Willie Ewing came to Kirkford in Fife, from Ireland, at an early age. He gained employment at No 7 pit, married Helen King and, was allocated a Fife Coal Company house in Pretoria Place in the ‘miners rows’. It was life in the ‘miners rows’ that gave birth to his Trade Union and political activity. He set himself two early tasks and later a third.
Firstly he determined to work to strengthen the Miners Union in Fife despite opposition from the mine owners. Secondly he resolved to replace, with local authority houses, the ‘prison’ of the miners rows. Thirdly, when co-opted to Cowdenbeath Town Council during the war, he resolved to ensure that local young men and women on active service should be cared for by the people of Cowdenbeath and the ‘Home Comforts Committee’ was formed.
With Willie Ewing as Chairman it ensured that food and other items were sent regularly to the Cowdenbeath prisoners of war and serving service men and women. In 1947 the first of his selfimposed tasks was achieved when, the National Coal Board was born. “They are our pits now” was the cry. He was disillusioned to find the coal industry again run by the very people who had starved the industry of investment when they held ownership.
His second task to replace the ‘miners rows’ with good quality local authority owned housing was begun when the Labour Party were elected to power following the end of the war. Over a number of years the entire derelict housing stock, including the ‘miners rows’, was replaced by good quality housing and prefabricated houses, built in a hurry to replace the derelict housing in the town. They were themselves subsequently replaced by more permanent housing.
When Willie Ewing died the then Fife Council Convenor Sir John McWilliam said of him ‘When in debate you had Willie Ewing on your side you had a knowledgeable and persuasive supporter and when he was against you, you had an equally knowledgeable and powerful opponent.
Willie Ewing did not live to see his son Harry become a Labour MP he would
have been proud and almost as equally proud when his son now Lord Kirkford became
a Director of Cowdenbeath Football Club.
Willie Anderson worked for the coal industry in Fife for 51 years and was for many years an active member of the National Union of Mineworkers Group 2 (the union’s craft section) at the Cowdenbeath workshops. He was elected to Cowdenbeath Town Council in 1960 and was Provost of Cowdenbeath from 1967 – 1970.
He served on Fife County Council from 1961 to 1975 and, following local government reorganisation in 1974 he was elected to the new Fife Regional Council where he played a leading role in the early days of setting up the new authority. He was Chair of the Fife Region Fire and Police Committee for 12 years.
Along with his wife Margaret who shared may of his interests he was very active in the work of the Old Peoples Welfare Association and the welfare of senior citizens became a special interest in his later life. Another abiding passion of his life was Cowdenbeath Football Club and he was a regular at Central Park.
Willie Anderson died at the age of 90 in April 2006 and his interest in the
Labour Party and local and national government lasted throughout his life. He
was out and about campaigning in the General election of 2005.