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Blantyre's Hall of Fame
Hi Bill, We have many claims to fame coming out of Blantyre, here are a few of mine and no doubt there will be more!!! Maureen Cunningham: O.B.E. in the last 4 years. John Cushley who played for Glasgow Celtic. Cowan Wilson, who has a large Arch in the Public Park. Dr. Michael Harkins. Nurse McGhee, who birthed Blantyronians for many years. John Fallon, a Lisbon Lion. Davy McIntosh, Entrepreneur. John Semple, Entrepreneur. Frank Doonin, Doonin Plant and The Doon Inn. Jimmy Cleary, boxer and barber. Bett Scott Jimmy Swinburne Malcolm Waugh
The list goes on and on. Let's see who else we can get. Cheers Betty McGaulley
Six Blantyre boxers win major titles
SIX young fighters from Blantyre Miners’ Welfare Amateur Boxing Club have won major Scottish titles. Ryan Brown from Blantyre (16) took the 66k crown at the Scottish Championships in Cardenden, which was for young boxers with six fights or less under their belts. The two-day tournament attracted an entry of 250 from across the country. Josh Sandford (14), Jonathan Robertson (18), David Jamieson (17) and Thomas O’Neill, all from East Kilbride, took titles at 57k, 57k, 81k and 46k respectively. And Muirkirk’s Jordan Barr (15) finished top in the 50k category. Head coach John McDermott, MBE, was delighted and said: “That’s a club record, without a doubt. I’m over the moon and to have six fighters all come back with titles is terrific. “Unfortunately I couldn’t be there myself because I wasn’t well, but our coaches Tommy Slavin, Teddy McCrory and Tommy Campbell took them up to Cardenden. “They set off at 7.45am on Saturday and didn't get back until late, and did the same on Sunday so it was a long couple of days for them. “The tournament itself is absolutely phenomenal and a really good idea. It started about three or four years ago and it gives the young lads a terrific start to their career. “I’m really pleased for all six of them. It’s brilliant for their morale, but it’s a good example to others at the club as well.” John is delighted with the help he gets from coaches Slavin, McCrory and Campbell and says the gym has never been busier. He said: “These are all guys who boxed here right through to their senior careers and they’ve come back in to help – it makes some difference. “The place is always buzzing as well; we have 40-45 boys in most nights and we’ve got a waiting list for the first time. “I clock up 39 years here in January – although it just seems like yesterday that I started – and it’s the busiest I’ve ever seen it. “That’s great to see and it’s great for the boxers as well.” See Also: Scottish Novice Championship Submitted by Betty McGaulley
Boxing club boys pack a punch May 5 2011 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser BLANTYRE Miners’ Welfare Amateur Boxing Club coaches Tommy Slaven and John McDermott this week voiced their delight after five young fighters took titles in recent competitions. Robbie Mullings (12) from Blantyre won the 38k title at the Scottish Open Class Championships at the Time Capsule in Coatbridge, while Larkhall 13-year-old Mark McShane took the 57k title at the same event. On Saturday Ross Greig (14) from Blantyre and East Kilbride duo David Jamieson (19) and Scott Woods (18) won titles at the Scottish Intermediate Championships at the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell. Ross won the 59k category, Scott 69k and David 81k. Coach Tommy Slaven said: “These lads are going from strength to strength to be honest, and the same boys are winning titles on a regular basis now. “I’m hopeful of them getting a shout for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 – that’s what they aspire to anyway. “It’s something that would be