On the 8th September 1895, a group of people from High Blantyre set off to nearby Bellsfield Farm with a deliberate intention on stealing some food.
The farm belonged to John Craig who discovered the group in one of his crop fields.
John Smith Labourer of Springfield, Walter Clark of Aitkenhead’s Land, Edward Tonner and Michael Murphy miners, John Boyd a boy, James Lowell a miner, Margaret Lowell and Mary Stevenson girls from Forrest Place were all caught and charged with stealing 8 turnips from the field at Sydes.
In court at later date Margaret and Mary, the girls were dismissed with admonition. Everybody else fined 5 shillings. This may reflect how difficult things were for these individuals, resorting to the only means the knew to put food on the table.
