At the start of July 1997, a family of 14 brothers and sisters, some from Australia, Canada and Ireland to remember their late father Blantyre man Robert Crothers. The family hired a coach to get them all up from Staffordshire. Margaret Campbell who shared this story told me that the had traveled from Australia and Robert, her brother from Canada. Robert now lives back in Scotland.
Robert Crothers and Nelly Slater Priory Street
Robert Crothers Senior had died at Christmas 1996 at the age of 75. He and his wife Nelly lived in Blantyre but moved to Staffordshire in 1957 to pursue work. Before he died, Robert said he wanted his ashes sprinkled in the Lanarkshire countryside where he had cycled with this sweetheart. We featured a photo of them both recently on the site.
Lewis Crothers told reporters back in 1997, “My mother and father lived in Blantyre near David Livingstone Memorial until dad got a job in the pits. They had 7 boys and 7 girls and the first 3 or 4 of them were born in Blantyre. We moved to Staffordshire in 1957, but dad and mum never forgot the moors where he and mum used to go cycling. This is a special occasion for all of us. We’ll have a buffet lunch then a party in the evening.
Morag Crothers, married to eldest son Robert Crothers (Jnr) added, “This will be the first time the whole family and been all together in the one place at the one time. There’s 25 years between the oldest and youngest members of the family!”
At a recent Gala day, I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Crothers Jnr very briefly (on what was a real busy day for me), but we still managed to have a chat and I wish I could have chatted longer but was on “gala duties”! Thank you to Margaret Campbell who shared this remarkable, touching story.
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