Guest Book

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Hamiltonian’s, Past & Present.

We would like to hear your thoughts on Historic Hamilton. When you found our website, did it meet up to your expectations? Did you find what you were looking for?

Please take a minute or two to leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.

Thank’s in advance.

 

40 thoughts on “Guest Book”

    2. Hi, found this page by chance.There was a „boy“ in my class at Beckford Street school called Kit DUDDY, is that you?I was born in 1947 in Hamilton and have been away from there since 1973. Would be interesting to hear if you are this same guy! Went to St John‘s Grammar after primary

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      2. Hi Linda,

        I never attended Beckford St
        I went to Glenlee School then to St Johns. Until 1961.

        However, it is unlikely that there were ever two Kit Duddys
        anywhere, I have never came across a second one in 73 yrs. I was born in 1946.

        I am sorry to say I am not sure
        I have any memories of the name Linda Hastie.

        We lived in Hill street/ Laighstonehall.

        Kit Duddy

        Liked by 1 person

  5. I love reading about Hamilton. I lived in Burnbank for a few years my Eldest daughter was born in Bellshill in the 70’s. The shopping Centre in Hamilton used to be great I loved it. Such a shame it’s all changed.

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  6. Hi Garry, don’t know how I got here, but I have to say I’m really enjoying going through all the archives, such a lot of hard work has gone into this, can’t thank you enough 😀

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  8. Hi Garry this is a great site for historical details about Hamilton. Thanks to all contributors. I was born at my Aunts house in 65 Mill Road in 1944 and pass the house regularly. It still looks much as I remember it and have many memories of my years in Hamilton.

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  11. I am so happy to have found this site. My grandmother was born in Hamilton in 1909. The copy of her birth certificate lists Eddlewood Rows as the address of her parents Peter and Mary McKinlay. I have no idea if relatives are still in Hamilton, but I am very interested in learning more and hope someday to visit.

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      1. My son, Stuart Crainer, contacted you and both of us have been in touch with Janice. I am now waiting for Janice’s brother to make contact. In the meantime, I have found the newspaper report dated 17th March 1915 re John Frederick Crahner (my grandfather). Are you able to provide any further details about him?
        Regarding Frederick himself, when I originally attempted to trace his family twenty years ago, for some reason I failed to find anyone other than his son, John Orr Crainer.
        Many thanks for introducing me to my 2nd cousin, whom I didn’t know existed.
        Best wishes for your project.
        George Scott Crainer

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Hi Garry. I would like to send you a few photos of myself and a couple of old friends from my time at Philip’s lighting. I am not on Facebook. Can I send you the photos via email.

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  14. Hi Garry, I am putting the story of my gt grandfather into a PowerPoint format for family and relatives and came across your site. It is fascinating. Clearly a labor of love.

    My gt gfather came to Hamilton as a boy from Ireland in the wake of the potato famine around 1850 as a 10-year-old. The family lived on Muir Street. He would have gone to church (possibly episcopal) and school thereabouts and then become a coach smith. I wonder if you can advise where I might learn about churches, schools, about coach building, and generally about Hamilton in the 1850s?

    Thanks
    Michael Breen

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      1. Garry,

        My apologies for the delay.

        Yes, my gt gfather came to Scotland with his parents, John and Elizabeth. His siblings were Edward, Jane, Elizabeth, John and William. (Edward was in the army and didn’t appear to have lived in Hamilton). Here’s what I have:

        1851 Census: Father John “Brine,” laborer, and daughter Jane, tambourer, lodging at 57 Muir St.

        1861 Census: Parents John, gardener, and Elizabeth “Breen” with Elizabeth, tambourer, James, coachsmith, John pastry baker, and William, confectioner, at 25 Muir Street.

        There’s a puzzle about his oldest sister, Jane, which you may be able to advise on. She married John Hetherington, shoemaker, and in the 1861 Census was living with him and their four children at 95 Castle St. In 1864, shortly after their fifth child was born, Jane’s husband died. In 1865, she entered in General Register of Poor. In 1866, she had an illegitimate child, James Thomson “Bryan” (spelling of her maiden name). In the 1871 Census, baby James and one other son, Christopher Hetherington, were in the Hamilton Combination Poorhouse, while Jane (“Hatherington”) was lodging at 10, “New Wynd.” This wasn’t the prison, was it? (To cap this sad tale, Jane died of “obsessive drinking and exposure” at the Poorhouse in 1880).