great for the boys, and I’m sure they would love to be representing their country at the Games. “It’s early days, we’ve got three years to go, but I hope they can build on their success and take it on from here.” Head coach John McDermott was proud of the lads and also praised the Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in Motherwell. He said: “There was a lot of effort involved and the boys worked really hard. “We check their weight at 8am and I’ve never brought a boy in overweight – even if they are slightly heavy early in the morning they work a bit to get it off. “They did very well, and to win three from putting three in was excellent.” Of the venue John said: “Ravenscraig is the best I’ve ever seen, it’s a fantastic arena. “I was amazed when I walked in and I think they might use it for the Commonwealth Games – I think they should, because it’s simply brilliant.” Blantyre Mines’ Welfare ABC are going from strength to strength and both coaches feel that they’re bringing through a lot of promising youngsters. Tommy Slaven added: “We’re averaging 40-odd people on any given night so we’re up to full capacity. “It’s testament to Amateur Boxing Scotland’s ‘Bring Boxing Home’ initiative, which has turned it around from being a dying sport only a few years ago to once again being on the increase. “Lanarkshire has always been a hotbed of boxing, and we hope that continues.” l Following his victory in the Scottish Open Mark McShane represented Scotland at the British Championships in Manchester, winning a silver medal in the 57kg category by beating Berkshire’s Mathew Stevens. Submitted by Betty McGaulley
Regarding football, what about young Ryan McCann who played professional with Glasgow Celtic for 6 years he played along side Henrik Larrson in front of crowd of 60,000 in his debut for the club, he was born and bred in Blantyre and thats an achievement for a young local lad. Submitted by Drew McColl Email
Here's another for you records, a direct descendant son of a son of Blantyre, my brother, Patrick Doyle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Doyle Patrick Doyle's grandparents, Thomas Doyle who was born in 36 Dixon Street, Blantyre and Ellen McMurray (who is also in the Hanlon Five Generatiion Photograph I spoke of earlier). was born in Shuttle Row, the same tenement as David Livingstone! Submitted by Mary Moore
Michael Hart , grew up in Glenfruin Road , played with Livingston , Aberdeen and now Preston North End. Jim Paterson , ex Dundee United and Motherwell. Also , John O’Neill , played with Hibs. Submitted by Stephen McCranor
Feb 21 2008 Report by John Rowbotham A BLANTYRE-born footballer, who was part of the Great Britain football squad that took part in the 1948 London Olympics, has died aged 83. As a 23-year-old right-half, Douglas McBain played alongside Lisbon Lion Ronnie Simpson in a team coached by Manchester United legend Sir Matt Busby. He scored the first goal of the tournament as the British team defeated Holland 4-3. Douglas was one of seven Scots in a squad that made it to the semi-finals. To take part in the Olympics, he had to take six weeks’ unpaid leave from his jobs as a tax officer with the Inland Revenue . His appearance in the tournament was one of the highlights of a footballing career in which he twice reached the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup with Queen of the South. Douglas was brought up in Knightswood Terrace, Blantyre, and attended the former Hamilton Academy.
St Joseph's Boys Sports Championship Cup Presented by E McGinnes to: 1948
Francis Regan
BOXING.... William Watson (ex Wheatland Avenue) 1953-1954.
S.A.B.A.(W.D.) NOVICE RUNNER UP 8.ST 7 LB.
Paul
Cooney was from Blantyre went to St Josephs School. He is a Sports
Commentator on TV and Radio.
