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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

Ryan Fletcher - Actor 2006/07 - Kenzie Theatre - Black Watch 2005/06 - The Brother Theatre - Wolves In The Walls 2003/04 - Courtney Cambell - River City

The list goes on and on. Let's see who else we can get.

Cheers

Betty McGaulley

What about Thomas Campbell, Light Welterweight Western District Champion from 1977 - 1982.

Scottish Welterweight Champion - 1977 - 1978 - 1982
Welterweight Winner Scotland v Wales 1983
Ist Guiness Welterweight Commonwealth Boxing Champion - 1983

15 Professional Fights - Won 12

His trainer, John McDermott, Commonwealth Gold and MBE.

Dean Campbell, (Tommies nephew) signed by Glasgow Rangers Training Camp at age of 9. 2003 and 2004 and 2005 and 2006 and 2007. Now signed by Hamilton Accies.

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

Michael Hart , grew up in Glenfruin Road , played with Livingston , Aberdeen and now Preston North End.

Jim Patterson , ex Dundee United and Motherwell.

Also , John O’Neill , played with Hibs.

Submitted by Stephen McCranor

Death of former Olympic footballer Douglas McBain

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.

Read full story

St Joseph's Boys Sports Championship Cup Presented by E McGinnes to:

1948 Francis Regan
1953 John Smith
1954 William Watson

BOXING....

William Watson (ex Wheatland Avenue)

1953-1954. S.A.B.A.(W.D.) NOVICE RUNNER UP 8.ST 7 LB.
1956.1957 S.A.B.A. YOUTH CHAMPION. 8.ST 7 LB.
1958-1959 LONDON DISTRICT CHAMPION. LIGHT WELTER.
1959-1960 LONDON DISTRICT CHAMPION. LIGHT WELTER.
1960-1961 BRITISH ARMED FORCES CHAMPION WELTER.
1960- BRITISH ARMY OF THE RHINE CHAMPION. WELTER.

Submitted by Betty Watson Email

Paul Cooney was from Blantyre went to St Josephs School. He is a Sports Commentator on TV and Radio.

Submitted by Morag Campaigne Email

Margaret Borg (Nee Miller) Formerly of Poplar Place, Blantyre. Scottish Amateur Swimming Association
1958..... Ladies 50 Yds Freestyle Championship... WINNER.
1958..... Ladies 100 Yds Freestyle Championship...WINNER.
1959..... Ladies 50 Yds Freestyle Championship... WINNER.

Submitted by Betty Watson. Email

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
[ nee Balfour} His Grandson, Ian Maxwell  , from Burnbank,  was a Junior World Champion Power Lifter.

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!

P.S. If anyone can help with any more information on him please let me know if there is their a known grave or headstone?  

Jason Morrell Email  

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. 

Cathy was diagnosed with Kidney failure the year she left Blantyre High School 1983. Her mother Janet Brown (nee Cook), donated a kidney in December 1984 which failed, Janet was a great supporter and fund raiser for the kidney patients association until her death in the year 2000.

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 wont 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.

Thank You Bill

Helen Williams Email

	Hi Bill, Marathon in Blantyre Here is a couple of photo's of the Marathon run through Blantyre 1983 or 84, number 621 my sister Janet Brown, she is raising money for the kidney foundation. 2nd photo is coming into Welsh drive. She practiced like an Olympic runner would for months on end before this event. Regards 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 10yrs.

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