A remarkable case of juvenile precocity was heard in the Hamilton J.P. Court on Saturday 24th January 1925.
Not yet nine years of age, a boy from Burnbank admitted the theft of tin of butter scotch from a confectioner’s shop at Glasgow Road in Low Blantyre.
The wee eight year old boy incredibly had 2 previous convictions fro theft. Once in 1923 and another in 1924. The judge stated, “There must be some sort of punishment to make him realise the error of his ways, even his exceptional age.”
Sentence of six stripes of the birch rod was passed. On hearing the sentence, the little fellow went into a fit of weeping.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,
Henry Hambley No evidence that corporal punishment did any good. We need to love and cherish children and all will be good though I admit there will be some problems along the way.\
William Watson I agree with Henry Hambley.
Elizabeth Weaver I agree with Henry Hambley too – it’s disgusting that children were abused like that – and of course corporal punishment was used daily in schools until the 70s. I often wonder how anyone could claim that it worked – if that was the case, why was it the same poor kids who were belted day after day at my school (Auchinraith)?
Glenda Moore The birch rod could draw blood and cause extreme bruising-if they missed kidney or other organ damage would ensue