When Major Ness died in 1908, the schoolmaster who had served Blantyre for over 5 decades was of course highly respected and very well known.
On 30th May 1908, the Hamilton Herald and Lanarkshire Weekly Newspaper made a confident prediction, which deserves a worthy mention here, if only for its incredible foresight and accuracy. The reports said:
“Now that Blantyre’s ‘Grand Old Man’ Major Ness has gone over to the great majority, the question that is exercising Blantyre’s People’s minds is that who will be his successor as headmaster. Two names are already mentioned freely in this connection, but the Board will no doubt, be able to fix on the most suitable man for the position. Irrespective of who should succeed Mr Ness, it is a certainty that for many years to come, the school at Blantyre will still be known by the old familiar name of Ness’s School.“
With this School being known officially as Stonefield Parish School or referred at times as Low Blantyre School, I bet even those reporters 114 years ago would be pleased and perhaps somewhat proud of their assertive prediction, that we still talk about that school today in 2022, as being Ness’s.