Margaret
Borg (Nee Miller) Formerly of Poplar Place, Blantyre. Scottish Amateur
Swimming Association
Mrs Maureen Rooney OBE Mrs Maureen Rooney OBE is a National Women's Officer for the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union and is a Member of the Executive Council of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions. She was nominated for the Health and Safety Commission by the Trade Union Congress and has served on the TUC's General Council since 1990 and the Executive Council since 1998. She is a former Vice-President of the National Childminder's Association and was on the Board of Management for the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit. She was also on the Council of Management for the Merchant Navy Welfare Board. She has undertaken a range of political activities for the Labour Party including speaking and canvassing on behalf of the party and is a member of the NEC Women's Committee. She holds no other Ministerial public appointments. HOPE U ENJOY THIS SNIPPET?? SHE WAS THE FIRST ON MA SCOTTISH HALL OF FAME?? MEY MANY PEOPLE, NELSON MANDALA, THE LIST GOES ON!!!!!AND ON!!!!!!!!!! BETTY SHE CAME FROM WHEATLAND AVE, RIGHT AT THE TOP OF CHESTNUT GROVE??? Submitted by Betty McGaulley. Email
My name is Robert {Bob} Beattie, I would like to nominate my father William{Wull} Beattie To your Hall of Fame. Although born in Twechar, Wull died in Blantyre in 1968. He was a weightlifter well ahead of his time .Weighing a mere 10 stone ,in 1929 he won Scottish titles at 11 stone, 12 stone and heavyweight, repeating this in 1930 and 1931. He also won the British 12 stone championship in 1929. Wull then turned professional, and toured extensively throughout Britain and Ireland, as the Circus Strongman, The Mighty Apollo. Wull is Buried in High Blantyre Cemetary, With his Wife, Jesse Cheers Bob Beattie, Perth Western Australia Email
Hi Bill A Blantyre Cavalryman I thought you might be interested in this man for your hall of fame, I research Medals and came accross your web site . Corporal Robert Thompson was born in Blantyre c1783, his early occupation was a labourer and he enlisted as a Private with the 2nd Dragoon Guards (the Scots Greys) 1st of November 1803. Private Robert Thompson received a levy payment of £4-9-0d. Robert Thompson was promoted to Corporal 25th April 1815 and was present at the battle of Waterloo 18th June 1815. The Union Brigade was composed of three regiments of heavy cavalry, one English, one Scottish and one Irish, hence their brigade title. The most famous of these regiments was the Scots Greys or the Royal North British Dragoons to give them their correct title. Their part in the charge was immortalised in the famous painting "Scotland Forever" by Lady Butler. The charge was led by the commanding Officer of the Union Brigade, Major General The Honourable Sir William Ponsonby. The Union Brigade charged headlong into the advancing French army. The slaughter was wholesale as the French were caught completely out of formation with no hope of forming square to resist the cavalry attack. It is estimated that within a matter of 15 minutes the French had lost over 3500 men in dead wounded or prisoners. The most famous incident of the charge involved the capture of the eagle of the French 45th Regiment of the line by Sergeant Charles Ewart of the Scots Greys, now on display in Edinburgh Castle. Tragicaly the greys did not stop now intoxicated by their success they charged on across the vally and right up to the French Artillery, killing gunners and putting guns out of action. By this time the horses were blown and the Union Brigade had become very vunerable to a counter attack by fresh French Cuirassiers and Polish Lancers. The Greys stood little chance. The slaughter was terrible. One of the survivors of this charge was a local man to Blantyre, Robert Thompson. Robert served with the Greys until his final discharge 30th October 1826, listed as returning to his home Blantyre. I think a man like this should be in your hall of fame!
Hello Bill, I e-mailed you last week about my niece Cathy Corry and have enclosed a photo, I hope this is suitable for your web site. I'm sure some of your readers might wonder what became of Cathy Brown after reading about her in the Hamilton Advertiser many years ago, when her mother was training for a marathon around Blantyre to raise funds for the Kidney Foundation.
