Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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“IT is a scandal that the industrial base of an area which has a proud record in engineering is being destroyed to such an extent,” the MP for the Glasgow East End district of Springburn told the Commons.
“If we do not train young apprentices, we shall destroy the seed corn.”
This wasn’t Paul Sweeney, the current MP, speaking of the recent plans to close the St Rollox railway works. It was the late Michael Martin — who would later become the Commons Speaker — speaking 33 years ago, when the workforce at the site was being reduced from 1,000 to fewer than 200.
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