Every now and again, I find a news report which is worth putting up on the website, if only to confirm accurately the date around a particular event.

Blantyre residents were looking forward to seeing street lights being put up for Christmas for the first time in 1967. During mid September, the Hamilton Advertiser announced that the County Council had met to discuss procuring the lights and suitable positions for them in Blantyre.

Given the amount of businesses, Glasgow Road was the perfect choice and in particular the stretch from Victoria Street junction to Mayberry Place. It was discussed that Blantyre however, was less suitable than Cambuslang for Christmas Lights owing to the fact that the street poles were staggered in Blantyre, rather than directly across from each other. This meant single lights on each pole was more suited, rather than strings of lights.

Flood lighting of the various churches were also under consideration with shops encouraged to put up more festive displays than usual.

Looking at this same stretch of lights in modern times, I’m fairly sure there’s still a few of these 1967 lights still being rolled out!