Eighteen months later Cathy had another transplant, this one lasted eleven months and even after a third transplant failed Cathy soldiered on taking it in her stride. Cathy never new life that we all take for granted, boyfriends, best friends, dancing, and all the things we did at a typical young age, until on one very rare outing with her cousins her life was changed when she met Doug Corry, they married in 1998 at High Blantyre Parish, and he became not only her husband but her carer and still is, they have been living in Bothwell for 5 years now. Cathy accepted the position of secretary of the Stobhill Kidney Patients Association and both her and her Doug have been ardent fund raisers since the year 2002. Alas, Cathy has been diagnosed with secondary peritonitis and is in a serious condition, she takes each day as a bonus, but stop her and talk to her, she won't mention it, she will crack a joke and have you in stitches, nothings changed, she's the same wee Cathy, enjoys a chat and a laugh, she refuses to take any strong medication available to her at this time, as she wants to keep her wits about her for as long as she can handle it. I've never came across anyone like her. Those that know Cathy will know what I mean. Cathy Passed away on the 9th of March 2011. See In Loving Memory Thank You Bill Helen Williams Email
Hi Bill, My name is John Martin I would like to nominate my uncle Mick Martin for your hall of fame, he got involved in boys football away back in 1983 he helped with Chelsea BC then he started up his own team High Blantyre Hearts, then he and three others started up Blantyre B.C. His age group went to Holland and won a cup, he then got involved in starting up High Blantyre Youth Club with three ladies, his involvment lasted for 10 yrs. He was also involved in starting up a boxing club for the local kids, he was also a community councillor for 12yrs. He then got involved in helping kids with drink and drug problems this led to him appearing on national t v, then he ran Mill United B.C. again his team went to Holland, and at present he is comming up for 5yrs with Motherwell Football Club as a scout. Thank you Email
Hi Bill Just about an other Blantyre boy, Charlie Boyle, who went to the Joe's. He has acompany in High Blantyre called C &S Cleaning and employs 30 of a staff. No bad for a wee guy who attended the Joe's. Have to go as I am using his computer in his office. From a grateful employee.
Ken 'hurri-ken' McKinlay 1928-2003
Alex Menzies (footballer born 1882) Alexander William "Alex" Menzies (born 25 November 1882) was a Scottish association footballer who played as a forward for Hearts and Manchester United in the 1900s. Born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Menzies began his football career with Blantyre Victoria in 1901. He signed for Hearts in December 1902, making two appearances for the club before being sent on loan to Motherwell. He signed for Arthurlie in August 1904, but returned to Hearts after just one season. Eighteen months later, in November 1906, Menzies was sold to Manchester United. He played for Manchester United until the end of the 1906–07 season, making just 25 appearances and scoring four goals, before being sold to Luton Town. Menzies made just one appearance for Scotland, a 2–1 win over England in April 1906.
Hugh Cameron (footballer) Hugh Gibson Cameron (born February 1, 1927) was a Scottish professional footballer, playing as a winger. He was born Blantyre, South Lanarkshire. Hugh Cameron began his professional career with Clyde who he joined from Burnbank Athletic. In May 1948 he moved to Torquay United. He settled in quickly at Plainmoor, and played impressively enough to earn a £4,500 move to Newcastle United in April 1951. He had played 120 league games, scoring 17 times for the Gulls.
James Carabine (November 23, 1911 in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire – 1987) was a Scottish football right back. In the club game Carabine was most closely associated with Third Lanark A.C., serving the club as aplayer from 1934 to 1945 and then as manger from 1946 to 1949. In all he made 216 appearances and scored 10 goals for the club. As an international Carabine represented Scotland in three official matches, appearing against the Netherlands (21 May 1938), Ireland (8 October 1938) and England (15 April 1938). He also featured in two unofficial games against Eastern USA and the American Soccer League (in which he scored a hat-trick) and nine equally unofficial wartime internationals, all against England, his last being an 8-0 defeat on 16 October 1943.
