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WHOM DYKES DIVIDE

To order:

Price: £7.99 plus postage and packaging (£1 in UK)

Please send cheque to Small and Crummy Publications, 4 Whitehill Street, Newcraighall, Edinburgh, EH21 8RA with your address

WHOM DYKES DIVIDE

by Helen Crummy

ISBN 978-0-9546397-4-7

Designed by Shirley Anne Murdoch Illustrations by Andrew Crummy Edited by Carmel Daly

Small and Crummy Publications/Paperback/117 pages/ Language English

It is a novel telling the story of the Niddrie Coalbearers.

It is Helen Crummy's her third and final book charting the history of Craigmillar, Edinburgh and its people.

Whom Dykes Divide is an historical novel tracing the history of two mining families in the Niddrie and Newcraighall area of the Lothian Coalfield in Scotland. The main purpose of the book is to explore and highlight in a way that has not been done before the extreme poverty and the appalling working conditions of Scotland`s collier families and the manner in which they were tied to their pits by deprivation and legalised slavery. The principal characters are fictional (except the landowners) but the social and historical setting is based on fact. An authentic backcloth for the events described in the book has been provided by the author’s research into the history and development of the Niddrie and Newcraighall areas over the last six centuries. This book is dedicated to the memory of Agnes Moffat, a ten year old coalbearer.

About Helen Crummy
Here is an extract from a Joan Joan Bakewell article

"Helen Crummy (1920- ) was born in working-class Craigmillar, Edinburgh, a tough and intelligent woman who didn't like it when, on asking at her son's primary school whether he could learn the violin, was told that it took teachers all their time to teach the 3 Rs. She set about founding the Craigmillar Festival, an enterprise that brought creativity into the lives of a run-down and neglected enclave of Edinburgh the tourists never see. She first galvanised other mothers, then the entire community. Councillors and bureaucrats sat up and took notice. To everyone's surprise but her own, the enterprise flourished. Her book Let the People Sing has gone round the world and in 1992 she was given an honorary doctorate at Heriot-Watt University."

Travelling The Distance Public Art at Scottish Parliament
Helen Crummy is one of the 100 women marked in a work, about women and democracy. Helen Crummy's says "It is a tribute to the women of Craigmillar". She quotes Agnes Moffat who was one of the coalbearers of Niddrie, who gave evidence to the commission, which helped outlaw women and childrern working in coalmines. Also Ruth Wisharts quote by Margaret Mead was about Helen Crummy and reads:
" It’s so true, committed citizens are the people who can really change the world."

"This novel is a compelling read"

A review of Whom Dykes Divide Prestoungrange.org

"This novel is a compelling read not to be missed by any fascinated by or ready to comprehend our community’s history. Helen Crummy’s determination to ensure we remember on whose shoulders we stand hereabouts brings the history of coal mining in the Lothians all too vividly back to life in a family saga spanning six centuries."

Front cover of The Craigmillar Chronicle DOWNLOAD

EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS ITEM CLICK

Launch of WHOM DYKES DIVIDE

On the 30th October, 2008, at Castleview Primary School 50 people gathered to witness a unique evening. A short dramatic presentation of a part of the book by John Lindsay, Kellie Ross and her daughter Bobby Lee. Heather Henderson, a storyteller retold part of the book. A choir from the Primary School sang songs such " The Welcome song", "When the People Play Thier Part" and "Craigmillar Now". Bree Anne Williamson said a few words on behalf of the children. Brogan Fleming beautifully sang the song "The Arled Bairn". Kenny MasKill MSP and Justice Minister at The Scottish Parliament, Councillor Maureen Child said afew words of support. The event was led by Headteacher Lindsey Robertson who formally launched the book. Other people from The Craigmillar Festival where there including Muriel Wilkinson, Alice Henderson, Steve Burgess, Mike Greenlaw, Gus Meecham, Chrissie Brown, Douglas Galbraith, Billy McKirdy to name a few. Also Helen's family were there. The evening finished off with a bunch of flowers and a new Craigmillar song specially written for the evening entitled "Craigmillar Woman".

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF LAUNCH BY HEATHER HENDERSON VOL1

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF LAUNCH BY HEATHER HENDERSON VOL2

WHOM DYKES DIVIDE is the final part of three books that document the history of Craigmillar.

The other two are:

OUT OF PRINT

LET THE PEOPLE SING

Paperback: 240 pages

£6.99 + pp

Publisher: Craigmillar Communiversity Press (April 1992)
Language English
ISBN: 0951859307
Having sold 2000 copies since its publication in 1992, an essential and recognise classic in Community Arts and Community development. Helen Crummy documents the positive social change through the communities’ own creative intervention in Craigmillar, Edinburgh, Scotland. A story of divided Britain, focusing on Helen Crummy - child, then mother and activist - from Craigmillar in Edinburgh, one of Scotland's most notorious and maligned public housing schemes. She describes how the community came to question and take charge of the forces that shape their lives.

OUT OF PRINT

MINE A RICH VEIN

Craigmillar Communiversity Press (10 Oct 2003)

£5.99 + pp

Language English
ISBN: 0954334841
Book Description
The follow-up to ‘Let The People Sing’, Helen Crummy’s definitive book on the social history of Craigmillar and positive visions for it’s future. This book gives a history and vision for Craigmillar.

Other publications include:

essay and editing: Arts The Catalyst Catalogue, 2004

The Heritage and Arts Trail for Craigmillar (Due out in early 2009)

Edited with Douglas Galbraith: Craigmillar Gold: Community Musical songs, 2004

These books hopefully will form the foundation for the creation of a living library in the new library, called "The Craigmillar Room". Starting in medieval times the archives shows how down the centuries the indigenous population of Craigmillar, Niddrie and the surrounding areas have contributed much to the social, cultural, economic and political life of Scotland. Also why this proud heritage, which includes all that is good in the local culture and traditions, should be preserved, built on and handed down to future generations.

To see examples of the archive see Andrew Niddrie flickr site which has hits of 70,000.