Briggers Memorial

This bronze memorial near the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry, with an identical one at North Queensferry, was erected last year and is inscribed with the words "To the Briggers, past and present, who built, restored and continue to maintain this iconic structure." It records the names, ages and occupations of 73 men who died building the Forth Bridge which was opened in 1890. Included is the name of a fourteen-year-old rivet catcher, Thomas Shannon whose job was to place the glowing hot rivet into the hole to be riveted, and then quickly turn around to receive the next one of the 6.5million rivets in the 1.5mile long bridge where a train can be seen approaching the first cantilever. The men at that time had very little safety protection unlike now with the stringent rules enforced at the new road bridge being constructed a couple of kilometers west.