A nine year old local Blantyre boy appeared at the local Juvenile Court on Thursday 4th March 1938 before Bailie Pomphrey. It was explained to the Fiscal that the boy had caused a great deal of trouble in the past, and he had been missing from home for some time, on several occasions.

On December 15 1937 he was found wandering at Bellshill at 11.40 p.m with money, coloured chewing-gum, combs, etc. in his possession. The following week he boarded a bus at his hometown, Blantyre at 11.40 p.m. for Glasgow. The conductor became suspicious of a boy of his age travelling to Glasgow, and put him off at Cambuslang where he was taken charge of by the police. He had money and co-operative tokens which had been taken from a lady’s handbag which had been stolen from a pram near the Cooperative Store. On the following Thursday he was again missing. He had never been before the Court before and it was not known whether he lacked an affectionate home or whether did not want to stay at home. The Fiscal recommended that the boy be sent an approved school.