dundy van,. A great trip down memory lane, thanks Ed.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Many thanks. A few folk pointed that out. I may do a video focussing solely on my mispronunciations, of which there are many. 👍

[@bobmoorcroft8447]

Fascinating video and obviously one that you have researched and prepared extensively. Thank you for the history lesson!

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Bob. My research isn't always as thorough as it could be. The very first chat in the video and I got it wrong - re the position of the footbridge over the canal - hence the need for additional text.

[@pfmusic1]

Great video Ed. Born and still live in Coatbridge. Great history here. There's still a little bit of the Dundyvan canal down in Whifflet called the Golfie. Shame they got rid of the canal in the Main street area. I wish they had done what Falkirk did with their canal and kept them going as part of the towns Heritage. The canal starts at King Steet and into Lochs in Coatbridge. I live not far from where the Calder works and Coal place once stood. Indeed, a town with huge industrial past and something to be celebrated and remembered.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Patrick. It's only on looking at maps that I've realised where Whifflet is. Used to see trains going to Whifflet and wondered.

[@tonym08]

As an ex steelworker, it saddens me to see the disappearance of all Scotlands industries. I spent a whole day at Summerlea it was so interesting. Did you do the "down the mine" experience.? It really brings it home how hard life was for a pittance of pay. Keep up the good work

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Tony. The mine was shut when I was there due to staff shortages. The tram wasn't running either; some sort of months-long problem with electricity. Summerlee needs to sort itself out because, like the whole country, it feels like it's falling apart at the seams.

[@richiec9077]

That was brilliant Ed , my 3rd great grandfather was an iron puddler and lived in coatbridge , i recently took my young daughter to the summerlee museum in hope of reconnecting with the past in some way. Not sure which of the iron works he worked in but interesting all the same, talking about housing conditions i also discovered my 2nd great grand parents lived in the infamous jerviston and napier squares in the holytown and new stevenson area , theres information online about the horrible conditions , it certainly makes you realise how lucky we are today

[@EdExploresScotland]

Absolutely. These days we take internal running water and toilets for granted.

[@markshrimpton3138]

It’s very difficult to get an understanding of just how awful the lives of our ancestors were. Hard, unremitting dangerous work for 6 days a week for little money, with appalling housing conditions. Some of my wife’s ancestors were iron stone miners in Coatbridge. Her 2 times great grandfather, Thomas, died aged 43 from smallpox. His widow was forced by the threat of homelessness and destitution to remarry.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Unfortunately that's not uncommon. I mention a similar scenario in my Mavis Valley video where a woman whose husband was killed in a coal-pit disaster was forced to swiftly marry another miner to avoid being made homeless from the mine-owned house.

[@jocky2]

Great stuff, thanks Eddie, I'm learning a lot!

[@heffyhoff]

Lovely insight into the local area of Coatbrig and the many long gone works of our industrial past.

[@highlandexplorer990]

🕰 A journey through time! Coatbridge's past is awe-inspiring. Thanks for shedding light on its industrial history. 👏🏭📺

[@rogerwilkes9704]

Yet another really interesting history vid, nicr "tune" to.Thanks Ed for the " fix" really appreciate your dedication

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Roger. 👍

[@dontnoable]

This is brilliant! Learned a lot. Thank you!

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thank you.

[@elainemaki3350]

Thanks for the video. I lived on Church street in the mid 50's, at my Grandparents home. (The Bryces)

[@KatelynsAdventures707]

That’s interesting cause the Bryce’s from Scotland married the Poultney who also came from coatsbridge to nz in the late 1800’s.

[@tomweir54]

Excellent wee video, you made a brief mention of an Institute at Gartsherrie, this Mechanics Institute was indeed the fore runner to the first Further Educational College in Scotland ……Coatbridge Mining and Technical School, progressing to Coatbridge Technical College.

[@alanglasgowbassist]

Great video as always Ed. Very interesting.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Alan.

[@Alfred_51]

Hi Ed thanks for this

[@richardroberts3960]

Keep them coming Ed. Look forward to seeing what you get up to next. You are an inspiration to us all. Richard Roberts from Rosyth. 👌😃👌

[@EdExploresScotland]

Many thanks Richard.

[@1964biggmark]

been a few years since we were last up in Coatbridge, was a regular at the Time Capsule and Summerlee Museum ,need make a new trip lol

[@EdExploresScotland]

There's a long path through the area called the North Calder Heritage Trail. There will be info about it on the web.

[@neilmckay8649]

Another lovely production. I wondered why Coatbridge did not evolve with the demand for steel, seems likely they had a head start. The density of housing does not look crowded, certainly compared to today. Where did the families that worked the mills come from?

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Neil. According to the excellent online pages of North Lanarkshire Council, the workers came from all over the UK: England, Ireland, Wales and the Scottish Highlands.

[@alanmilligan3874]

Worked at Weir Construction for several years and bought our first house at Drumpellier Avenue. Had little idea of just how the iron industry was so extensive in the area of Coatbridge. Many thanks.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Very much Scotland's power house at one time.

