Work starts on new mural to honour Kath Duncan, the forgotten Queen of Kirkcaldy

Kath Duncan is one of the most important Scots, but few people know about her life as a prominent political activist and social justice campaigner.

She grew up, married and died in the Lang Toun, and now work is in hand to create the Kath Duncan Lighthouse in Hill Street which aims to be the UK's first working class, social justice, civil rights archive and community hub.

Starting next month, a team of international artists will team up with the best of Scotland’s street artists to create a giant mural celebrating one of her finest moments when she led 30,000 people on a march from Deptford on the gas works on Old Kent Road, London, against high charges for the poor.

In honour of her Kirkcaldy roots, it will feature people who have helped to shape this town, including Adam Smith, Gordon Brown and many more.

The work starts on February 12 and runs until the 20th before the mural is officially unveiled on International Women’s Day on March 8.

Raymond Wooldford, who wrote Duncan’s biography after first encountering her legacy when he was writing a book about where he lives in Deptford, is the drive force behind the lighthouse project.

He said: “We hope this mural will inspire and boost the new town regeneration and put history, heritage, arts and community at its core.”

The lighthouse will celebrate and chronicle the working class history and inspire a new generation of community activism and engagement.

And it plans to use the most up to date technology - even turning local people into avatars to tell the story of Kath, and their own stories. It will be a place that people can use for training, meetings, fundraising, and campaigns.

A film, “Liberty -Kath Duncan” also gets its premiere in London next month.

The true, untold story of the struggle for civil rights uses old film newsreels, recreations, and interviews including John White 103 years young, the only man known alive who witnessed activism in Duncan's lifetime

To donate to the mural fundraiser, please visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/wwwkathduncanequality-civilrights-networkcouk