On Monday 25th September 1893, two Blantyre men ‘slugged’ it out but in a Court of law.
The venue was Hamilton Sheriff Court as John Paterson, a flesher made a complaint about the noise of the adjacent Showground to his premises in Stonefield. He argued that William Smith, showman had brought his fairground to a piece of land near his own. William had set up swingboats, swing boats and the usual mechanical organ, which Mr Paterson said was played repeatedly night and day.
The claim was that the fairground was an obstruction and the noise, a nuisance. However, Mr JB Soutter, the judge declared that the matter was trivial and since the fairground was only there a short time, the whole matter would soon be over. He upheld there was nothing to complain about and dismissed the pursuit.
Pictured 62 years later in 1955 is the show ground. Now, 131 years after this legal fight, the show ground has the East Kilbride Expressway over it.
