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William Butch Munro of Lochgelly: Former Fife miner dies aged 72

Throughout a long career he worked first at Seafield colliery in Kirkcaldy and then at Castlebridge colliery in Clackmannanshire.

Former Fife miner William Butch Munro
Former Fife miner William Butch Munro has died aged 72.

William Munro, known as Butch, spent his entire life firmly embedded in his community in Lochore and Crosshill in Fife.

Like many Fifers of his generation, he spent a good part of his life working underground in the coal mines.

He never moved from his community where he was well known and respected so his death at the age of 72 has led to a flow of tributes.

William inherited the nickname Butch from his father but he acquired a second nickname, Steak pie Munro, because of the number of pies he won at domino competitions in years past.

Beginnings

He was born at Forth Park Maternity Hospital in Kirkcaldy in June 1950 to miner William Munro and his wife, Mary Jane, and grew up alongside younger brother, Thomas.

The family home was in Lochgelly and William was educated at Lochgelly South School and then Auchterderran secondary.

He combined his school studies with a milk round from the age of 13 through which he became a familiar face in the community.

When he left secondary school, William, began a mechanical engineering apprenticeship in a garage but it did suit not him, so in 1966 he joined the National Coal Board.

Throughout a long career he worked first at Seafield colliery in Kirkcaldy and then at Castlebridge colliery in Clackmannanshire.

His partner, Liz Hodge, said: “He was a pit bottomer and used to let the miners up and down in the cages. He used to joke that no one was allowed to leave the mine without his permission. He would do anything for anyone that needed help, whether it be a sub or just some advice.”

Career change

William left mining after 27 years in 1993 and took a job as a delivery driver with Bayne the baker.

He had been married and divorced, and in 1998, met his future partner, Liz, during a visit to a pub in Lochore.

The couple’s son, Ben, was born in 2002 with a heart condition which required open-heart surgery as a newborn.

This prompted William to give up work to became a full-time carer to Ben, who is now fully recovered and is a student working part-time in Tesco.

Outside work, William was a car enthusiast and an avid golfer who played on courses around Scotland including Gleneagles and played almost daily at Lochore Meadows.

William was also father to Ashley, Adam, Andrew and David. His funeral will take place at Kirkcaldy crematorium on Tuesday May 23 at 11.45am.

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