In December 1911, a Blantyre born resident of Dunoon was left a nice inheritance. Mr James Guy had left Blantyre in the 1870s to live in Dunoon and had worked there for the best part of 40 years. Approaching his elderly years by 1911 he was ready to retire and continue living his modest lifestyle. […]
In early April 1916, Private. Joe McAnulty, an Irish Catholic from Blantyre wrote home from the WW1 front. His message was about setting aside petty differences of religion and humankind after seeing the horrors ravaged communities were going through in France. A message of the futility of fighting to keep some indifferent people in the […]
David Reddiex shared this transcript of a letter from WW1. He told me, “I thought your readers may be interested in this type written letter from the trenches, in 1915. It depicts some of the brave tales of Auchentibber/Blantyre soldiers. My mother, Katherine , was a Strang and my father, James, was a Reddiex…both sadly […]
From the Glasgow Herald, Friday March 1st 1878, page 9, there’s a letter telling of the need for people to donate subscriptions towards the cost of the Stonefield Parish Church Construction on Glasgow Road, at the corner of Church Street. “NEW CHURCH AT STONEFIELD, BLANTYRE. Manse of Blantyre, 28th February, 1878. SIR,— Will you kindly insert […]
The third headmaster at Auchinraith Primary School at the start of the 20th Century succeeding Mr. John Welsh. In 1909 as a Lieutenant, James was President of the Boy Scouts in Blantyre. His time as a teacher though was short lived for he was called to active service during the First World War. He enlisted […]
Let me show you now, perhaps one of the oldest original documents I have in my collection. This original letter is in my possession and is older than my great great grandmothers poem about coming to Blantyre in the 1880’s. It’s older than my 1856 first edition copy of the Hamilton Advertiser. In this letter […]
It seems appropriate this year to look at some of the history of Blantyre’s library, as its been 60 years this Summer since the public library first opened its doors. Many people will be aware of the old Library at Calder Street (since demolished) and that it is now relocated to the corner of Glasgow […]