The Blantyre Curling Club was a former winter sports club which lasted over 100 years. It all started with an advert put into the Hamilton Advertiser newspaper in early February 1887. The advert proposed an initial meeting of local persons interested in forming a new club and constructing a pond for the purposes of leisure and sportmanship.

The Birth of the Club

The advert did its job and the first meeting took place in High Blantyre in Mr. J.B Struthers’ lesser Hall on Main Street on the evening of Tuesday 22nd February 1887. Seventeen interested local men, (primarily from High Blantyre) turned up and with thanks to a minute of meeting, we know who they were and what they discussed.

Those present that winter’s evening were Thomas Jackson (of Bardykes), William Adam (of Shott), Alex B Maxwell, Robert Lightbody, Charles Allan, James McLellan, John Naismith, Andrew Jackson (of Old Place), James Jackson (of Croftfoot), William Sillar, William Scott, J.B Struthers, James Ross, N McFarlane, William Minto and Robert Stewart. Mr Thomas Jackson of Bardykes took the chair.

A committee was formed and the following resolutions were unanimously adopted.

That the new club be formed and designated as “The Blantyre Curling Club”
That an agreement be entered between a committee comprising of Messrs Wardop Moore (of Greenhall), Thomas Jackson, William Scott, William Sillar and William Adam for the advantage of the club on the one part and to benefit Mr Peter Craig, Tenant of Lettrick Farm, Cambuslang on the other part. The agreement was that Mr Craig would let part of his land bounded on one side by the River Calder and by the Cocksburn on the other side for the formation of a curling pond. Mr Craig would be paid One Pound and Five Shillings per annum to let the land for the use of the Club at their leisure. Mr Craig would get the use of the land in warmer months for grazing with the exception of a small embankment which was to be formed, protected by a new double fence.
Messrs Robert Aitkenhead would be appointed to construct and level the curling pond to a plan and specification already put to them, for work agreed to the tune of Nine Pounds and Four Shillings. James Ross and Alex B Maxwell were to supervise the work, which was to take no more than one month.
Finally, the gentlemen present agreed to pay a subscription of Five Shillings to become the first members of the club for season 1887 -1888. Those present all agreed to share an equal cost of the construction of the pond, embankment and fence and any other initial expenses of the club.

Mr JB Struthers hall where this meeting took place is pictured by myself back in 2014. Continued on Part 2…….