This drawing dates from around 1900 or so and reflects a depiction of the earliest tram on the Hamilton Network. Titled ,”Workmen’s Car” this is part of the Hamilton, Motherwell & Wishaw Tramway Company, an early open top design which also had the driver exposed to the elements. As the years progressed, trams became more […]
Category: Blantyre Oddities
Spinning Jenny Renovation
The incredible old Spinning Jenny, once part of the David Livingtstone Centre has undergone a remarkable transformation. Dismantled carefully, renovated and now rebuilt inside the new, rebranded David Livingstone Birthplace, this promises to be a wonderful display showing the equipment a young David Livingstone worked on. This extract of the most recent David Livingstone Birthplace […]
Interesting local finds
A fellow history colleague of mine, Mr Peter Jump is a keen user of a metal detector. As a hobby, with permission he often scours fields, parks and verges to see if anything interesting turns up. Just recently there, he uncovered a small ball shaped object near Greenhall, believing it to be a musket ball. […]
Destruction of Bee Hives
In Summer 1913, Britain was gripped by a bizarre and strange disease which seemed to be killing honey bees and Blantyre didn’t escape. The phenomenon was known as the “Isle of Wight” disease thought to be caused by a micro insect or mite (acarine) which got into bee hives. Allegedly originating in the Isle of […]
Glasgow Smallpox Scare, 1950
As the UK embarks on a massive programme of Covi19 Vaccinations, some of us of a certain age, may remember a time as a child where another programme of mass vaccinations was rolled out in Scotland It started in March 1950 when Indian Sailor Mussa Ali arrived in Glasgow, ill with suspected chickenpox. However, doctors […]
The Tableaux
Earlier this week David Livingstone Birthplace posted about the beautiful tableaux, now renovated being fitted into the newly renovated museum. Pictured are the contractors carefully fitting the eight sculptures back into place. You may remember seeing them previously in the dark room? I realised i’ve not written much about this subject, so here’s some info […]
More Children’s Rhymes
A few months ago, I posted about popular children’s rhymes, chanted in Blantyre playgrounds by boys and girls. Today, I’m exploring some more, perhaps a little more obscure. These were innocent times, kids spending time playing outside and making up their own games. Interested if anybody has heard of these: I’ve a Laddie in AmericaI’ve […]
Blantyre’s First Petrol Station?
I think I may have uncovered evidence of Blantyre’s first petrol station. The Hamilton Advertiser commented on 30th May 1914 that a “Mr. Anderson, The Wheel, Blantyre had just erected a suitable place for the storing of petrol or shell spirit, the largest portion of which was placed below ground level.” Owing to restrictions imposed […]
Winter Solstice
It’s the Winter Solstice. To be more precise, it’s at 1.30pm Monday, 21st December 2020. Yes, incredibly already, the days are changing getting lighter earlier by around 3 minutes each morning from now on. Darkness is on its way out and with it I look forward to seeing the back of 2020. It’s the first […]