In amongst all the horrific incoming news about WW1 deaths, was a local story worth celebrating in 1917. The Golden Anniversary of a well known Blantyre couple!
In January 1917, Mr. and Mrs. John Arbuckle, who lived at 81 Glasgow Road, Low Blantyre celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in the Co-operative Hall accompanied by a large gathering of their family and friends.
The Rev. Thomas A. Hugh presided, and on behalf of the family presented the worthy couple with a purse of money, and they were also the recipients of many beautiful presents.
Mr Arbuckle was born in Cambuslang in 1846 and Mrs. Arbuckle was born in Dumbarton, and was 70 years old. At the early age of just twelve in 1858, Mr Arbuckle started working in the pits and by the time of this party had been a miner for 57 years!
He had spent 33 of those years working at Auchinraith Colliery. For over 40 years the couple had been members of the Livingstone Memorial U.F. Church. By 1917, they had two sons and daughters and 13 grandchildren!
The couple are pictured in 1917 (I apologise for the poor quality of this photo).