120th Anniversary
Two world wars in the space of just 30 years
First World War - local ladies entertain wounded soldiers at Grove Park in Lenzie. |
But that slogan could easily have been used to describe life for the people living in the Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs area during the second decade of the 20th century.
From 1911 to 1920, like most other parts of Britain, Strathkelvin was dominated by one major event . . THE GREAT WAR (1914-18).
In 1914, Lord Kitchener, the Minister for War, launched an appeal for volunteers to join the 'new army' and many young men from the district took up the challenge.
Setting off from Kirkintilloch drill hall, they joined regiments like the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
and the Dumbartonshire Rifles.
The pages of the Kirkintilloch Herald carried many stories on the war effort and featured regular reports of the battles in France and Belgium, posted home by
local lads on the front lines.
Following the German invasion of Belgium in August 1914. Around 100,000 Belgian refugees arrived
in Britain. The local community was quick to respond to a national appeal for help.
At a meeting in Kirkintilloch Council Chambers, Provost Walker read out a telegram from London which called for the Burgh to take some of the refugees.
In response to the appeal around 50 Belgians were brought to the district and lived in accommodation at Rowantree Faulds, in Lennoxtown. Local residents organised concerts and sales of work to help the
refugees, who were eventually to' take up employment in the area.
Before the First World War it was unusual for women from the middle and upper classes to go
out to work, but women from working class backgrounds would often take up employment in domestic
service in many of the areas big houses.
By 1916 that was all to change when the Conscription Act was passed, calling on all men
between 18 and 41 to Join up. With more and more of the district's male population heading off to the front, women were encouraged to take up paid and voluntary work.
SHORTAGE
Many responded to the call by taking up employment at Southbank Iron Works, while others helped the war effort by nursing wounded soldiers at Gartshore House, which had been turned into an auxiliary hospital, or rolled bandages at Ruchill Hospital.
So many people signing up to go off to war, left a depleted workforce of unskilled very young and older men.
The shortage was so bad that a National Registration Act was introduced in July, 1915. But even with these measures it became clear that some industries were suffering a severe shortage of labour, and moves were taken to channel workers into shipbuilding, engineering and munitions manufacture.
Munitions manufacture became a priority and in 1916 over 200 men and women from the Kirkintilloch area were travelling into Glasgow on a daily basis to
work in the munitions factory.
An article in the Kirkintilloch Herald, dated October 31, 1917, reveals that to supplement the labour force on local farms, school pupils were used to lift the potato crop.
Schools were closed for 10 days to allow the work to be done. The younger children received payment of one shilling a day and older pupils were given two
shillings and sixpence.
When the schools went back after 10 days there was still a lot of crops to be lifted and many children stayed off to carry on the work, putting their parents and the farmer who employed them at risk of prosecution.
As the war progressed food rationing gripped the district.
In an article in the Kirkintilloch Herald, dated March 7, 1917, Lloyd George, said: "Our food stocks are low - alarmingly lower than they have been within recol-
lection.
"Every time you buy food in a shop or eat it at table, say to yourself that our merchant sailors have died and are dying to bring it to you. It is bought not merely with money, but with blood. '
"If you can use a spade, if you are good at gardening - go on the land at once. Go now while there
is still time for the Spring sowings to yield your summer and winter food. In a few weeks time it will be
too late."
Throughout the war local lads on the front lines had kept in touch with their families whenever possible by letter.
CELEBRATIONS
Many of these letters contained 'detailed reports of the terrible conditions in the trenches and the atrocities that were taking place.
The Kirkintilloch Herald would often publish these front line accounts.
On a cold Monday morning in November 1918, the town bell rang out in Kirkintilloch to announce to the
public that the war was over.
The news brought great relief to the area and signalled the start of the celebrations and a series of services not only to give thanks for peace, but to
commemorate those who had died in the four year conflict,
On November 13, 1918, the Kirkintilloch Herald featured an article entitled The Dawn of Peace, but that peace only lasted for 20 years. With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, the district would once again be faced with the tragedy and hardship of conflict.
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