In December 1935 a site near the Whitecross Post Office at the south end of Manuel Terrace was selected as suitable for a miners’ institute under the auspices of the Craigend Miners’ Welfare Society. It lay on the southern fringe of the small village and was intended to serve the whole community; emphasis was put on providing accommodation for women. The new welfare hall at Whitecross was formally opened on 6 August 1937 by County Councillor J.S. Wilson. The main building was 60 feet by 30 feet, built with weather boarding on a brick foundation, and the roof was finished with asbestos slates. The ladies’ and gentlemen’s rooms adjoined, with central heating and electric light throughout.
A separate committee was formed to look after the venue and in June 1938 the Whitecross Miners’ Welfare Society organised the first Children’s Day there. It rained.
The involvement, from the start, of women in the running of the institute proved very fruitful and there was a particularly active drama society. A choir and an arts and crafts club also performed well.
Like so many of the miners’ welfare institutes in the area that at Whitecross morphed into licensed premises, known as the Phoenix public house, with a community wing. In the early hours of 7 January 2016 a fire broke out within the buildings which were subsequently demolished.
Falkirk Local History Society 