On Wednesday 2nd March 1927, 2 Blantyre men were in trouble in the court.
John Stirling (18) and James McGrorty (20), both resided at Central Buildings on Glasgow Road (roughly where RBOS is now). They were charged with having between 18th and 20th February 1927 breaking into a magazine store at Gartshore Pit 11 and stole 2 boxes of explosives and detonators along with breaking into a shop and stealing Players cigarettes and one and box of chocolates. They pled guilty.
The Procurator-Fiscal said that in the early hours Sunday morning, the engineman at the colliery discovered that the explosive store had been forced open. Later, when he was able to examine it, it was found the samsonite explosives and detonators were missing, and the police were informed. The police made immediate inquiries, found that the accused had been in Twechar on Saturday night, but had gone to brother of one of the accused, leaving on the Sunday morning.
Information was sent to the Blantyre police, and they visited the nearby house early on the Sunday. Here they found the accused, who admitted breaking into the explosive store, and they also stated that they had broken into a shop. Part of the samsonite was recovered but none of the detonators were there. It was unknown what the young men wanted quantities of explosive for, but felt that it certainly would not have been for any good cause.
The 2 men were sent to Borstal Institution for 2 years each.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c)
On social media:
Carole Mackie Rickard My parents lived in the Central Buildings when first married in 1964. My Dad says it was around where the traffic lights are now, almost at the corner of Craig Street. It’s good to see exactly where it was.