Most people in Blantyre are aware of the existing Miners Welfare Building on Calder Street, an important building for all the community. I was interested to learn though that despite it opening in the late 1920’s, thoughts of constructing this building originated, much earlier. In August 1908 the Hamilton Advertiser reported that Blantyre miners for […]
Hamish Dow has shared this great photo of Auchinraith School in 1953. These are all Blantyre children and I’m sure they’ll be fathers, brothers, uncles and grandfathers in this photo of many readers. I’ve zoomed in for a better look. Hamish told me, “ These are the pupils of Auchinraith Primary School. If this is […]
The 6th January 1947 and the flag gets hoisted above Dixons Pit 1, High Blantyre on the day the mine was Nationalised. It attracted a large crowd of spectators from all over, including the families of the miners themselves. As well as Andra McAnulty attending, Councillor Jimmy Beecroft and other officials from the colliery watched […]
The Hamilton Advertiser reported when wounded WW1 soldiers were brought to Auchentibber and entertained, with local business owners presenting them with gifts and honours for their bravery. The report on Saturday 2nd September 1916 told: “The military age portion of the village Auchentibber have done nobly in this war, as witness the Roll of Honour which […]
In 1947 when the National Coal Board was launched throughout the Nation’s existing collieries, Andra McAnulty was described nicely by the now defunct Blantyre Gazette. As he unfurled the National Coal Board flag at Dixon’s Colliery in High Blantyre, the paper said “This old war horse still going strong.” At the time Andra was 86 years […]
Philip Murray was born in High Blantyre, Scotland, in 1886 in a small row of miner’s cottages. A quiet, shy boy, he showed more interest in school books than in games. His father, William Murray, was a Catholic coal miner and union leader who emigrated from Ireland to Scotland prior to his son’s birth. His […]