Slamannan

Slamannan Scottish Gaelic: Sliabh Mhanainn Slope of the Manau tribe
Centre of Slamannan
Area	0.19 sq mi (0.49 km2)
Population	1,398  (2001 census)
• Density	7,358/sq mi (2,841/km2)
OS grid reference	NS855731
• Edinburgh	25.0 mi (40.2 km) E
• London	342 mi (550 km) SSE
Civil parish	Slamannan
Council area	Falkirk
Lieutenancy area	Stirling and Falkirk
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	FALKIRK
Postcode district	FK1
Dialling code	01324
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Falkirk
Scottish Parliament	Falkirk East
Website	falkirk.gov.uk

Slamannan (Scottish Gaelic: Sliabh Mhanainn) is a village in the south of the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. It is 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south-west of Falkirk, 6.0 miles (9.7 km) east of Cumbernauld and 7.1 miles (11.4 km) north-east of Airdrie.

Slamannan is located at the cross of the B803 and B8022 roads, near the banks of the River Avon, close to the border between Falkirk and North Lanarkshire councils. At the time of the 2001 census, Slamannan had a population of 1,398 residents. The 19th-century parish church can accommodate upwards of 700 people.

Notable residents

Former Cabinet Minister Viscount Horne was born in Slamannan in 1871, the son of the village's Church of Scotland minister. After study at the University of Glasgow, he became a successful QC and was elected to represent Glasgow Hillhead in Parliament, and served as Minister of Labour, President of the Board of Trade and Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lloyd George after the First World War. He was ennobled in 1937 as Viscount Horne of Slammanan.

Other distinguished sons of Slamannan manse include John Cameron and his brothers Hugh, Sandy and Kenneth all of whom won national titles in athletics in the 1960s and 70s (John & Kenneth as runners and Hugh & Sandy in the heavy field events). All of them later went on to become doctors. Their father, Alexander Cameron was an interesting man in his own right having been a miner who went up to Glasgow University from the West Central coalfields in the depths of the Depression to study Divinity. After serving as an army padre throughout the War, he went back to the coalfields in 1946 as a Church of Scotland minister. He was also the village's Labour county councillor and Convener of Stirlingshire Education Committee for twenty years until his death from black lung in 1968.

Early twentieth century Everton footballer, Alex "Sandy" Young was born in Slamannan, and spent his youth years playing for Slamannan Juniors. He remains the all-time fourth-highest scorer for Everton, and scored the only goal at the 1906 FA Cup Final. Another footballer, Andrew Smith, also hailed from the village. He played for numerous clubs in Scotland and England including East Stirlingshire, West Bromwich Albion, Newton Heath (later renamed Manchester United) and Bristol Rovers.

Lance Corporal Samuel Frickleton, was born in Slamannan, in 1891, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Frickleton. The family emigrated to New Zealand to take advantage of the plentiful jobs on offer in the coal mining industry, and the following year saw the outbreak of the First World War. Corporal Frickleton was awarded the military's highest honour for his actions in the Battle of Messines. His bravery was so outstanding that his commanding officer claimed he could have won the Victoria Cross "twice over".

Other notable military men from the village who were highly decorated were Sgt Gavin A McCreary and Sgt Observer James Bryce who were awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for their exploits in the RAF in WW2.

See also

• List of places in Falkirk council area
• Slamannan F.C.

External links

• Gazetteer for Scotland page on history of Slamannan