[@RANDYLIZARD]

my dads side of the family are from Coatbridge (MCOWAT) love seeing this I visited my Gran several times who lived there , My father joined the Royal Navy to escape the town in the 60s but all his family lived and grew up there....would like to hear from others there now, Im in Australia

[@RobAddie]

Good video Ed. I think you'll find that locally Dundyvan is pronounced with the "y" sounding as in the word "dye". I live just off Dundyvan Road in Coatbridge. Thanks again.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thanks Rob. I'm always mispronouncing things.

[@stanwellback]

Thanks for clarifying that Dundy-van is not the correct pronunciation. While watching the video I was beginning to wonder if I’ve been wrongly pronouncing it Dun-dye-van for decades. 😂 Interesting video about my hometown btw. Thank you for sharing.

[@deadforever]

Will never forget the day a boy from my school fell into the canal after the ice broke. Luckily it's not very deep but he didnt smell great

[@johnnelson9133]

Fantastic👍

[@wojciechturek1601]

Great history We’ve been to this museum with wife Brilliant place! Highly recommend to visit. 🙂 Thank you very much!!! ❤️❤️❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Wojciech.

[@JoeMcGrathinperson]

A great bit of research there.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Joe.

[@eileanvm]

Thankyou for this very informative film on the history of Coatbridge. It brings to life a period in our history that probably isn't well known. I have visited Summerlee Museum in the past, yet didn't realise just what this area must have been like at the peak of the Iron industry. Mining was of course essential to provide coal for the furnaces. How unhealthy the generations of families who lived and worked that must have been. And I'm pretty sure the Industry didn't provide them with adequate health care. I could of course be mistaken. The poignant music at the end, with the eye-witness descriptions, was especially moving. One of your best yet.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Eilean.

[@colinblack7049]

Hi Ed, very informative video again, as you say Summerlee is a great day out. The housing probably sprung up around the foundries because nobody had cars back then. I remember growing up in Glasgow surrounded by industry.

[@EdExploresScotland]

The good old days, when smog was sometimes so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

[@John-ol4eo]

Dundyvan is pronounced dund-ivan road. Apart from that very good man👏 my grandfather was born near the coal mine. Obviously his father worked there.

[@grahamhawthorn2320]

It’s so sad that Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales have gone. Weak government, the quest for Streamlining and mass Importation will one day be recognised for what it has done to our once proud land. They’re was a time when it did not matter where you were born on this Island, you were born on this this Island and that’s what counted. May God forgive us all. At 65 I’m glad I will be gone when it takes its last breath.

[@user-sz9fv7cb3c]

Parents born and lived in Edinburgh till the '60s. Me, too but left it all behind when we all emigrated away from a dreich Scotland.

[@burnbrae41]

I worked in the Gartsherrie work for one day it was enough. I got posted back to Twewchar N.C.B., yard th whole shebang was oned originally by William Baird and co.

[@petersmith7126]

If you look at the map of Coatbridge and the area bounded by Loch Street, Main St, Coatbank St/Whifflet St and Calder St was filled with works right up until thd 1980s and early 90s now there's not a single work left on the land

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thanks Peter. Changed days indeed.

[@TheROLLER1953]

Great vid ed , "Made in Scotland, from Girders" !! I think it was a travesty that the monklands was " Done away with" , it used to join up with the clyde and forth( as you probably know) , England kept all their canals , but up here, " we" seem to " kill- off" anything that is of Great history.

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Steve.

[@tomref4001]

I heard of bodies regularly being fished out of the canal. but maybe that was highlighted to keep youngsters away-certainly I caught the bus in Canal Street many times but the stands blocked out the view of the water. Certainly a hazard to be wary of to avoid tragedies, though the roads were also very dangerous in those days.

[@grahamhawthorn2320]

Team Ed.

[@tomweir54]

Dundy Van sounds great though, ha ha.

[@Phil-Sands]

Nice video, I see that you renamed Dundyvan (pronounced Dun-die-van) to Dandy-van then Dundy-van. 😁😁

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Phil. Yeh, I'm always mispronouncing things.

[@alexwilson920]

I live in the town & dundyvan is pronounced dund I (aye) van 👍

[@EdExploresScotland]

Thanks Alex. A lot of folk have put me right on that one. I'm starting to feel a rebellious streak emerging where I think I'll call it Doondyvoon!

[@Adam6767]

excellent stuff..but yiu shoulda asked native Dundyvan is pronounced Dun die van Happy New Year

[@EdExploresScotland]

Cheers Adam. Yeh, a few folk pointed the pronunciation out. Take care.

[@lizcairney5856]

Thers still parts of buildings down cannal that id love to know what they were for

[@EdExploresScotland]

I use the National Library of Scotland's excellent online map facility. You can bring up side-by-side images showing an old map and a modern satelite view, and by zooming in you can identify modern buildings then see what they might once have been. This link takes you to Coatbridge in just such mapping. maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16.8&lat=55.86261&lon=-4.03026&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld