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Robert Crawford: Poet 1877 - 1931
B Y ROBERT AITKEN
F
ollowing
our June issue
story of the 1922
disaster at No 4 pit,
East Plean, a Mrs Charlotte
Gibson wrote to us. Her
story is of a Plean miner who
triumphed over disaster - her
grandfather Robert Crawford
of whom she is rightfully
proud.
Robert was born in Dalry in Ayrshire
in 1877. His family moved
to Haywood in Lanarkshire when
he was nine. At the age of thirteen
he worked in a colliery and
then on the railway. From 1906
until 1919 he worked as a collier
at Plean until a roof fell in on him,
injuring him so badly that he
could no longer do the heavy
manual labour required of a
miner. During the years of enforced
idleness a latent talent as
a poet bloomed.
Robert was a member of The
Scottish Centre Pen, founded in
1927 by Hugh MacDairmid, an
organisation dedicated to freedom
of expression. Robert is
listed as a member in 1928 along
with Neil M. Gunn, Edwin and
Willa Muir, W.D. Cocker of the
Daily Record, John Cockburn of
the Evening Times, Professor
W. McNeile Dixon of Glasgow
University, Professor W.J.
Entwhistle of Glasgow University,
Compton Mackenzie and
David Cleghorn Thomson of the
BBC along with dozens more.
As a measure of his character he
was asked by a Captain Thorneycroft
to speak out against the
growing trade union movement,
this he refused to consider. He
was acknowledged as a great
speaker he was in much demand
at Burns suppers. As a guest
speaker at the Scots Vernacular
Association of Edinburgh along
with The Hon. Lord Sands he
was billed as one of the finest
living Scottish poets.
Here are some lines from “The
Scottish Emigrant”
“Ring up the past, Bring pictures
old and sweet,
Names more than music,
round our being wound,
Old storied Scotland crystallised
in sound,
Her temple hills where atheists
might pray,
When amber gloaming drops
on Rothesay bay
And o’er the misty Cumbraes,
rising red,
The moon , great with romance,
rears up its head,
Ye hills, Ye moors, ye pockets
of dark fir,
Where the blue nights come
up with little stir,
And touch the cord that
reaches on past Death
That hour when breathless
nature take a breath,
Grey wardens o’er the far
atlantic flood,
Core-deep ye thrill the tartan
in the blood!
Though exiled far by Fate’s
compelling arm
For you in death, I think my
heart would warm,
For you I mourn when some
true Scot is sped,
Who leaves this land that will
not give him bread,”
Walter de la Mere said of his
poems entitled In Quiet Fields,
“These poems prove once
more how amazingly a real gift
can triumph over circumstance”
Robert died four days after his
granddaughter Charlotte’s birth.
Two months later a letter was
sent to his widow in Plean from
the Golden Syndicate Publishing
Company from Los Angles
California. They wanted to get
his permission to include him in
a publication called The Who’s
Who of Living Authors of Older
Nations.
Here is the last of five poems
from “Coalscapes” giving a
glimpse of what was endured.
THE EXPLOSION
“The fiery blast has swept the
pit, - yet men
Come forward as against a
spirit wind
That blows all littleness far
behind,
And fans the strong blood up
to dare again
Earth’s crumbling bowelsthe
tremendous pen
That hides their mates, if living,
fast confined
By dislodged mountainsrocks
that, undermined,
Follow the fire-fiend’s roar
with dull Amen
A thousand feet below the
Carbrook meadows
Intrepid hands unbar those
fate-loud gates,
Where placid death in yet
warm awful shadows
With blackened trunks and
shock-sealed stare
awaits.
Mutely they gather these, -
unless God hears,
Ploughing each grimy face,
Messiah-tears.”
Robert Crawford is buried in
Bannockburn Cemetery; his
headstone was erected by his
fellow poets and bears the inscription
“In Quiet Fields”
Editors Note:
This famous poet shows us
again that there are plenty of
local heroes many of us know
nothing about. In Bannockburn
News we’ve uncovered the
famous Boss Gardner and now
Robert Crawford. How many
more are there? Less us know.
King Robert Hotel
The King Robert Hotel is your local
hotel and invites everyone in the
surrounding area to pop in and
take a look at the refurbishment
going on.
Owned by the Anderson family for
over 10 years, now the hotel has
taken on a new management company
headed by Marshall Dallas
from le Bravara.
So remember to . . .
. . . look no
further this year than your local
hotel the King Robert - our aim is to
please you.
November Events
5th November - Due to the success
last year we are having a
fantastic fireworks night for you and
the family. Carvery meal £10.00
per adult £5.00 for the kids -under
5 free. Kids get ice-cream and
there’s face painting too. Includes
meal and firework display - fabulous
value and saves all the worry
in safe area.
23rd November - Billy Connelly
Xmas tribute night - just fantastic 4
course meal Tribute act and disco
till late - ideal for young or old.
Calling Hen nights, Stag nights,
Family party nights or just something
different.
30th November - The ultimate
Rock n 'roll show. Come on all you
dancers out there get booking.
Covers from Frankie Valli, Buddy
Holly and more - Vince Hughes has
appeared at the London Palladium
and is a wonderful singer and performer,
you won't be disappointed.
Ideal for a company.
2nd December - Neil Diamond
tribute act—stars in your eyes
winner.
All these dates £29.50 for the 4-
course meal and disco plus your
cabaret.
AND . . . Special Bannockburn
price £24.50 per person when you
book in October and present a
copy of this ad.
AND . . just £20.00 extra for accommodation
. . .
What are you waiting for??
. . . call us now . . .
King Robert Hotel
Glasgow Road
01786 811666
info@kingroberthotel.co.uk
www.ladyglen.co.uk