A wartime torchlight procession took place in Blantyre in WW1. On Saturday 14th November 1914, a fancy dress parade was held in order to raise money to buy a motor ambulance for the front.
A large number of decorated lorries, horses, carts, cycles and individuals assembled at low Blantyre School around 4pm just before dusk. Headed by the Blantyre Silver Band, fire torches were lit and the whole procession walked eastwards along Glasgow Road to Hamilton. Then the return journey was made.
Large crowds of people lined the streets to watch the spectacle. The collections amounted to a whopping £35, 18s and 5d (a sum equivalent in todays money of around £4,200 and a significant step forward in the funds for the vehicle).
Many local businesses provided the decorations and assisted.