Gretna 100 – Persevere & Seven of the 7th Exhibition
May - August 2015
On the 22nd May 1915 1915, at Quintinshill near Gretna, the worst train disaster in British railway history left over 200 men from the 1/7th Royal Scots dead. This ‘Leith Battalion’ trained at the Drill Hall on Dalmeny Street which later became the focus point for families looking for information after the disaster.
Working with Out of the Blue in this same building 100 years later, a group of community actors from Active Inquiry and Strange Town Young Company have researched and devised a piece of promenade theatre, Persevere, which guides the audience around the Drill Hall and enables them to catch glimpses of stories of Leithers 100 years ago saying goodbye to sons and brothers, hearing the news of the crash and coping with the aftermath.
In addition, a group of community researchers have worked with Citizen Curator and artist Jan-Bee Brown to research and curate an exhibition, Seven of the 7th, exploring the disaster through the story of seven soldiers who were involved. This exhibition also includes The Tree of Life, produced in partnership with Pilmeny Youth Centre and artist Heather Scott, in which pupils from Leith Academy have researched and helped to make a glass dog-tag for each of the 216 soldiers who died. Producer/Director Ray Bird’s film documentary will be shown as part of the exhibition.
Gretna 100 research group member and descendent of one of the crash survivors Heather Thomson investigates how the sacrifice of the 1/7th Battalion of the Royal Scots is being remembered.
Gretna 100 Quintinshill Rail Crash
Follow Gretna 100 on facebook here.
Persevere Performances
22nd May 8.30pm (SOLD OUT)
23rd May 6.30pm & 8.30pm (SOLD OUT)
20th June 6.30pm & 8.30pm (SOLD OUT)
Part of Forest Fringe
12th August 6.30pm (extra tickets released)
12th August 8.30pm (extra tickets released)
13th August 6.30pm (extra tickets released)
13th August 8.30pm (NEW DATE)
Seven of the 7th Exhibition
22nd May 6pm – Exhibition and Gretna 100 Launch
23rd May – 13th August – Open from 10am – 5pm (not Sundays) Free entry
The Gretna 100 project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and managed by Out of the Blue, aims to enable Leithers to connect with the disaster that devastated the community 100 years ago.
Tags: Exhibition, Forest Fringe 15, Leith, Performance, Theatre
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