As darker nights approached in October 1905, the Blantyre Gas Company at Stonefield Road (where Lethams Garage would later be), took opportunity to showcase a new type of gas light. A solitary, column around 20 feet high was erected on the pavement outside the gas works, which was attracting attention at night. The new Lucas […]
During the first decade of the 20th Century, the Blantyre Gas Company Ltd came under some criticism for not being able to supply all the Blantyre residents with the gas they so dearly wanted. The problem wasn’t just infrastructure, but also storage capacity, the works unable to hold the amount of gas demanded by residents. […]
In early 1922 gas lamps along Glasgow Road were replaced with electric lighting, not without its share of problems, I may add. This left the Parish Council with lots of redundant equipment which they promptly advertised for sale in an advert placed in the Scotsman in March that year. Up for sale were 28 […]
How did people manage to cheat their gas meters in Blantyre in 1931? Reports suggest it was a common practice for people to put false coins in the gas and electricity meters and then to repay the collectors later for the supply they obtained by these means. Such was the statement of an agent […]
More Mining history recently emailed here from Wilma Bolton. This extract is taken from Hamilton Advertiser archives. 19th July 1879. Page 2. It tells of an alarming trend for the colliery owners to employ men, intent on getting them to extract the coal, by any means, even without any sort of proper training of gas awareness. […]
Friday 13th of August 1937 proved to be a black, unlucky Friday at Blantyreferme. Pictured here in a similar era is a previously unseen photo online of Newton Colliery not far from Blantyreferme 1&2, shown to me by Alex Rochead. Five men were affected a serious, gassing accident in the Blantyre pit. Two of the […]
During the cold winter’s of the last few years of the 1890’s, a theft was committed in Blantyre. Mr Peter Clark, a local miner decided to try to cheat the newly established gas network throughout Blantyre and between the 13th December 1896 and 26th May 1897 admitted to stealing almost 4000 cubic feet of gas […]