It is fittingly known as Paisley’s Black Hogmanay, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 71 little children.
The Glen Cinema Disaster is in the thoughts of so many people at this time of year as the anniversary of the tragedy in 1929 comes around again.
This year the focus of the anniversary is at the new memorial, called Rattle/Little Mother, in Dunn Square, created by artists Rachel Lowther and Kerry Stewart. A service to remember the lives lost will take place at 10.30am tomorrow.
The pair were commissioned to create a fitting memorial to the lives lost and all those affected by the tragedy on December 31, 1929.
The covid pandemic meant they spent two years working on the project. And although their commission is now finished, Rachel and Kerry said they have been so touched by all that they’ve learned and heard, they want to keep working with the people of Paisley to make sure the stories are never lost.
Rachel said: “People have opened up about it. We’ve seen people take photos of the memorial to send to family members who live abroad.
“We’re just realising it’s touched so many people. It passed through so many families in Paisley, there are so many stories.
“It would be great to collect some of those stories.
“A lovely man came up to me at the memorial unveiling and said his mother should have died. She only survived because somebody stood on her face.
“I took that to mean it maybe brought her round, the pain of being stood on. She got to her feet and escaped.
“We want to collect stories like that, it may only be small things, but it’s important they are remembered.”
The Glen Cinema disaster of 31 December 1929, claimed the lives of 71 children and injured more than 30.
The tragedy happened when a smoking film canister caused a panic during a packed children’s matinee with more than 600 children present. The metal gates on the main exit doors had been pulled shut, stopping it from opening, leading to a fatal crush.
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Rachel and Kerry hope to put the memories from all those affected in some way by the disaster into a book with photos. A moving documentary by filmmaker Paul Mothersole featuring interviews with the survivors came out to mark the 80th anniversary of the tragedy in 2009.
Kerry said: “Having the memorial in the town centre has given the stories a focus. Even at the official unveiling ceremony, lots of people were there who had connections and would come up to us and start talking about it.
“It definitely feels like to have a place there in the centre of the town, it’s allowed these conversations to take place.
“One woman was taking a photo of the memorial, her family had lost three children. She wanted to send the photo to her relations in America.
“So it’s reaching out to people who’ve moved away as well.”
There has never been a permanent memorial to the tragedy in the town centre but as part of the 90th anniversary, Rachel and Kerry were commissioned to work with the local community to create one. Their statue was unveiled in the town’s Dunn Square – close to the former cinema site, at the end of November.
The ceremony was attended by the two of the remaining survivors of the disaster - Robert Pope and Emily Brown, and their families, who gave the memorial their blessing.
As part of the project, Rachel and Kerry worked with community groups including the STAR Project, Paisley Community Trust, and pupils from Paisley Grammar School. The memorial was funded by the Rotary Club of Paisley and by Future Paisley - the council-led programme of events and activity using the town’s unique culture and heritage to transform its future.
Rachel said: “A big part of our project right from the start was about allowing conversations to take place. When we first got the commission, we were told quite a lot of people shut down and never talked about it.
“A big part of our approach to the project was talking about it and asking what would make a meaningful work of art. And that’s definitely continuing, in a really positive way.”
She added: “It would be great if people would contact us. Even if they only have a small memory or story to share.
“It’s been a really meaningful project to work on. We feel really connected to it now.”
* Anyone with stories, information or photos they’d like to share, can email Rachel and Kerry at lowtherstewart1@gmail.com
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