Milngavie
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Dinner menu, West of Scotland Rugby Club
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1897
The West of Scotland Football Club was one of the first rugby clubs to be formed in Scotland. Their name certainly denotes their age, as the club was formed in 1865 before the game separated into the two codes of rugby and association football. The club is generally referred to as ‘The West’.
The club originated at Hamilton Crescent, as an off-shoot of the Cricket Club, formed three years earlier. Instrumental in forming the club were James Lilburn, the brothers McClure, A.W. Evans, the brothers Dunlop, J.H. Cassells, J.P. Tennant and A.W. Alison.
After the second world war, the club received a letter from the Board of the Cricket Club refusing to permit the Football Club to return to Hamilton Crescent. West had many friends, however, in Rugby circles and it was not long before an agreement was reached with Kelvinside Academy to run a joint side and play at Balgray. During this time tremendous efforts were made by club officials to find a new home for West. Grounds at Whitecraigs, Pollock Estate, Stepps, Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs were considered.
In 1952, a suitable site was identified on the Mains Estate in Milngavie. It was not until 17th September 1960 and a further expenditure of some £10,000 that the first game was played at Burnbrae. The Club had survived for fifteen years without a home. The club’s relocation also saw more success on the field with the 1st XV eventually becoming joint champions with Hawick in 1965.
uests at the Centenary Dinner held in the Central Hotel, Glasgow included the immediate past Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas Home, all four Presidents of the home Rugby Unions, Lord Fraser of Allander and innumerable internationalists and well known personalities. This demonstrated the influence that The West had on the establishment and development of rugby in Scotland.
In the late 1990s the old wooden stand was burned down and with help from the SRU and Lottery funding a new stand, including dressing rooms and other auxiliary facilities, was constructed. In 2012 planning permission was obtained to replace the pitch with a synthetic all-weather pitch on the scrub land behind the scoreboard. This was finalised in July 2014, with work commencing on the roadside pitch in August.
Club history obtained from West of Scotland FC and West of Scotland Football Club, 1865-1965, by C.D. Stuart.
Location of Origin: Milngavie
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, Brookwood Library, Bearsden G61 3RJ
Date: 1897
Archive Reference Number: GD321/12/2
Locations:
Presentation Casket
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1904
Silver and copper presentation casket in Art Nouveau style with clasp and semi-precious ‘cabochon’ stone inlaid on hinged lid.
Presented to T. Ripley Ker, Esquire, of Dougalston by the town council, on the occasion of the opening of the sewage disposal works, Milngavie, 23rd October, 1906.
Thomas Ripley Ker was an estate owner who helped foster the creation of Milngavie as a burgh in the 19th century, offering to finance the building of the Town Hall which opened in 1877 and providing the site for Saint Paul’s Parish church. He was also Milngavie Bowling Club’s first Honorary president.
Allander Ware (Jardinière)
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1905
The Allander Pottery was located on the banks of the Allander just off Main Street on the edge of the public park in Milngavie. It was established in 1904 by the Glasgow painter, Hugh (Ugolin) Allan. The pottery existed for only four years. All pieces are dated and marked on the base, ‘Allander’ with the initials ‘HA’. Allander Ware is characterised by distinctive glazes and the shapes are often based on traditional Oriental ceramics.
George Bennie Medelet
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1930
Uniface, gilt-bronze medelet, showing a monorail train above a steam locomotive. Lettering around depiction reads: “The George Bennie Railplane Opening June1930â€
George Bennie was born in Auldhouse, Glasgow, in 1892, the son of an engineer. The Bennie ‘Railplane’, which was essentially a monorail, would be built above existing railway systems as a passenger-only service, separated from the slower, heavy freight trains below.
During 1929-30 a test track of 426 yards was built at Burnbrae, near Milngavie, above the existing L.N.E.R. line. Although the car was capable of travelling 120mph, the length of the test track only allowed for a top speed of 50mph.
The official launch was a resounding success and adults and children could experience the short journey for a shilling and sixpence respectively.
