On Tuesday 9th April 1895, there was a bit of a scene at the former miners’ homes at Dixons Rows, Stonefield, Blantyre.
Making the newspapers was a story about a miner residing at those houses who was forcibly evicted. At the insistence of Coalmasters William Dixon Ltd, (who owned the houses), this particular miner had previously been asked to leave and refused. So it was on that day, Mr. George Kemp, Messenger at Arms and 3 assistants arrived at his home to ensure he vacated at once. Messenger at Arms, would in a modern era be more known as a Sheriff Officer.
Mr. Kemp and his cronies were met with a ‘hot reception’ but completed his work, evicting this miner without the aid of police being called.
I thought I’d share this snippet, as sadly, such evictions were quite common and I don’t think I’ve posted too much about them before. We’ll never know the reason why the miner was evicted, or why he wouldn’t leave, which admittedly could be for many different reasons.
Dixon’s Row is pictured in subsequent decades.
On Social Media, the following comments were received on Facebook:
Carol King When we stayed in Calder street the brick wall at the bottom of the garden was a Dixon row wall!
Janet Vining Mitchell My gggrandfather lived there. The family moved to Dublin for a better opportunity.
Teresa Logie Janet Vining Mitchell my gran and great grandfather lived here moved from clones in Ireland to here
Rena Caullay So sad. I wonder what happened to the miner, and if he had a family.
Linda Marieskind Early 50s
Peter Hartman My Grandmother lived there Helen Allen /Meechan/Mcdougall
Mary Watt I lived in Bairds raws until I was 7 then moved to heathcliffe avenue, neighbours were Miranda cox and Archie Hutton I remember the wash house where the washing got done I also remember the pick and toss which was outside the 1st auchintaith pub/club and there was a shop called Nancy botterils and further along was Adam’s shop.
Margaret Hilson Mary Watt My mother Margaret Wilson was born in Baird’s Rows on 4/3/1911… My Grandmother was married before and her husband of just 1year along with her young brother were both killed in the Dixon’s pit disaster 1887.
Helen Drummond They still evicted people in the 60s and 70s for debt or rent arrears They chipped all their belongs into the garden like a pile of rubbish left to rot in the weather People with kids breaking their hearts crying ,what a sad state was shocking ..So glad those days are over
Ann Clark My gran and grands lived there and my mum was born there .
Tanya Michell My great, great Grandparents lived there in Dixon tenement houses, thanks to Paul Blantyre Project for finding this information.
Jamie Baxter Being off with an illness was often one of those reasons.
Janette Murray My great granny lived in Dixon’s Rows
Carol King Greed
Jean Maxwell I remember Dixons rows well I lived in 19 hall st then park st we were the last family to be housed as we were squatters no gas mum cooked on the fire and we had parraffin lamps oh happy days.
Robert Beattie I mind playing on the debris of the next door house, Robert
John Corny Cornfield This is the way the Tories would have it again! Be warned!
Jim Nisbet What’s on this site now?
Dan Wardrop My 3rd grand uncle Robert Wardrop lived at 37 Dixons Row in 1870s until his death in colliery pit 2 1877.
Alex Rochead Hi Dan, Was Robert’s wife Margaret Hamilton and her sister Janet married to Alexander Watt also killed in the 1877 disaster? I have been carrying out research on both ladies to see if they were among the 34 ladies who were evicted from Dixons Rows 6 months after the disaster.
Archie Peat The families who lived in the Miners Rows never felt they were hard done by . It was only at the end , in the 40s and early 50s ,that the Labour party told them they were
Catherine Paterson My husbands Gran and Da Pennycook lived in Dixon’s Raws. When it all closed down they were given a house in Kirkton Avenue.
Catherine Mcglynn I lived at 12 Park Street, Dixon Rows. We moved to Cowan Wilson Avenue as a newly built home when the Rows were being demolished.
Janette Murray Catherine Mcglynn My great granny Janet Kane lived at 2 Park St.
William Dorricott my mother was born thare 1919 her name was Jane stewart
Robert Daley Capitalism at its worst
William Morley Typical of the wealth and the way the treat their workers and less fortunate than themselves workers with no rights
Linda Marieskind Was Dixon’s rows behind Calder street? I recall playing in a site that had been cleared of houses and the debris we played in had multiple bits o waally, we loved collecting ?
Blantyre Project Yes, Calder Street was even part of Dixons Rows, prior to the current homes being built.
Margaret Brown Burns I remember the ” Raws ” and I remember the men playing Tossing