Down Memory Lane

C An imposing group...these were the elders of St Kentigern’s Church in Lanark, pictured with the minister, the Rev John Corrigall, in 1934 for a brochure commemorating the church’s first 90 years. The photo was supplied to the Gazette by Robert Tweedie of Abington, whose grandfather, also called Robert Tweedie, had been an elder there since 1915.

The St Kentigtern’s building, in Hope Street, opened in September 1884 to serve a congregation which had been in existence for some 40 years before that, based in a meeting house nearby. St Kentigern’s was originally a Free Church, but united with the Church of Scotland in 1929.

The building was left unused in 1994, following the merger of the congregation with Cairns Church in Lanark, with the new Greyfriars congregation using the Cairns building, and it was eventually converted into townhouses, flats and offices.

50 YEARS AGO

* The traffic lights controlling Clyde Street at Carluke Cross were ripped off by a southbound lorry. Engineers replaced the lights the following day.

* The Western Regional Hospital Board agreed in principle to improvements to the children’s ward at Law Hospital at a cost of £10,000.

* A labourer was sentenced to three months detention at Lanark Sheriff Court, having admitted lunging at a policeman with the neck of a broken beer bottle after being refused admission to a dance in Carluke Town Hall.

* Lanark United signed Motherwell outside left Robert McCallum, who had played a trial for them against Coltness.

* Former Raith Rovers and Dundee United outside left Peter Prior, of Carluke, signed for Hamilton Accies after completing his National Service.

* Lanark Town Council agreed to allow Sunday play at Lanark Golf Club. The only dissenter was Bailie W Anderson, who argued that it would be taking away people’s right to walk there on Sundays without the bother of golf balls going hither and thither.

100 YEARS AGO

* On the occasion of his send-off for Canada, workmates of William Peat presented him with a travelling bag. He was leaving Clydesdale having worked for Messrs Thos. Glaister and Co. slaters and plasterers in Lanark.

* A man with 39 previous convictions was jailed for six months at Lanark Sheriff Court, after being found guilty of stealing a jacket, vest, trousers, boots, drawers, shirt, braces, socks and cap, all the property of Lanark Parish Council, on March 2. He had pleaded not guilty.

* Kirkfieldbank School football team was in training with a view to retaining the village’s School Competition Cup for another year.

* Constable James Lambie, Braidwood, was presented with the Medallion of the St Andrew’s Ambulance Association. Since coming to Braidwood, he had continued to attend Lanark School Board Ambulance Class.

* A robin which seemed determined to protect its offspring from the inconsistent weather had built her nest in a flower pot in the tomato houses of Messrs D and W Forrest, Law tomato growers.