Proposals for an Edinburgh-Glasgow line were suggested, however, George Bennie was unable to secure financial support for further development of the system.
He had invested large amounts of his own money in the construction of the test track and was eventually declared bankrupt in 1937. He died in obscurity in 1957. The track stood until 1956 when it was sold for scrap.
Photograph of Robert Lillie
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c 1940s
Robert Lillie was born on 29th June 1867 in Edinburgh, the eldest of 9 children.
At the age of 15, Robert followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the banking profession, joining the Saint George’s Cross branch of The British Linen Bank in Glasgow as a clerk.
Robert pursued his interest in art by gaining certificates as an art teacher and eventually became an evening class teacher with Glasgow school Board.
He taught at Woodside School and Napiershall School.
In 1902 the Lillie family moved to Milngavie. The house was named Sprouston after the village near Kelso in the Scottish Borders, where the Lillies’ ancestors had lived. Robert’s ancestors were French Huguenots who came to Scotland from the town of Lille. After 43 years service with the bank, Robert Lillie resigned in 1925 at the age of 58, to concentrate full-time on the development of his painting and etching.
Robert Lillie submitted his work to various annual exhibitions including The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, The Royal Scottish Academy, Paisley Art Institute, Stirling Fine Art Association, Greenock Art Club, The Society of Artist Printmakers, The Royal Academy in London, The Walker Art gallery in Liverpool and, of course, Milngavie Art Club.
In 1938 Robert Lillie drafted his will, noting his intention to leave the residue of his estate for the building and furnishing of an art gallery in Milngavie. His own artworks were also included in the bequest, which amounted to over seven hundred works. Robert Lillie died on 26th April 1949. However, his will was subject to a life rent and it wasn’t until his youngest sister, Jane, died in 1959, that his will came into force.
Milngavie Town Council and Robert Lillie’s executors appointed Dr Tom Honeyman (former Director of Glasgow Art Gallery) to prepare a report on the feasibility of accepting Robert’s bequest which consisted of his artworks and £23,000 for the building of an Art Gallery in Milngavie.
In January 1960, Milngavie Town Council accepted Robert Lillie’s bequest. Coincidently, plans for a new Town Hall in Milngavie were also being developed at this time. The Lillie Art Gallery and the Town Hall, although not designed at exactly the same time, were designed by the same architect (Michael Bowley) and built under the same contract. Both buildings were formally opened on 31st March 1962 by Lady Cunninghame Graham, wife of the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Dunbarton.
It has been said that Art was Robert Lillie’s first and last love. He was devoted to art but did not make his living from it and was, therefore, an amateur artist in the true sense – someone who painted for the love of it.
Flexible Ducting Ltd, Milngavie
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c 1960s-2009
Flexible Ducting, known as FD among employees, and 'Flexi' in the Milngavie area, was a manufacturer of flexible ducting, hose and tubing.
Flexible Ducting produced Flexflyte, used mainly in the automotive industry, and Spiratube, used for children's play tunnels and mining ventilation. Their slogan in the 1980s and 1990s was 'Quality by Design'.
Flexible Ducting produced hoses for Hoover, Electrolux, Numatic (Henry), Bosch, Siemens and Miele. They initially shared the Dyson contract with Accrington Brush. FD then developed 6:1 ratio of hose and obtained the sole contract. This ratio of hose allowed it to stretch to the top of most stairs.
FD also designed hose for breathing apparatus used by the fire service.
They were a family orientated company and staff had their own Social Club. A sum of money was taken from pay cheques each week to fund the club. They held raffles, fundraised to hold events for children and held sporting activities inclusing bowling, golfing and angling.
The eighty five employees made redundant when Flexible Ducting Ltd closed in 2009 had an incredible 1388 years experience between them. Long term employees were known as ‘flexi-bloods’.