Philip Murray (May 25, 1886 – November 9, 1952) was a steelworker and an American labor leader. One of the most important American labor leaders of the 20th century, he was the first president of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC), the first president of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), and the longest-serving president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). Philip Murray was born in Blantyre, Scotland, in 1886. His father, William Murray, was a Catholic coal miner and union leader who emigrated from Ireland to Scotland prior to his son's birth. His mother, the former Rose Layden, was a cotton mill weaver. Rose died when Philip was only two years old. William Murray remarried and had eight more children. Philip was the oldest boy, and after only a few years of public education he went to work in the coal mines at age 10 to help support the family. In 1902, Philip and his father emigrated to the United States. They settled in southwestern Pennsylvania and obtained jobs as coal miners. Young Philip Murray was paid for each ton of coal he mined. By the following year they had saved enough money to bring the rest of the family to America. Career in the United Mine WorkersMurray was working in a coal mine in 1904 when he became involved in the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). Feeling that a manager had purposefully altered and lowered the weight of the coal he had mined, Murray punched the man and was fired. The other coal miners went on strike to demand his reinstatement. In response, the company threw Murray's family out of their company-owned home. Murray was shocked and angered by the company's actions. Convinced that unions were the only means workers had of protecting their interests, Murray became an avid and lifelong unionist. In 1905, Murray was elected president of the UMWA local in Horning, Pennsylvania. Determined to become the best local president he could, he enrolled in an 18-month correspondence course in math and science. Although he had little formal education, he completed the course in just six months. Murray married Elizabeth Lavery (the daughter of a miner killed in a mine accident) on September 7, 1910. They adopted a son. In 1911, Murray became a naturalized citizen of the United States. See Also: Blantyre Folk
Ian Stewart (Labour politician) Ian Stewart (born 28 August 1950, Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Scotland) is a politician in England. He has been Labour member of Parliament for Eccles, Greater Manchester, since 1997. Early life He went to Calder Street Secondary Modern School (now Auchinraith Primary School) in Blantyre then Alfred Turner Secondary Modern (now the Irlam and Cadishead Community High School) on Station Road in Irlam and Stretford Technical College on Talbot Road (became North Trafford College then recently became Trafford College) in Stretford from 1966-9. He had previously worked for the TGWU from 1978 as North West Regional Officer having been a chemical plant operator from 1973-8. At Manchester Metropolitan University, he read an MPhil in Management of Change. Personal life He married Merilyn Holding in 1968. They have two sons and a daughter.
Sep 17 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser BLANTYRE teenager Fraser Wallace has been crowned British kart racing champion and UK number one after winning the National Kart Racing Association Grand Prix in Wales. Fraser (18), a former pupil at Blantyre High, who’s now a third-year apprentice aerospace engineer with Rolls Royce in East Kilbride, won the title at Glan-y-Gors Park, North Wales, on August 30. Fraser has enjoyed many successes in his 11 years as a kart racer, including a UK ranking of seventh when he was an 11-year-old cadet, and the Scottish Junior TKM title at 15. His first year as a senior driver in the national formula blue class saw him become the first Scot to win the NKRA Grand Final, in 2007, and he achieved a UK ranking of fifth. Fraser capped 2007 by being voted Hamilton Sports Performer of the Year. Last year was difficult, with two major crashes and mechanical problems dropping Fraser to number 12 in the national rankings but he got back on track this year. Fraser’s delighted dad Tommy said: “To achieve the number one UK ranking you have to compete in the eight-round Scottish regional championships, which involves tracks at Larkhall, Crail, Manchester and Cumbria. “Fraser won this and that placed him third overall in the UK. “The top drivers from the south and north of England and Scotland are then invited to the grand final in north Wales, where their positions from the grand final are added to their UK ranking points to find out who can display the prestigious No1 plate on their kart for the next 12 months. “Fraser travelled to Wales for four days of testing and racing against 44 of the country’s top senior drivers and was full of confidence, as he is the current holder of the Welsh Dragonmaster title, won at the same track only two months previously. “His campaign had the perfect start with victory in the first heat and he went on to be crowned the NKRA 2009 Formula Blue No1, beating the south of England’s top racer Craig Copeland.” Tommy added: “Fraser would like to thank Larkhall engine builder Gordon Finlayson and his team at GFRE racing engines, who have prepared our engines for seven years and have played a major part in his success.”
Roy McDade I play base drum for the High Desert Pipes and Drums pipe band here in Albuquerque, the band were World Champions 4 years ago lifting the title at Glasgow green, the only Grade 4 pipe band in HISTORY from the USA to lift the TITLE.
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His name is Reverend James (Jim) Hunter. He was Chaplain for David Livingstone Memorial Primary School, which I attended and saw him perform services.
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