Shieldhill was in an odd position as many of the miners living there worked in Craigend Colliery, Crosscroes, Redding, and Callendar Collieries, all of which were part of other schemes. Despite this the Shieldhill folk decided in March 1924 to press a claim for a grant with the Central Committee.
The claim was successful and due to the need for a meeting hall in the vicinity the grant from the Fund amounted to £2,050. The Shieldhill Miners’ Welfare Hall was officially opened on Saturday 26 December by Mr R J Prince, welfare supervisor under the Central Committee of the Lanarkshire mining area. He had been influential in getting the award. It consisted of a hall with seating accommodation for over 250 persons, two ante-rooms, a cinematograph operating chamber, and a spacious billiard room with two full-sized tables. The total cost of the building and furnishings was approximately £2,150. The contractors for the work were: brick works – Pope & Co, Cleland; joiner work – Maxwell, Cambusland; slater and plaster work – Fraser, Brightons; plumber work – Robertson, Falkirk; painter work – Morrison, Redding; glazier work – Baillie & Taylor, Glasgow; heating – Hadden & Sons, Glasgow; railings – A J Main, Glasgow; furnishings – Alexanders’ Stores, Falkirk. The architects were Cowie & Miller of Wishaw.
he income from the Miners’ Welfare hall in Shieldhill was greatly supplemented in January 1928 when it was realised that the nearby school could not accommodate all the children from the village and its immediate surroundings. The Miners’ Welfare Institute was leased by the Education Authority for 25s a week which included heat, light and cleaning – a bargain for all concerned. It was furnished with tables and chairs to create accommodation for three infant classes. It continued to be used for several months.
An extension consisting of a reading room and a kitchen were added at the back in 1931 with the aid of another grant from the Welfare Fund. It was also opened on 3 October by Mr Prince. The architect was Mr Monney. R J Prince was back on 28 September to open the new children’s playground immediately to the east. The playground was nearly half an acre in area and was well equipped.
The ground had been purchased by the Eastern No. 2 District of Stirling County Council. It was surrounded by a high iron fence and possessed two sets of swings, a chute, an “ocean wave,” a see-saw, and a sand hole – for which a grant of £175 was made by the Miners’ Welfare Fund Committee. Seats were arranged round the fence at intervals. The architectural work was carried out by Wilson & Tait of Grangemouth, and the total cost was about £250. Yet another grant in 1933 allowed the front of the hall to be extended and pay-boxes to be installed.
During the Second World War the hall was used as the base for the Shieldhill Platoon of the Home Guard.
The Coal Board Welfare Organisation resolved in 1955 to relinquish the Miners Institute at Shieldhill in consequence of the dwindling mine-working population. They approached the Eastern No. 2 District Council regarding the possibility of their purchasing the Institute and retaining it as a community centre – it being the only accommodation available in Shieldhill for recreational purposes. Failing acquisition by the local authority, the Institute would be exposed for public sale. In view of the importance of the Institute to the community, the District Council asked the Stirlingshire Education Committee what assistance might be provided by it towards the purchase price and maintenance costs. It was assumed that the price of the subjects would be approximately £1,000 and the annual maintenance approximately £200. The Education Authority was unable to offer any assistance.
Eventually a Shieldhill Welfare Hall Management Trust was established and the hall now operates under Falkirk Council as the Shieldhill Community Hall. The appearance of the hall is now somewhat marred by the essential security fence. In 2022 voting for the Community Choices Placed-based Capital Programme took place with the Shieldhill Welfare Club bidding for £82,504 to upgrade the hall.
Falkirk Local History Society 