Ore Valley plan to celebrate historic Bowhill building

They're planning planning an event to celebrate and highlight the history of the Cardenden building and have appealed to the public for any information and images they may have.

A spokesperson for the association said the Reading and Recreational Rooms on Station Road opened in 1904 and was reconstructed from two miners cottages, by instruction from the Bowhill Coal Company. 

She added: "It has a story that deserves to be told, for a village with a rich mining history. 

"We have evidence that confirms the building was built from two colliery workers cottages at the west end of Ninth Street and was at the instruction of the colliery owners at the time, who recognised that pit workers may require another activity.

Girls' gymnastics at the Bowhill Youth Club in the 1960s. (Image: Supplied) "Some people may recognise the building as the Auld Institute, Reading Rooms, YMCA, youth club etc and it was also owned by the United Free Church between the 1920s-30s. 

"Any information relating to the history of the building would be greatly appreciated.

"We have a lot of images of the outside of the building but if we were to find more images of inside that would be amazing, as would stories from those who attended the building for whatever reason."

Ore Valley Housing Association want to celebrate the history of Bowhill Reading Rooms. (Image: Supplied) Last year Ore Valley completed the conversion of the old Bowhill Miners Institute, on Main Street, into 10 flats.

The association said the archives and the local studies teams at Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline have been "extremely helpful" and provided a lot of newspaper cuttings and images from the catalogue of books that was once available within the Reading Rooms.

These have been "invaluable" to their research but they'd like to ask locals for any other memories and photos they may have.

You can contact Ore Valley Housing Association on 01592 721917.