Some parts of Blantyre history are of course sensitive and at times have subjects with a difficult story to tell. But, not wanting to shy away or ignore such events, they are included here, as these things happened and are part of our overall history.
On Thursday 12th July 1894, the Orangemen of Broxburn, Hamilton, Shotts, Armadale, Whifflet, Coatbridge, Airdrie, Blantyre, Burnbank and Bellshill all converged in a field at Burnbrae, High Blantyre for their annual celebrations.
Blantyre was still particularly rural at this time and was unaccustomed to such huge crowds of visitors. Reporters said at the time, it was probably rather ill advised, given the huge influx of Roman Catholics in the previous decade to Blantyre and indeed the widespread miner’s strike which now into many weeks, was causing very difficult conditions in the District. The police feared trouble from ‘disproving crowds’ or the ‘percussionists’ but some preparation had pulled in additional resources and extra officers in readiness.
Between 12 midday and one o’clock the various lodges and 17 bands no less, formed into procession at Greenfield, Burnbank and with their banners flying, music and marching commenced. Adorned by the colourful paraphernalia, especially on their mounted Marshalls, the whole troop proceeded through Stonefield along the Glasgow Road, westwards.
Although the procession was witnessed by crowds of Blantyre folk, no opposition or disturbance occurred until the bands reached Kelly’s Public House at Baird’s Rows. At a vacant piece of ground there, as well as on both sides of the road, thousands of onlookers had assembled and very quickly the procession came under a barrage of stone throwing, causing music to be intermittent as the marchers dodged for cover. When two or three people were hurt, general disorder then followed.
Having observed what was going on, the police rushed from the west, batons withdrawn and charged the crowds, in efforts to put themselves between the bands and the crowds. Into the crowd, they quickly pulled out 5 ringleaders concerned in the assault. There’s a good description of what happened next.
“Constables who had been held in reserve were taken out and an end was brought to the row up to this point. The march was resumed and no further hostility occurred until the bands reached the chapel at the turn into Stonefield Road, near Dixon’s Rows. At this location, a woman got hold of one of the Marshall’s horses and another melee ensued.”
“Stones were again thrown, but this time the band members retaliated by striking out and the general row once more broke out. Some of the outsiders in the crowd slung stones from catapults and one man was apprehended for using one of these weapons. The list of casualties however was trifling again, though one man and a boy were struck badly. There was a feeling of menace and disorder as the plate glass window at Craig’s Public House was broken.”
A second man was then apprehended for using another catapult and again the police shielded the bands from the anger towards them. Then the mounted constables approached from Stonefield and closed down the disorder by putting their animals between the bands and crowd. This allowed the bands to proceed undisturbed up Stonefield Road, past Dixon’s Rows.
The Orangemen then proceeded up to High Blantyre then along Main Street towards Burnbrae Farm where they had planned in advance to meet in a field of assembly. This part of the journey was under escort of a dozen mounted police who kept order and quickly closed down any shouting from crowds on Main Street.
Behind the mounted police was Deputy Chief Constable Morrison and a dozen foot constables in a horse led wagon. But the place of assembly had been known and some people were already there waiting.
One man approached the bands and stood on a drum, bursting the skin on one side and tried to burn a sash belong to another person. Several of the sword bearers made at this man, their weapons drawn and these Orangemen chased the man through the park. Alarmed, he jumped through a hedge and ran to police and this time it was the turn of the police to protect the crowd. They opened up and let the man pass through their ranks, closing up again once he was safely through and the chase was ended. Batons were drawn at the approaching band members, but not needed, the affair ending without serious consequence.
Then, on the High Blantyre Road, the police charged the growing crowd, who dispersed in the direction of Hamilton. All the assembled bands, then left the field without any further incident.
Seven arrests were made that day, all taken to the Blantyre Police Station on Glasgow Road, where they were detained for a few hours. They were then all taken in a brake under police escort of 9 officers to the County Buildings in Hamilton. The prisoners were Robert Wright ironworker, David Elaine of Cambuslang, James McManus miner of Blantyre, John Berry miner of Blantyre, Richard Semple miner of Burnbank, James Liddell of Glasgow and Charles Gillespie of Hamilton.
As a precautionary measure, 52 Glasgow officers had been on standby, ready to get quickly to Blantyre by train if needed that day. It was later revealed they had travelled to Hamilton in advance and had been sitting in the Livingstone Hall at Almada Street in case they were quickly needed. However, there had been no cause for their use that day.
Reporters told that it was difficult to trace the origin of the disorder that day. Stories of angry crowd members were offset by stories of political gestures from the passing band members. There was no dearth of marching music, the choice of repertoire deliberately kept for passing certain establishments and religious outlets. Again, antagonising the crowds. But it was the crowds themselves who had resorted to violence. Newspapers that week concluded that it had been a poor decision to allow such large crowds to congregate in an area where strikes were already causing difficulties, hunger and tempers. It was also commented on that the route was poorly chosen and thought out, much longer than it needed to be and ultimately it was the police who were congratulated on their actions that day!
I’m entirely unbiased and indifferent to all this but would hope that such division has lessened over the years. Regardless of opinion about this event, this is how reporters tackled it and serves as the only record of what happened.
Pictured around a decade later is the bottom of Stonefield Road, at the junction of Glasgow Road, where some of this story and the police charge took place.
