During 1924, the Miner’s Welfare had a planned budget to improve amenities in Blantyre.

The Mines Department on Friday 11th July 1924, issued a statement showing the position of the Miners’ Welfare Fund district funds as at June 30th that year. The total of contributions and interest to the whole of district was a whopping £2,731,086 3s. 2d.

From this National Budget, during June 1924, £12,250 was allocated for erecting and equipping brand new public swimming baths at Blantyre, Lanarkshire! If this ever had taken off or got built, Blantyre could have had an 1920’s art deco style baths, some 55 years even before the Sports Centre!

Of course it wasn’t built for one reason or another, but more successful was the allocation of funds also in June 1924 for the erection of a small hall in the outlying part Blantyre at Auchentibber. The hall was built and used for concerts and parties.

Pictured, for illustration only is a 1920s Art Deco Public Baths design, perhaps something similar to what Blantyre so closely missed out on!