Putting Bainsford firmly on the map

New signs proudly marking Bainsford’s boundaries are putting the village on the map, says the local councillor who campaigned for them to be erected.

But Robert Bissett says this is just the start of acknowledging the role Bainsford played in the area’s history – the next step is creating a war memorial to remember those who gave their lives in the world wars.

Councillor Bissett said: “The idea behind is was to put Bainsford on the map because when you ask local people where they are from, they don’t say they are from Falkirk – they say they’re from Bainsford.

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“And yet, if someone was looking for Bainsford there was no defined area – it was swallowed by Falkirk.”

But Councillor Bissett believes the area’s proud industrial heritage should be respected and he sees the signs as the first step.

Even more importantly, he believes marking the area is a step towards remembering the sacrifice made by the young men who left Bainsford to fight, never to return.

Councillor Bissett said: “We have set up the Bainsford War Memorial Association and the plan is that a
 memorial will go in Dawson Park.

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“We have been researching the lives lost from Bainsford during the war and so far we have come up with 113 names. When those young men left, they left Bainsford and we think it’s important 
to have something to mark that.”

As the war memorial group gradually gathers they names, they are finding out more about the people and stories behind them.

Councillor Bissett recently met the daughter of David Allan, who died aged just 20 years old, when she was just a year old.

“Mrs Turnbull gave us his Glengarry and his medals and the telegram that Mrs Allan, his mum, received, along with a postcard written to his ‘darling baby daughter’.

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“We want to be able to encompass things like that in a memorial. It was very moving to see these things and it makes you think about all the young men who left Bainsford. It brings the names to life.”

The war memorial project is gathering support from local members of the community and local schools.

“I think it’s important for every community to have a spirit of community and to have that you need a sense of identity, so the signs are just a part of that,” said Councillor Bissett.

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