On 9th October 1893, a report appeared in local newspapers which highlighted the unsanitary conditions in Auchentibber, and illness which had broken out in relation to polluted water supplies. It’s incredible to think that just over 130 years ago, people were living in those conditions in High Blantyre. I’ve transcribed the newspaper report here:
“Owing to the reported continued delay in connection with the provision of a new water supply for Auchentibber, Blantyre Parish , in room of that condemned three months ago by the Lanarkshire Middle Ward sanitary officials and owing to the villagers’ inquiries meeting with little satisfaction, as to procedure our local correspondent made another visit to Auchentibber on Friday afternoon, only to find however, that the condition of affairs was worse rather than improved since the outbreak of the fever six months ago, insomuch as whilst the water supply at Clyde Rows had been condemned and a notice posted up to that effect no provision as yet has been made for a new supply.”
“It will be remembered that several months ago, enteric fever became so prevalent there, that a special examination of the district was made by Dr McLintock and the cause of the outbreak traced to the water supply at Clyde Rows.”
“The proprietor of that block of dwellings was duly summoned before the Court at Hamilton and ordered to introduce a new supply or close the houses. He agreed to close the houses, 18 in number and the tenants were at once warned out. Eight of these houses are now empty, involving a loss of £30 per annum or thereby, but 10 of the tenants were unable to procure other houses, and on application being made to the sanitary authorities, they were allowed to remain and still occupy the houses ex gratia.”
“Several wells in the District were sampled about 2 months ago with a view of getting a new source of supply and these samples were reported “good and fit for use” notwithstanding the fact, that the water condemned by the sanitary officials had been freely used (even preferred to all others) by the Villagers for generations while one of the approved samples was from “the cow’s hole”, a place only resorted to when drouth prevails elsewhere. When these samples were approved, it was expected that a supply would at once be arranged for, but no such step has yet been intimated , nor can any satisfaction be obtained as to what is being done in the matter. Five weeks ago, the District was visited by a Board of Supervision expert, who accompanied by Dr McLintock and Mr Dobson made close inquiry regarding the water condemned and the supply sampled. From questions asked and remarks made on that occasion, it seems the Edinburgh official was re-examining the ground gone over by Dr McLintock months previously and the villagers had some hope that the notice issued by the County authorities would be withdrawn and the old well used as formerly.”
“Since that visit not a move has been made and inquiries at the sanitary officials only elicit the reply that nothing can be done until communications are received by the Board of Supervision. The condemned water is still being used, because people have no alternative and Mr Dobson warns them should they continue to use it, they will assuredly take the fever. The villagers ask then, what has to be done, but no reply comes to such a question and they continue to use the water more contaminated than before.”
“When the water was condemned, it was owing to contamination with sewage because of its passing through filthy soil but now a boiler sunk in the bed of the burn to serve as a dipping hole at the well pipe has been removed by order of the authorities and the burn becoming flooded in heavy rains rises to the level of the well pipe and wholly deprives the people getting any water at all for domestic purposes and to use the burn water is out of all question, as it is practically a sewer.”
“So the people are fixed. Fever still continues though nothing so sever as in times past, the landlord is losing rental on half the block of houses, and the whole proceedings seem in a state of status quo. During our correspondent’s visit, there was related to him, by a knot of villagers , a case which had occurred that day and which indicates once again that the sanitary working of the Middle Ward of Lanarkshire is sorely handicapped by want of sufficient hospital accommodation and a scarcity of under-officials. The case was that of a woman, who three weeks before had taken ill of fever and she was removed to the hospital. She was ill and continued so for a fortnight , but no fever van came. Last week she recovered sufficiently to be going about and was quite convalescent and visiting her neighbours. On Friday the fever van arrived where to everybody’s astonishment, the woman in question was hustled in and driven off to hospital. A death from fever also occurred on Friday and being similar to the woman’s case, in so far that the lad was allowed to lie a week after being pronounced suffering from fever, and has succumbed before removal to the hospital , the event caused considerable sensation in the village.“
“Much dissatisfaction is also expressed regarding delay in connection with disinfecting houses wherever fever has entered and it is felt all round that the Auchentibber muddle should be brought prominently before the County Council , probed to the bottom and instant steps taken to have matters put into such a condition as would prevent any people from being forced through necessity to use water which sanitary officials declare is full of sewage contamination and conducive to promote the very disease they are attempting to stamp out.”
Pictured in 1926, is Mrs Potter at the former houses at Craig Row, Auchentibber, at a time when sanitation had been improved.
