THE author of a book chronicling the personal recollections of former paper mill workers in Midlothian is urging a local person or organisation to do the same in the aftermath of the closure of the Inverurie Paper Mill.
Ian MacDougall of Edinburgh is the author of Through the Mill, which records the experiences of veteran mill workers in the Penicuik area.
Mr MacDougall is a researcher for the Falkirk-based charity Scottish Working People's History Trust, which
published the book earlier this year. On a trip to Inverurie last week, he spoke of his desire to see a similar project undertaken locally.
Mr MacDougall said: "I'm sure there are a lot of people who would be interested in reading the recollections of paper mill workers from Inverurie over the years. There are bound to be many former mill workers still living in the area and now would be an ideal time to make a start. If not, lots of important material could be lost forever."
Through the Mill centres on three mills around Penicuik: Valleyfield, Esk Mills and Dalmore Mill - all of which are now closed. There are personal recollections of some 33 former mill workers, some of whom worked at one of the mills and some who worked more than one.
Mr MacDougall said: "Some wonderful material came out. There are some stories about relations between workers and management, accidents at the mills and working and living conditions.
"It would be nice to think that a local individual or organisation, or even someone from the University of Aberdeen would be willing to record the recollections of staff from the Inverurie Paper Mill."
The Scottish Working People's History Trust is a charitable body established in 1992 to champion the cause of working people's history.
The Trust has three main aims: to search for and assist in the preservation of surviving documentary source material of the history of working people; to interview working people throughout Scotland and record their recollections of their working lives, housing, education, recreational and other experiences; and to edit and publish these documentary source materials and oral recollections and encourage the making of television, radio, film and theatre productions about the history of working people in Scotland.
For further information about the Trust, visit www.swpht.org.uk.
