During the first week of May 1977, part of the David Livingstone Centre was badly damaged involving a freak accident with a giant tanker. A 32t large tanker used for carrying bitumen for road repairs around the Memorial, smashed into the side of the historic building on the first Monday in May, causing considerable damage. […]
All 40 Council employees based at Stonefield Public Park, Blantyre threatened to strike during April 1977 after being unfairly treated over bonuses. The park workers had been ‘promised’ incentive bonuses from bosses, which had been told would apply since local government had changed in 1975 (Strathclyde Regional Council). The bonuses amounted to nearly £10/week and […]
Blantyre Miners Welfare Outdoor Bowling got the ball , or rather the ‘jack’ rolling in April 1977 for the start of a new season when Mrs Craig rolled the first throw. Mrs Craig, the President’s wife is also pictured with from left to right, Lyndsay Johnston Vic President, Mrs Johnston, Tom Rankin Secretary, Mr Robert […]
A strike by more than 100 workers brought Robertson’s ginger factory to a standstill in April 1977. The dispute which lasted just over a week was over workers being of the opinion that one of their supervisor’s had been unfairly sacked. But following the strike, Robertson’s managers did a u -turn and reinstated the dismissed, […]
This little amusing story made a newspaper snippet in December 1894. Worth retelling here if only to put a smile on faces. A Blantyre collier’s wife was walking to the pit one slushy, damp morning that month. Her intention was to get to the pit to give her husband a piece for lunch. At High […]
The first Annual Sabbath School soiree for the Primitive Methodist Church in Blantyre took place on Christmas Day, 1894. There’s a wonderful description of this festive party, which gave joy to so many Blantyre children 130 years ago. It was Christmas Night, 25th December 1894, the venue being Dixon’s Hall, just off Stonefield Road, Blantyre. […]
In December 1894, the Hamilton Advertiser had a small article about the Blantyre Works Factory. Though still operating, (and only just), they reported that 1894 was closing and that the year had been a bad one for many working folks. The ‘Misfit’ kept turning up, i.e issues causing employment and trade worries. Despite this, trade […]