Some news articles next all from the second week in March 1968. This was a week Jimi Hendrix was making headlines and Otis Reading was sitting on top of chart success with “Dock of the Bay”. The Bee Gees crossed the pond to try to “break” America, just as the American President ramped up troop numbers for Vietnam.
Here’s what was making headlines in Blantyre that week:
Two units of the fire brigade were summoned to the building site at Boswell Drive at the junction of Calder Street. The new offices of the Ministry of labour were being constructed and a fire had broken out. A wooden hut containing valuable finishing timber, destined for inside the new building had caught alight and was destroyed causing £250 worth of damage. Boys are thought to have been responsible.
On the Sunday, a motorcycle ridden by Alex Robertson of Burnside Crescent collided with a car of John McMillan of Birdsfield Drive. The accident happened on Glasgow Road at the junction of Auchinraith Road. Both vehicles were damaged but nobody was hurt.
Vandals sawed through the goalposts at Craighead Park, literally “moving the goalposts” on the Sunday afternoon. Boys were seen moving the goalposts and throwing on to the railway line, a most dangerous of acts and far more serious than trying to stop Blantyre Celtic’s game. Police were most engaged in trying to track them down.
The David Livingstone Memorial Primary School was broken into by vandals. They entered rooms and slashed upholstery on furniture.
Grass fires were started by vandals near lockups bringing out the fire brigade on the Tuesday evening. Some of the fires were very close to lock ups and all started deliberately.
Margaret Johnston of Calder Street School was runner up in the Junior Ladies All Round Gymnastic Championships.
When writing this up, I had to admit, Blantyre has had its fair share of vandalism over the years, some issues as common back then as they are today. Sadly.
