Nostalgia

2003 -

GALA GLORY: The villages surrounding Kilsyth were gearing up for their gala days.

The royal party had been selected for Twechar Gala Day, which was due to take place in the village recreation centre. Gala queen was Nicole McLean, lady-in-waiting Vari Park, page boy Jamie Fulton and male attendent Alistair Anderson. Banton and Kelvinhead Gala Day was also due to take place. The queen chosen was Amy Thomson with Paul Russell as herald. They were both pupils of Banton Primary School.

HOUSING PLANS: A second attempt to build a housing and leisure development in Auchinstarry had failed.

North Lanarkshire Council’s planning and environmental committee rejected the application for a development comprising of housing, a hotel, golf course, and club house, holiday chalets and leisure facilities. The main part of the proposal was in East Dunbartonshire who had also turned it down. Some of the refusal reasons included concerns for visual amentity, natural and built heritage and road safety.

1993 -

DRINKING LAWS: Councillors took a further step towards introducing new drink laws. And it would mean the problem of drinking in public places in Kilsyth would become a thing of the past. The councillors agreed to hold talks with police and local organisations in a bid to make it illegal to drink in certain designated areas in the town. The move came after a Scottish Office announcement that local authorities may consider making byelaws forbidding drinking in designated areas, following the completion of experimental schemes elsewhere. District solicitor Margaret Quinn told a meeting of Cumbernauld and KIlsyth District Council’s general purposes and environmental services committee, “The Scottish Office would need to be pursuaded that a byelaw is needed in any particular area, before the Secretary of State would decide to grant one.”

But she said she had been in touch with superintendent David McIIvenna. She added: “He indicated he is familiar with this type of bye law and that they would be supportive of the local authority introducing one.”

1953-

STATESIDE WEDDING: The Chronicle reports on the wedding of a man with a local connection.

The report reads, “From Jansville, Wisconsin, USA, comes news of a wedding which will interest Kilsyth readers.

It was that of Mr James Taylor Henderson, formerly a member of the police force at Kilsyth, and Miss Georgina Scott, formerly of Clackmannan.

Bagpipe music by Bill Sutherland preceeded the ceremony at the First Presbyterian Church and he also piped the bridal couple out of the church after the marriage. The bride was given away by Mr Robert Waddell, a Kilsythian, and the matron of honour was his sister, Mrs Motherwell Lace, forming a bertha on the bodice and insets in the shirt, embellished on the bride’s ivory satin dress. She wore a short illusion veil and carried a bouquet of carnations. Mrs Motherwell wore an orchid satin dress and headpiece and carried carnations. 85 guests attended tbe reception in the church parlours. The bride’s going away costume was a pure silk print dress and white accessorites.”

1923-

FEVER: the Chronicle reports on scarlet fever in the town.

The report reads, “There are 11 cases of scarlet fever in Kilsyth Hospital at present, while a few cases are being treated at home. All are stated to be of a mild type. Councillor J Watson has sent 10 dozen eggs to the hospital as a gift.”

Car problems: A descriptive report of a car going out of control in the town appeared in the Chronicle.

The report reads, “A large commerical motor proceeding up High Street slipped its driving chain and ran backwards down the steep inccline. Matters seemed decidely alarming. The driver with fine presence of mind, steered the vehicle to good purpose. A cart loaded with stones successfully passed with nothing to spare, and a cyclist got safely through between. It was exciting. The vehicle jammed itself against the corner of the building now occupied as the Co-operative fleshing shop, formerly Mr Glen’s, where it left quite a good impression on the masonwork. Just a trifle further and it would have been right on the window. The motor was very slightly damaged.”

To view the Cumbernauld News nostalgia page, see this week’s edition of the newspaper dated Wednesday, June 12.