Ian Archibald Cormack McMillan 1929-1960

By Laura Middleton and Morag T Fyfe

Born in Govan on 26th February 1929, Ian Archibald Cormack McMillan was the eldest child and only son of John Redvers McMillan and Jessie Millar Colquhoun. His sister Margaret was two years younger. Ian attended Copeland Road Primary School, and then Govan High School. He married young in 1949 to Jean Suttie McIntosh. At the time of his marriage, he was living at 21 Vicarfield Street, Govan and this is where the couple set up home. A son named John Archibald was born in 1950. At the time of his marriage Ian was working as a storeman at a manufacturing chemist but in 1953 he joined the Glasgow Fire Service. He was attached to the South Fire Station, B Division, at 180 Centre Street, Tradeston but remained living at Vicarfield Street, not in Fire Service accommodation attached to one of the fire stations.

This lovely family photograph was taken to mark Margaret McMillan’s 21st birthday on 31st December 1952. She stands in the centre of the back row flanked by her father John and her cousin Kay. At the far right is her brother Ian with his wife Jane McIntosh seated in front of him. Their son John, almost two years old, is sitting in the middle of the front row between his grandmother and great grandmother. [photo provided by Laura Middleton]

At 1915 hrs on the evening of 28th March 1960, a 999 call was received by Glasgow Fire Service reporting smoke issuing from a bonded warehouse in Cheapside Street just north of the river Clyde. The first units arrived on site from West and Central Fire Stations and the Salvage Corps at 1918 hrs. There were problems accessing the building to locate the seat of the fire. More appliances were called out, some being directed to the rear of the premises in Warroch Street. A massive explosion occurred at 1949 hrs which blew out parts of the front and rear walls of the building burying fire personel under the debris in Cheapside Street and Warroch Street. Three men were killed in Cheapside Street and sixteen in Warroch Street. The fire was not brought under control until 0618 next morning. The bodies of the three killed in Cheapside Street were recovered from the debris about 1am the following morning while the fire was still raging but it took until 31st March to recover all the bodies buried under the rubble in Warroch Street.

From “Report of the Glasgow fire disaster – 28th March, 1960” by Firemaster Martin Chadwick

Six men from the South Fire Station lost their lives that night including fireman Ian Archibald Cormack McMillan. Seven men from the Central Fire Station were also lost, one from the West Fire Station and five Salvage Corps men. This still remains Britain’s worst peacetime fire services disaster.

South Fire Station, Centre Street, Tradeston

A public funeral was held on April 5, 1960, with citizens lining the streets to pay their respects. The fallen were laid to rest in the Glasgow Necropolis, where a memorial stands in their honour.

Glasgow Fire Memorial – Remembrance Service -30 March 2010