At the end of March 1905, Robert Smith of Cambuslang and Robert McSkimming, a hawker of Stonefield Blantyre pled guilt to having on 12th March that year driving their brake carriages recklessly and in a furious manner. The men, both drivers between Blantyre and Cambuslang, whilst carrying paying passengers had raced each other on the […]
A warning that this story contains upsetting content relating to child death. On Saturday 22nd April 1905, police revealed that they had detained Blantyre woman Jeannie Lyon on suspicion she had murdered her newborn baby. Jeannie was a domestic servant and had given birth on Wednesday 19th April that year. However, when the baby disappeared, […]
As temperatures soared recently on 19th July 2022 under blue skies, I was reminded of a story which took place on 19th July 1905, some 117 years ago to the exact day. It concerned another warm, sunny summers’ day when two local lads had broken into the orchards at Blantyre ferme and were helping themselves […]
Blantyre has unfortunately always been occasionally burdened with stories of theft or burglary from homes. In 1905, it was no different, though one particular case stands out that year, where the victim was a woman and the choice of location for this theft was rather unusual, with the thief getting more than he bargained for. […]
In 1905, the practice of stone throwing amongst boys, was commonplace. Throwing stones for combined fun and mischief was the norm. But sometimes it caused unnecessary pain and annoyance to others and in a few isolated cases, this could be quite serious. As was the following case: One dark evening in October 1905, Robert Simme […]
It was said in December 1905, that Blantyre had, in one particular four year old boy, the youngest detective in Lanarkshire. However, this story starts with somebody else. John McCann, a brusher from Stonefield, Blantyre took advantage of the situation when a vanman left his vehicle in Low Blantyre. John decided to remove a parcel […]
Mary Jane Thomson was a brass picker who used to live at Dixon’s Rows, Blantyre. In the middle of March 1907, she found herself in Hamilton Sheriff Court, charged with stealing a pair of ladies shoes from the Stonefield Masonic Hall. Her excuse was that on 1st March that year, when she attended a dance […]