This week's extract from the play 'In Time o' Strife' by Joe Corrie in our
'A Kist o Ferlies' feature is a reminder of the high cost in human terms
of the coal-mining industry. Coal has been extracted in Scotland since the
Middle Ages but an era came to an end with the closure of the Longannet
Colliery, Fife, in March 2002 - the last deep Scottish mine. Incredible as
it must be viewed from the 21st century, colliers and their families in
Scotland were treated as serfs until 1799. In that year they were finally
freed from servitude to coalmasters and the last vestige of medieval
serfdom disappeared from Scotland. But coal-mining was always dangerous
and death and injury a common daily occurance - Scottish history records
many pit disasters. A sad reminder of the death-toll in the mining
industry is on display in Fife until the end of August 2002. The Fife
Mining Memorial Book, unveiled at the centenary of the Donibristle
disaster last August, will be on view at the Dunfermline Carnegie Library.
The book lists the names of people who have lost their lives working in
the Fife pits and was dedicated at a service to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the Donibristle disaster, and has since been displayed in
venues throughout West and Central Fife.
It was compiled by staff in the Fife Library service along with volunteers
such as former SNP Councillor Joe Paterson, Lochore, from official
records, newspaper accounts and private information from relations and
descendants of casualties. The book contains about 1800 names with the
earliest dating from 1829. The fatalities include at least 20 women, the
youngest being a girl of four and the eldest a man aged 78. As well as
being displayed in the villages and towns of the Fife coalfield area, the
Memorial Book is also available on the internet - visit
www.users.zetnet.co.uk/mmartin/fifepits/ - for anyone interested in
the mining industry, viewing the website on the Fife coalfield, compiled
by Michael Martin, is indispensible.
In times of hardship, such as the Miner Strikes of 1921 and 1926, many a
miner must have poached a rabbit or two, or similiar game, for the pot
which inspires this week's recipe - Poachers Stewpot. Rabbit makes an
excellent stew or casserole.
Poachers Stewpot
Ingredients : 2 lb ( 1 kg ) rabbit cut into pieces; 1/2 oz ( 15 g ) lard
or dripping; 8 oz ( 225 g ) streaky bacon, chopped; 1 oz ( 25 g ) plain
flour; 1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks; 2 sticks celery, cut
into pieces; 1/2 pint ( 300 ml ) brown ale; 1/2 pint ( 300 ml ) stock;
salt and pepper
Heat the lard in a large flameproof casserole and fry the bacon, onions
and celery until brown. Coat the rabbit in flour, add to the casserole and
brown well. Add the ale and stock, and season well. Cover and cook in the
oven at 190 deg C, 375 deg F, Gas Mark 5 for about one hour or until
tender. If desired dumplings may be added for the last 25 minutes of
cooking. Serves 8.
