Down Memory Lane

Winter world: On the surface New Lanark has not changed much, but its whole way of life has, since this photograph was taken in 1963. Back then the Gourock Ropeworks was a major industry, employing people in the village. A decade later the village was in a major decline, but was taken over by a conservation trust to begin the ambitious restoration plan.

50 YEARS AGO

n A 66-year-old man who defrauded 200 people all over Scotland to the tune of £845 – 10 of whom were in Carluke – was jailed for six years at Edinburgh High Court. He’d pretended that he could insert adverts for people in various papers and publications.

n Janette Reid, a 15-year-old pupil of Carluke HG School, won a first prize of £5 in the Glasgow Savings Bank’s Century of Pennies competition. She had submitted a complete set of 86 coins.

n A man in his late 20s coolly walked into the busy wages department of Carluke Co-operative Society, stole £50 in notes from a desk and strolled out again.

n Two Carluke men appeared from custody at Lanark JP Court after a disturbance in Carluke’s Wee Thackit pub and in Market Place. One was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment and the other fined £5.

n Seven transistor radios and a number of shavers were stolen in an early morning smash and grab raid at William Adam’s radio and television shop at 73 Hamilton Street, Carluke.

100 YEARS AGO

n Mason’s team, a crack shooting squad of the Lanark Shooting League, were beaten by a team from the local police force.

n Tramp Thomas Livingstone, popularly known in Carluke as “the doctor” was found in a precarious position in Hyndshaw Pit, suffering from pneumonia brought on by severe weather. He died at 7.30pm the same day after being admitted to the Sickhouse.

n Carluke’s new railway station was informally opened for business. Although the general waiting room, booking office and parcel office were already in use, the stationmaster’s room and ladies room were still on the point of completion.

n J Meek and J Stark were the respective winners in the poultry and pigeons categories at the annual exhibition of Lanark Poultry, Pigeon etc Society at Lanark Auction Mart.

n Miss Mundell of Carluke Junior School was appointed to King’s Road Infant School, Barnsley, at a commencing salary of £90, increasing by £5 annually.