A significant rammy occurred in Blantyre on the evening of Saturday 30th January 1926.

Seven young men from Burnbank had come over to Blantyre to attend a dance in the Blantyre Co-operative Hall at the corner of Glasgow Road and Herbertson Street. Whilst in there, growing concern and rumour was whispered amongst the males at the dance that there “was to be trouble outside” afterwards. The hall keeper concerned, closed the doors quickly that evening after the dance ended and things “kicked off outside”.

After the dance the Burnbank men had went outside and a crowd had assembled around them. It is unknown what they had done within the dancehall to antagonise so many males from Blantyre. Being pursued, the Burnbank men tried to board a tramcar back to Hamilton, but were surrounded and had to defend themselves, being pursued by a small crowd of men from Blantyre.

What was described as “regular battle” started on Glasgow Road both on board and off the tram. The car was held up and the driver prevented from moving forward.

Blantyre Police arrived and promptly arrested 2 men from Blantyre. When the 2 Blantyre men were arrested, the Blantyre crowd turned on Police with a threatening attitude and started throwing stones at them. During the arrests, the 7 men from Burnbank ran off towards Springwells, but were later apprehended further up the road by police.

At Hamilton J.P. Court on Monday 1st February 1926 the seven young men from. Burnbank and two from Blantyre were charged with committing a breach of the peace by conducting themselves in a disorderly manner and using obscene language. The Justices found the charge against one of the men not proven, but all the others were convicted, each being fined £2 each or £1 depending on their involvement.

Putting this into context, pictured is a tram on Glasgow Road.