From the archives

1901

A MEETING of the miners of Kilsyth was held in the Inns Park hall on Wednesday evening. This gathering of local workers was used as a rallying call for fellow miners to join the County Union. Messrs M’Queen and Ramage, along with a number of supporters of the Union, were present and there was a fair turnout. Mr M’Queen addressed the meeting and strongly advocated the necessity of the men joining the County Union if they were to raise their minimum standard of wages.

The Rev D. C. Mackellar was re-elected Grand-Chief of the Independent Order of Good Templars

Mr William Wilson, a well known Croy quarry-master, received a big Corporation order, estimated to be a record in dead weight. The firm had been asked to supply about 30,000 tons of granite for the coming year and whin metal for road preparing purposes.

Panic arose early on Friday morning, this week in 1901 after a fire was discovered in a local shop. The shop was occupied by a hairdresser but luckily the outbreak was detected in time before much damage was done.

1936

‘MOTOR outings’ were the theme of the day for many establishments and workplaces during the week as the Pearl Assurance staff, employees and friends had a happy motor outing to North Berwick. They were also joined in a similar outing by the Kilsyth Post Office staff who had ‘a very pleasant’ motor outing to Largs.

Fishing was as popular as ever this week in 1936 but the fish themselves seemed to be less enthusiastic. Roughly 30 members of the Kilsyth Fishing Protection Association took part in a competition at Banton Loch, but the fish only started to bite as the time limit was drawing to a close. Only ten competitors weighed in.

People in Kilsyth were treated to an awesome, avionic display at Easter Cadder farm this week when C. W. A Scott’s flying squad showed up. Aeroplanes of different types were used and in addition to many stunts, members of the audience were taken up for flights and enjoyed the appearance of the countryside from a new angle

Kilsyth woman Nancy M’Aulay secured a first class certificate in Intermediate Section at the recent examinations in pianoforte playing at the London College of Music. She was joined by two other Kilsythians at junior grade.

1961

HIGH winds were playing havoc and endangering the safety of travelling school children after strong gusts had laid waste to a ‘lollipop’ man’s stick. The Banknock head master said that the pole used by the traffic warden at the school there had ‘once more failed to stand up to the wind’ and the metal disk at the top had been torn off. At the time the tops of poles were made from a very light metal and two had already been wasted this year. The chairman of the school committee said: “Evidently they are not much good. It is a terrible business. Kilsyth could not get a pole for a long time.”

A REQUEST was submitted for the use of Kilsyth St Patrick’s School playground in out of school hours, which was submitted to the headmaster of the school.

People in kilsyth were taking a keen interest in reading after Burngreen Library reported that the total number of books issued for the year was 111,741, an increase of 5910 over the last 12 months.

Two Twechar men who saved a man after his car sank in the Forth and Clyde Canal, were given bravery awards from the Royal Humane Society. The men were Edward Kidd (29) and Hugh Young (18). Both men had dived into the canal to rescue the motorist after going off the road.

1986

A LOCAL councillor was battling for the mothers and families of Kilsyth after proposals emerged to close the maternity unit at Stobhill. Twechar Councillor Charles Kennedy appealed to Scots Secretary Malcolm Rifkind to end the ‘madness’ of the proposed closure in a two page letter. The leader of Strathkelvin’s District Council’s Labour Group warned of the dangers of the closure for people of Kilsyth and demanded that the Health Service cash limits be relaxed to save the unit and release capital for urgent investment in the Health Service.

KILSYTH’S welcoming embrace spanned the distance of Europe this week as the depute mayor of the town’s twin town in France, Meulan’s Albert Hede, met with Kilsyth Provost Jim Pollock and was presented with a Saltire flag. The flag will be flown over the French town on special occasions. The deputy mayor also held special talks with Cumbernauld and Kilsyth District Council about a top-level exchange visit later in the year.

Kilsyth’s teenage rock fans were given a special treat this week as they were offered the chance to see a real touring rock band. ‘Rain’, managed by former Kilsyth man Robert Raeburn, were from Germany and were set to play a show at Colzium house, with tickets only £1.