Here’s a few news stories which were going on in Blantyre during August 1977.
James Little College
A lecturer at High Blantyre’s James Little College for the handicapped made a strong plea in favour of the special school being kept open. College governors had recently announced that the facility at Crossbasket would have to close because of the lack of pupils being nominated for places there. Lecturer Lilian Huzzard urged the handicapped people and their parents to help save the college. She told reporters in early August: “Very few applications have been received for the 30 or so student places available. There are just not enough enrolled students to allow the college to retain staff and re-open for the new session in August. Is it that handicapped school-leavers and their parents are not aware that the opportunity for further education exists? I cannot believe that in the whole of Scotland there are not at least 25 young people who would welcome the opportunity of such training. Nor can I believe that departments of education, who sponsor students, are economising at the expense of the handicapped. If so, there is something wrong with our social system.”
It may have been local authorities were delaying sponsorship until the economic situation eased, but ultimately they were too late and the college closed in the following weeks. Crossbasket is pictured in 2008 prior to the lovely renovation.
Remembering George Winning (54)
Blantyre J.P and former Councillor George Winning passed away leaving the community in shock. He was 54 years old. He died in hospital following an operation the day before in August 1977. Though born in Burnbank, his family moved to Blantyre when he was a child and he attended Calder Street School.
Mr Winning was a clerk at Cardigan Colliery and later worked with a commercial graphics firm. He served with the District Councils for more than 30 years and retired from public service when local government was re-organised in May 1975. He served on the bench of Hamilton Burgh Court and then Hamilton District Court. He was also a member of Lodge Livingstone No 599 and Lodge No 159 and was Treasurer of the Rangers Supporters Association. He married his wife Sarah around 1968 and lived at Morris Crescent.
Vics Campaign for Canteen
Blantyre Vics Football club were fundraising at the end of July 1977. The campaign to raise funds to rebuild Blantyre Vics canteen which had been destroyed by fire, was getting off the ground. The estimated cost of the fire damage was around £3,000, a considerable sum.
Letters asking for donations had gone out to Blantyre businessmen and club president Jim Brown reported a good response. Mr Brown told reporters, “I would hope the local businessmen dig deep. People think that because of the Social Club, the Vics have a lot of cash. We don’t and so we will be grateful for any help we can get to rebuild the canteen. The club planned to rebuild the canteen on its original site and the last of the debris of the old canteen was removed at the very end of July 1977. The Vics also appealed to various junior and senior teams in the area for help. Visiting junior teams were often entertained in the canteen.
Do you remember any of these 3 local stories?