Still immersed in Blantyre during the 1890’s, I found the following extracts from the Hamilton Herald Newspaper. A good little summary of what was going on in mid July 1893.
“The finishing touch is now being given to the stalk of the new chimney , which rises to 130 foot at the new colliery, near Blantyre Priory which was recently commenced by Messrs Baird. The shaft is now also a good way down.”
“A van man in employment of one of the Co-Operative societies his his cash bag last Wednesday in one of the outhouses containing £3 12s for safety, but on going there the next morning, he was disappointed to find the money and tokens gone. The thief must have been very “honest” as he’d left a few tokens.”
“Last Saturday’s Summer storm saw the Blantyre people escape the worst. Whilst the storm was at its worst a few shops and premises were flooded , with on merchant lifting the floorboards to let the water properly drain away into the ground.“
Pictured in 1969 by Robert Stewart, some 76 years after it was built is the Priory Chimney shortly before demolition. The chimney stood on the opposite side of the railway beyond what is now Bueller Crescent.
