Down Memory Lane - a look back through the Kirkintilloch Herald archives

February 19, 1964
CHURCHES
Campsie Parish Church (new) Laying of foundation stone 25 june 1988CHURCHES
Campsie Parish Church (new) Laying of foundation stone 25 june 1988
CHURCHES Campsie Parish Church (new) Laying of foundation stone 25 june 1988

A Kirkintilloch colliery worker was awarded £300 in damages from the National Coal Board after suffering a painful injury to his finger.

William Ferrie’s case was heard by a jury sitting with Lord Walker in the Court of Session for the second time - after the first hearing was scrapped for legal reasons.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The worker was employed at Grayshill Colliery in 1960 when the middle finger of his right hand was crushed between a haulage rope and a piece of machinery.

The jury heard that four years later he still suffered stiffness and could no longer carry out some types of heavy manual work.

It was found that the injury had been caused by management failing to take precautions.

February 20, 1974

Leisure chiefs were investigating what had caused 5,000 less swimmers to visit Kirkintilloch baths than in the same period the year before.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The reduction was reported to the Kirkintilloch Civic Amenity Committee.

Treasurer Edward McGaughrin described the figure as “a colossal drop” and said that the pool should have more user-friendly opening hours.

He explained: “I think the facilities are not available when the public want to use them.

“The principal purpose of the pool is for the splash-about swimmers and we must keep this in mind.

“We must encourage back the missing five thousand.”

February 22, 1984

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Legendary car dealer Bill Weir sold off his business to his company’s major Scottish rival Belmont-Nissan of Edinburgh.

Known for the slogan ‘Weir the Datsun people’, the company was sold for an undisclosed “substantial amount”.

It was said the main reason for the sale was the owner’s failing health.

Weir’s was the second largest Nissan-Datsun dealer in Scotland - with showrooms in Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch and Clydebank.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesperson for Belmont said: “It will be several weeks yet before we take over the actual operation of Weir’s but the existing staff jobs are safe. One of our senior managers will take charge.”

February 16, 1994

Kind-hearted Lennox Castle employee Mike Regan was planning to put his own life on the line to help refugees from the Bosnian war.

The health worker had volunteered to take vital supplies to a Slovenian camp and was hoping local people would help donate items such as toiletries, food and medical supplies.

He said: “We’re heading to a camp on the border of Bosnia in Slovenia. It’s one of the camps that hasn’t received much publicity or much attention, and they are crying out for stuff.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We want people to fill showboxes full of items and hand them into us. It’s not that expensive but is of great value to the people in the camps.”

Picture from the past: Campsie Parish Church, in Lennoxtown, was built on the site of the former Trinity Church which was demolished in 1985.It was officially opened on December 15, 1988.This picture shows the foundation stone being laid at a ceremony on June 25, 1988.

Photo courtesy of EDLC Information and Archives