Maker/Manufacturer: Flexible Ducting Limited, Clober Industrial Estate, Milngavie
Location of Origin: Clober Industrial Estate, Milngavie
Location Now: East Dunbartonshire Archives, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch G66 1AD
Date: c 1960s-2009
Size/Dimensions: Approximately 21 x 28.5 cm for brochures, hoses 30 cm various diameters
Archive Reference Number: Acc 2009/11
Locations:
West Highland Way map
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1970
In the Archives are 6 slightly dog-eared maps. These were used by the late Tom Hunter to plan the route of the West Highland Way, and feature his handwritten annotations. Tom took these maps with him on the first ever walk in 1970. It is possible to see the changes made to the route on Tom's maps. In 2012 he deposited these maps and the rest of his papers regarding the creation of the famous walking route in the Archives. They stand as a testament to Tom’s determination to see the route through despite opposition at the time. The West Highland Way is 96 miles long, beginning in Milngavie and ending in Fort William, and is now an internationally renowned and popular route for walkers.
Water Jug
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c 1980s
Milngavie had its own soft drinks factory, ‘Garvie’s’, sited at Allander Road and Sinclair Street from1959. The site was demolished in 2002. Earlier soft drinks producers include the McMillan family (c. 1880 – 1890) and ‘Strathdee’ (1919 – 1929). Garvie’s bottles of lemonade and cream soda were a familiar feature of local childhood in the 1960s and 70s and at its height, the company had a staff of 90 and a fleet of 26 vehicles delivering to Glasgow and west Scotland.
The firm produced a wide range of carbonated drinks and even distributed cider and other alcoholic drinks, but they were probably best known for their classic soft drinks such as cream soda.
Menu from ‘The Black Bull’
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c 1980s
Milngavie’s Black Bull Hotel was originally a Coaching Inn dating back to at least 1827, serving food, drink, comfort and cheer to generations of visitors and residents. It was a popular meeting place for local people and organizations such as folk groups, Rotary Club and Ladies Circle. At one time it functioned as a venue for the local court. In 1971 it received a £140,000 ‘facelift’ after being taken over by Scottish and Newcastle Brewers. A Marks and Spencer food outlet now stands on the site.
50p postage stamp booklet – Follies Series – No1 – Mugdock Castle
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1981
Mugdock Castle was the stronghold of the Clan Graham from the middle of the 13th century. Its ruins are located in Mugdock Country Park, 2 km north of Milngavie.
James Graham, the first Marquis of Montrose initially supported the Covenanters and while in prison in 1641, the castle was sacked by Lord Sinclair.
In the 19th century a large mansion was built in the ruins of the old castle, destroying much of the original castle. However, a tower, rising to four storeys with an entrance at first floor level, still remains.
In 2005, after a 15-year refurbishment, the tower re-opened to visitors.
Illustration by Richard Downer.
Bullet – A German bullet from a Mauser 726 WW1
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1917
This bullet shot Frances’ grandfather, Joseph Butler (born 17th January (?) - died 17th April 1917). It was kept by his wife and handed down in the family. Joseph was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He was shot by a sniper while walking through some woods. The bullet entered through his mouth, down his throat and lodged in his stomach. As the bullet went through soft tissue without hitting bone it did not explode. Joseph was transferred to hospital and operated on and the bullet removed. Unfortunately he died shortly afterwards. Joseph is remembered on the memorial in St Kentigern’s Cemetery, Glasgow and also in Ireland. Although the family lived in Milngavie, Joseph joined an Irish regiment so he would have access to a priest. Frances showed us a letter written by the regimental priest commending Joseph’s valour. The number 17 is noted as a recurring theme throughout Joseph’s life and death.
Joseph’s father was born in Ireland and the story goes an English lord gave his great grandmother a penny. She then named his father after this lord – Tristan.
Frances keeps this bullet safe in a Tiffany jewellery pouch. Other objects Frances brought were –
a photo of Joseph Butler;
a photo of Joseph Butler’s mother – Granny Butler;
Joseph’s marriage certificate to Mary McQueenie; a Canadian postcard, an example of WW1 embroidered silks which we believe was sent by the man who was next to Joseph in bed in the hospital; a
Widow’s Penny in the original envelope; letter from the Secretary state for War ;
Joseph’s will ;
his medal.
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