By the 1960s, Blantyre’s Pits had closed down, but even in the late 1960s, the old miners remembered their harder years by meeting up for annual outings.

Such an event took place on Monday 24th June 1968, where a calvacade of 12 buses, some 500 people strong left from the Blantyre Miners Welfare on an outing to Ayr.

Dinner had been laid on for them all, with raffles prizes organised by fundraising from the Welfare. The men reminisced about colleagues and stories from the pit.

Many of the men were getting on in advanced years and afterwards they all agreed they had a splendid day out by the sea. In the evening, they returned to the Welfare at Calder Street, where a party had been laid on for them with evening entertainment.

I can only imagine some of the stories and tales told that day. Pictured for illustration is Heads of Ayr Hotel in that summer of 1968.