        Mike

        Liked by 1 person

  16. Hi Gary, I found your web site when looking for something on Keith’s store, a very comprehensive entry, I had forgotten about their whisky. I was at school in Hamilton 1953-1960 and then worked in the Burgh Surveyor’s dept as an apprentice civil engineer from 1960-1962. There are some memories of that time, eg the mausoleum and the motorway, in the opening chapter of my memoir “From Apprentice to Expert”, if anyone is interested. ISBN 978-1-9996897-0-4

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    1. Hallo Garry and Hugh,
      My father was James A. Whyte, the Hamilton Burgh Surveyor from 1952-1968 so I’m very interested if Hugh knew my father during his apprentice time at the Town Hall from 1960-62. I also worked on the motorway for a short time in Summer 1964-5?pulling nails out of demolished roof wood planks before they poured the concrete into the wood lined foundations for the motorway.
      Regards from Munich.
      Jim Whyte

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      2. Great to hear from you Jim. Yes indeed I remember your father, well, as I was indentured apprentice to him. I can picture him and hear him speak now as I type. Aside from personal matters, taking that job as an 18 year old was one of the best decisions I made. I found the career that suited me and gave a rich and rewarding (I don’t mean in the financial sense) professional life. I look back on those two years under your father with fondness and appreciation. The only reason I left was a change in the rules for a professional career path, made it sensible to go to university.

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      3. PS, I’m really sorry but I had forgotten the correct spelling of your family name and my error is for ever in print.

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      4. PPS The reason that the motorway follows the route that it does was down to your father, prompted by town councillors who weren’t happy with the options offered to them by the Dept of Transport. Perhaps he told you about it. I was one of several helpers in the task

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  17. Hi Gary,

    Great website, very distracting! I googled Hamilton local history as I am researching family history. On my dad’s side of Lancashire coal miners, a story went down the family that they were Scottish Millers. On ancestry.co.uk I found the Miller who came to Lancashire from Scotland:
    James Richard MILLER
    BIRTH 14 SEP 1713 • Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland
    DEATH 1788 • Chorley, Lancashire, England
    It’s odd that his parents are shown as English on ancestry (John Miller and Janet Ingram). Do you have any ideas? Unfortunately Miller is a common name.

    Thanks for any pointers you can give,

    Barbara

    Liked by 1 person

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  18. Hi Gary,
    I’ve been reading through your history of Hamilton and Loving all the stories you have unearthed, really appreciate all the hard work you have been putting in to this site.

    I was wondering if you could help me find any history on my father, James Derek Simpson he was a policeman in Hamilton from the early 50’s through to retirement in the late 70’s and went with the Police to Palestine in 1948/ 49? and witnessed the Exodus of the Jews from Europe.

    There is some mystery about his background as there was whispers that he was illegitimate, his father being Henry Simpson who died 26/2/42 aged 52 and he had a much older brother Henry William Simpson who died 24/7/39 aged 18. but I was under the impression he died in the war as an RAF pilot. Dad also had two younger sisters Margaret and Doris. His mother was Elsie, age unknown, but was definitely from Northern England I can’t find any info in them in the census.

    My dad was married to Janet Patricia (Netta Ferguson) on 14/4/1950 and had 5 children, Janice Patricia 1950, Valerie Laird 1954 (myself) Gail Scot 1957? Audrey Taylor 1959? and Derek James 1963/2. We lived at 9 Howgate Rd Fairhill 1950’s then Montrose Cres till mid 1970’s. I was born in Calder Park in 1954 and believe my dad worked with the Glasgow Police before moving to Hamilton shortly after my birth.

    On my mothers side my grandfathers ‘claim to fame’ as he always put it, was that his great grandfather was buried 2 graves away from The Rob Roy McGregor in Ballachulish. I was able to visit many years ago but fond too many Ferguson’s and Fergussion’s buried there to pinpoint my ancestor. He also claimed his grandmother came from the Islands, but which one is a mystery too, but I do know her maiden name was Laird of whom my middle name is attributed

    I dearly hope you will be able to throw some light on my family history as I have been unsuccessful.
    Many thanks Valerie Laird Simpson

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  19. I love this site! I’ve been looking at it and discussing it with my Gran, who is 87 and misses Scotland dearly.
    My Gran is Hamilton born and bred but moved to London when my mum was young. She would still go back every couple of months to see her sister who lived on Hutchison Street.
    I think they lived in Cadzow/low waters growing up. Helen & Mary Bryce (Gran’s married name is May Hamilton, I think my Grandfather ‘Eddie’ was from Larkhall, her sister’s married name is Helen Gibson, married Archie Gibson from Blantyre), they had a brother, John, who died shortly after moving to Canada in 1959. Gran worked at Philips before moving to London.
    As far as I know my gran’s father was called John Bryce and was a tree surgeon. If anyone knows them or anything about them I’d love to hear it.
    Its been so lovely to be able to hear her reminisce and see her engaged and excited in conversation.

    Liked by 1 person

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  21. Hello Garry, many thanks for your entry Lizzy Smith, my Grandmother. I had known she was a poet, and recently learned of the family scandal, but you have also provided information that i did not know. Regards, Rod Gilchrist, Canberra, Australia

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    1. Hi Rod, thanks for getting in touch and I’m really glad to have provided more information for you, your grandmother was a woman ahead of her times.

      Can you tell me how life panned our for her in her later years, or do you have a picture?

      Garry,

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