Down Memory Lane - 26th June 2008

Jun 26 2008

100 YEARS AGO

JAMES McLuskey of Hamilton was charged at the Burgh Court with stealing eight shillings from the pocket of a workman’s trousers in Hamilton Home lodging house.

Although not a lodger there, the accused was able to enter the house unnoticed. The complainer had returned to his lodgings in a tired state and, throwing off his clothes, lay down in his bunk. He was woken by a shuffling noise and saw the accused reaching over from the adjoining bunk to steal cash from his trouser pocket.

The accused escaped but police later caught up with him. He had six shillings and three pence in his possession. Bailie Hamilton convicted him on evidence and sent him to prison for a month.

75 YEARS AGO

TWO brothers found guilty of kicking a youth unconscious were given the option of a fine to avoid prison.

The trial at the Burgh Court heard how the brothers had viciously set upon John Muir while he lay reading near his pigeon loft on a vacant piece of ground between Windsor Street and Greenfield Colliery on the morning of June 3.

The brothers repeatedly punched and kicked Mr Muir until he was rendered unconscious. The magistrate said he was inclined to send both men to jail but in view of the fact one brother was only 17 years old, and the other was a married man with a family of two, he decided to impose a fine instead.

50 YEARS AGO

THE annual prizegiving ceremony at Bellshill Maternity Hospital was held on June 27, 1958, in the almost-completed nurses’ home.

Ex-Provost David Bonner, chairman of the hospital board of management, said that the ceremony was the culmination of a lot of hard work.

He congratulated the newly-qualified nursing staff and their teachers, for keeping the profession alive.

He also drew attention to the large number of student midwives who had recently passed examinations.

Mrs Margaret Myles, the guest speaker, was introduced as the author of ‘Mothercraft Teaching’ and top-class midwifery teacher.

June 28, 1968

VILLAGERS of Kirkmuirhill raised over £170 with a door-to-door collection to buy a guide dog for a blind pensioner.

The story about Peter Hearty (66), of Kirkmuirhill, was featured in the Advertiser earlier in the month and told of the efforts of Kirkmuirhill villagers, who formed a committee to raise the funds.

One of the seven members of the committee said: “Everyone in the village was very generous and the sum we have collected is big for such a small village.”

The committee planned to hold a barn dance at a local farm later in the month and tickets for the event sold out within a week.

June 30, 1978

UNEMPLOYMENT in Lanarkshire shot up well past the 20,000-mark. Jobless school-leavers are believed to make up the vast majority of the 2541 rise in the county figures over the last month.

Unemployment is up 350 in Hamilton alone, bringing the town’s total to 2857 out of work.

One Jobcentre official said: “I think the huge majority of extra unemployment this month is made up from school-leavers and students signing on for the summer holidays.

“I do not see this as a rise in the numbers of long-term unemployed.”

Another encouraging sign is that the jobless total in Hamilton has dropped by 156 from the same time last year. However, Hamilton is still the town with the second highest unemployment figures in the country.

June 24, 1988

A GROUP of travelling people who had been parked on land at Newmains for three months moved on last week, after a shotgun was discharged at one of their caravans.

News that they had vacated the site, alongside the old A73, delighted the two councillors for the area who had been calling for the removal of the travellers.

Newmains councillor David McKendrick commented: “It’s mission accomplished.” Police at Wishaw are investigating the incident, which occurred at midnight on June 14, 1988, in which a shotgun was fired at one of the caravans, hitting its side. No one was injured.

June 25, 1998

BLANTYRE families will open their doors, and their hearts, to a group of youngsters from Chernobyl this week.

The 30 young Belarussians, from the area blighted by nuclear disaster, will arrive at Blantyre sports centre where they will meet their hosts from the Chernobyl Children’s project. The kids will spend 18 days in the town, visiting local landmarks, going on trips to the funfair and the zoo, and generally having fun.

Belarussian doctors say that a short stay in a clean environment will boost each child’s immune system and could increase life expectancy by up to two years. When the children arrive they will be given a day to settle in with their host families before the itinerary of activities begins at the weekend.