Down Memory Lane

Appeal for pictures: Carluke Parish Historical Society is searching for photos, sketches, drawings or plans of the High Mill and its surrounding land. The members are responding to a request from the agencies involved in the ongoing sustainability study. The architects and surveyors need to examine as many views of the mill as possible to help them plan the best future for this unique building. The mill is over 200 years old and is of national importance. Although there are some photos and postcards in the CPHS files, there are probably many more hiding in drawers and cupboards! 
Anyone with photos or pictures who would like to help can either take them along to be copied at the open morning in 79 Hamilton Street on Saturday, March 30, from 10am to noon, or contact CPHS at [email protected]

50 YEARS AGO

n Former comedian Dave Gordon, who had already opened casino clubs in Hamilton and Kilmarnock, was planning to open another such club in Carluke.

n Members of Lanark Young Unionists were presented with the Cowan Lees Trophy which they won in a competition for branches of 10,000 electorate and under.

n Eleven local youths were punished at Lanark Sheriff Juvenile Court for several thefts in Carluke and Wishaw. One boy was sent to a remand home for 28 days; one fined £10; six put on two years’ probation; one admonished; one sentence deferred and one got an absolute discharge.

n The 1st Carluke Lifeboy team won the senior and intermediate sections, and were runners-up in the junior section, in a Bible Quiz for Lifeboy teams held by Wishaw and District Lifeboys.

n Former Shotts Bon Accord outside left John Simpson, of Forth, was pictured at work on the turret of a Centurian tank at a camp in Hong Kong, where he was serving with ‘C’ Squadron of the Royal Scots Greys.

100 YEARS AGO

n A group of 30 children from Lanark Parish Church Sabbath School performed at a successful production of the charming cantata, The Little Gypsy. In her role of The Little Gypsy, Nan Lees acted and sang with a winsome grace.

n The dead body of a man aged around 50 was found in a ditch on the side of the road leading from Forth to West Calder, about 100 yards distant from Heathland Cottage. A doctor assessed that his throat wounds could not have been the immediate cause of death.

n Law Angling Club members held their first competition of the season in cold and disagreeable weather. The heaviest fish, caught by Andrew Steen, weighed 1lb 2ozs.

n It was reported that a picture house was likely to be instituted in Law Village in the near future.

n The Gazette reported that a good number of visitors were expected in Crossford the following Monday as it was the Glasgow spring holiday.

n Miss M Smellie, a worker at Clydesdale business T Grossart, left for America.