A photo from Davina Sandler

Many thanks to Andrina Sandler for letting us publish this photo on the blog… It’s a fantastic image. There has been a lot of toing and froing about who the men in the photo are so I’d welcome any clarification on the identity of these men… Are they in the right order? Can you help?  If so let me know.

Back row kneeling Joe Barr, Malcolm Milloy, standing – Gus Morrison, John Girvan, kneeling Jock Givan and Charlie Smith. Front row. Andrew Caisley?, Danny Mitchell, John Brown, Unknown, Stuart Hamilton, Coventry Paton and Kenny McMillan. Argyll Colliery Machrihanish. Photo courtesy of Andrina Sandler ©

Coventry Paton – Oncost worker at Argyll Colliery

Back row kneeling Joe Barr, Malcolm Milloy, standing – Gus Morrison, John Girvan, kneeling Jock Givan and Charlie Smith. Front row. unknown, Danny Michell,  John Brown, , unknown, Stuart Hamilton, Coventry Paton and Kenny McMillan. Photo courtesy of Andrina Sandler ©

I was given the following information by Maggie Allen, daughter of Argyll Colliery on-cost worker, Coventry Paton. It was written by Maggie’s brother, Archie Paton.

Miners football team, Argyll Colliery at Kintyre Park – Coventry Paton, top, second right. Photo courtesy of Maggie Allen (nee Paton) ©

Hi – My name is Archie Paton. My father, Coventry Paton, worked at Argyll Colliery but left Campbeltown with his wife, Anne Jane McArthur, and their two young children, to work in mines around Wakefield, West Yorkshire. They had three more children. I was born in 1957 and followed my father into mining and enjoyed a good few years in the job with him. Mum and Dad retired back to Campbeltown where my sister Maggie married a local man, Dave Allen. My parents enjoyed their retirement there. 

Archie Paton

Archie’s sister, Maggie adds:

“Sadly my brother, Archie,  passed away last year. Father and son are back together again in the Miners’ Memorial Garden in Wakefield – once a miner, always a miner. Hardy men at rest”.

Coventry  and Archie Paton’s memorial discs at the Miners’ Memorial Garden, The National Mining Museum of England, Wakefield. Photo: Maggie Allen ©

Archie Paton, miner and campaigner for miners’ welfare and rights. Photo courtesy of his sister, Maggie Allen ©

After working at Wakefied with his father, Archie went on to work at the New Selby coalfield at Wistow Mine and then at Whitemoor Mine. Archie died on the 11th Sept 2016. He was well loved and known in mining circles as a passionate campaigner for miners’ welfare and rights. Archie was a keen follower of  the TRTD Facebook page and his contributions will be missed.

Jan Nimmo

Maggie Allen (nee Paton) with a photo of her father, Coventry Paton. Photo: Jan Nimmo ©

 

The Argyll Colliery Team of 1952/53

Maggie Allen with her late father’s photo of the Argyll Colliery Football team of 1952/53 Photo: Jan Nimmo ©

Maggie Allan brought this photo from her late father’s collection along to our first drop-in session at Campbeltown Library. Her father was Coventry Paton (Top, second left).  Alex McKinven (author of Kit and Caboodle: The Story of Football in Campbeltown) kindly gave us information about the team in this photo. This is the Argyll Colliery team c. 1952 /53. The colours the team played in were Claret and Amber (Motherwell colours).

Back row – from left to right: ‘Donnie’ Paterson, Coventry Paton, ‘Chas’ McKechnie, David Anderson, Malcolm Hamilton and James /Jimmy Thompson.

Front row – Right to left: Neil McLaughlan, Willie Colville, Sam Batey, Stewart Hamilton Charlie Farmer.

Argyll Colliery football team, Campbeltown 1952/53. Photo courtesy of Maggie Allen ©