A meeting of the local committee arranged for carrying on the Livingstone Memorial Scheme took place the Stonefield Parish Church Lesser Hall on Monday 25th April 1929.
Rev. W. H. Macdiarmid, B.D., presided, and there were present representatives from the Parish Council, Blantyre Co-operative Society, school teachers and other organisations.
The chairman outlined the work done so far by the executive working from Glasgow, and the extent the projected scheme. He explained that misconception had somehow arisen to the price paid to Messrs William Baird & Co. for the buildings and the adjoining ground, thought necessary for the project.
It had been rumoured that the price paid had been £12,000, when in reality only £1,250 had been handed over for “Shuttle Row,” Blantyre Lodge, and ten acres of ground.
Indeed, the money had only been for the price the intended park land, as the Livingstone building and the lodge were granted for free. The lodge was planned to be completely pulled down and rebuilt to form a museum and repository for the numerous relics of the famous missionary and traveller that were expected to be collected at home and abroad. This of course didn’t happen but the Lodge was demolished, not rebuilt.
The purpose of the meeting was to dispel the purchase price misconception and principally to try and set afoot ways and means for raising some of the £12.000 which the executive think would be necessary to establish and endow the museum and recreation grounds.
The rev. chairman was very emphatic on the endowment, as he pointed out that the folk of Blantyre were taxed to the uttermost already, and could not agree to a further burden on the workers of the district. Attempts were to be made to got the assistance the Orpheus Choir, S.C.W.R. Pipe Band, and assistance from Rangers and Celtic Football Clubs.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2016
Pictured in 1929, is the renovated Shuttle Row building.
Hi Paul
My fathers great friend a George Green was the Chairman or as he put it “chief cook and bottle washer” for the David Livingston Centre. I think he raised funds for it and kept it going in the 1950s/.60s I do know they had a visit from the Queen Mother which caused quite a lot of “problems”. Cucumber sandwiches-which he had been assured were the Queen Mum’s favourite. Resulted in loads of such sandwiches being prepared ! My dad and mum got an invite. I have a special Post Office stamp booklet with stamps somewhere which was produced by the Post Office and given to “guests”.