Auchentibber War Memorial – Renovation

I have learned yesterday that the Auchenitbber War Memorial is to soon be renovated by South Lanarkshire Council. The monument has been suffering in recent years due to heavy traffic and poor previous repairs.

Following a poll by Blantyre Telegraph in December 2016 (on behalf of SLC, Blantyre Community Council, Blantyre Project and various other residential stakeholders), people in Blantyre overwhelmingly voted for the World War I memorial to be renovated where it is, rather than completely rebuilt in the nearby Crematorium or elsewhere.

As a reminder, the results of the poll are attached and we provided a 2 page report to the Council for their consideration with this feedback. It appears the viewpoints of the most popular vote have been considered by the Council and now approved. The War Memorial, built in the early 1920s to remember 14 brave souls will be renovated where it is.

There was very little support for rebuilding the monument elsewhere in Auchentibber, or at the Crematorium. Contractors have been approached to submit tenders for the repair work. One local contractor told me yesterday, “It’s still not been decided who’s doing the work yet, but we remain hopeful.”

A decision and issue of the paperwork to the chosen contractor is due soon.

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,

Barb Hicks So glad they are not going to relocate the memorial, my Great Uncle Thomas Potter in on there, he was born in Auchentibber 👍

Blantyre Project Thomas Potter, broke with family tradition and took the huge step to move to Australia and fought for the Australian Infantry. He was not so lucky as brothers and as you know Barb, he sadly died on 8th April 1918, aged 25. I hope to tell the detailed story of all the men on this memorial after I’m finished editing my current book.

Sidenote: John Boland Brown, (an inlaw of the Potter family) had earlier emigrated to Australia and being of good mining stock owned a mine there in New South Wales. He left behind property in Auchentibber known as Brown’s land, where James Potter lived. It was John Brown who sponsored the Potter family members to come to Australia, John Wilson Potter going out there first to his misfortunate timing, but some of the Potter family followed his example by emigrating in the 1920’s.

Glenn Reddiex Tom’s mother Margaret is my gt gt grandmother. Margaret and her first husband James McDonald had a daughter Helen who married Robert Johnston Reddiex (my gt grandparents). The Reddiex’s lived at Auchentibber and were recorded beside the Potter family o…See more

Barb Hicks Thank you Paul it is great when you find bits of my family history. I did not know that we were related to the Browns, on my mums original birth certificate to states she was born on Browns Land. My Grandad was John Wilson Potter.