A story appeared in newspapers in May 1911 which relates to a marching band incident in Cambuslang. It told:

“The other day, lively scenes were witnessed in Cambuslang when a flute band from Blantyre played along the main street of the town which was crowded. When the band reached the Congregational Church, cars were impeded by the crowd and one of the Blantyre bandsmen was knocked down to the ground by a blow from a man on the pavement.

A free fight ensued. All the available police were mustered and a number of arrests were made. The band re-formed and marched up the Main Street. Near the Police Station, the mob rushed ‘Pell Mell’ round the corner at Clydeford Road. The police formed a cordon across the roadway and were successful in stopping the stampede. The band again formed and was conveyed by police to the district boundary.”

Now, it doesn’t say what ‘kind’ of flute band was playing but this whole incident smacks of sectarianism, rather than a Blantyre- Cambuslang related matter. These sort of stories may not be great reading, but they happened and were part of local history.

A Blantyre flute band is pictured a few years earlier around 1905 or so, on High Blantyre Main Street to help illustrate this article.