I’ve been exploring the miners strike of summer 1894 and the lengths people were going to, just to ensure food for their families. As I’ve posted about recently, crime was on the rise and the theft of food was significantly on the rise.
Early on Wednesday 8th August 1894, a confectionary shop owned by Mrs Hamilton was broke into at the village. This former shop was located near Middle Row at Blantyre Works though is now long gone. 130 year ago however, this simple shop in the midst of one storey terraced homes was popular and was known to exist for several decades after.
The thieves were thought to have been adults given the strength required to force their way in. During the early hours of that Wednesday night, the front door was the means of entry. The top lock was damaged and broke into by something being forced on to it. The bottom door lock busted open by the use of a railway crowbar found discarded nearby.
Though 6s was taken in coppers from the cash drawer, it was noted that the main theft was a significant quantity of pastries, bottles of refreshments, four boxes of confections (sweets), bread, butter, sugar and four boxes of biscuits. In all items worth a significant £5, thats about £1,100 in today’s money). Police were called and launched an investigation, but I don’t see any follow up convictions.
These thieves clearly knew what they were after and took items, which were intended to be consumed, or used in baking. The ‘break in’ felt organised, and likely had more than one or two people on lookout nearby. This all at a time when the miner’s strike was causing mass prolonged unemployment and Blantyre had 3,000 people attending daily soup kitchens, for people known to be ‘starving’. This well stocked little window may have proved too much of a desperate temptation even for the most normal law abiding resident!
Annie and Margaret Hamilton, daughters of shopowner, Mrs Hamilton are pictured in this brilliant picture which suitably illustrated the story better. Exactly at the former little shop in Blantyre Works Village decades later in the 1920s, this photo is still over 100 years old.
On Social Media, the following comments received on Facebook :