Slop Warning under Roads Act

In 1896, at the Justice of the Peace Court in Hamilton, Mrs Annie McLay (nee Smith) was charged with throwing on the carraigeway opposite her home at Larkfield, a “pail of slops”, contrary to the Roads Act.

Sanitation in Blantyre had vastly been improved upon by the 1890s, which proper drains being installed throughout the Parish the decade before. Despite this, the Fiscal reported that the unhygienic practice was still in use and that it should be stopped immediately. She was fined 2s 6d or 24 hours imprisonment, this being her first offence. The Justice intimated their intention of issuing fines should it continue to happen.

It is unknown why Mrs McLay felt the need to do this, but it was known at the time that the area around Kirkton Park and at Braehead at Larkfield posed considerable problems for the new drainage systems in Blantyre. This is recorded in 1880, when the water supply was upgraded.