The Caledonian Mercury newspaper told an interesting and unfortunate story in the New Year of 1771. It tells of 2 Blantyre boys out shooting birds and wild game on the fields opposite Barnhill (the Calder Braes). One of them carried a “fowling piece” which was essentially a long gun, the pre-cursor of a modern shotgun. Unfortunately the gun went off in the hands of one of the boy, instantly killing the other boy, by accident. The clipping says Burnhill, but such newspaper reports of the time, outwith the local area often had incorrect place names. Blantyre Parish is mentioned and Barnhill is the intended area.

I can only imagine the horror of the boy carrying the gun as he would have to have ran to get help or admitted to the accident. It was a time when children were allowed guns in Blantyre. A time, i hope we never see again.