The 1920s, famous as a bright new era, was a time when a whole flourish of organisations started up for the good of young people. In Carmunnock the Boy Scout Company was formed as early as about 1915 by the Rev John Smart, and the Cubs a few years later. In 1919 a group was formed in the village called the Girls’ Club or the Victory Club, teaching sewing and handcrafts.
Then, only 10 years after the founding of the world-wide movement, Carmunnock had a Company of Girl Guides from 1920. At first it was under the Captaincy of Miss Robertson of Carnbooth and later the formidable Miss Gordon; and not long afterwards a pack of Brownies was formed. When the wedding took place in Carmunnock Church in July 1929 of Helen Stirling Stuart of Castlemilk to Major Herbert Harry Stevenson of Braidwood near Carluke, it was reported that two rows of immaculate, well-drilled Girl Guides of Carmunnock Company attended.
For adults there was the church’s Woman’s Guild started in 1919, and from 1924 the Carmunnock Branch of the British Women’s Temperance Association established a separate group for children called British Boys and Girls, with Mrs Ross Brown, daughter-in-law of the Browns at The Craigs, in charge. And then too, Miss Lennox still led the Band of Hope. In a 1928 press cutting we read that the president of Carmunnock’s British Women’s Temperance Association was Mrs W. L. Reid of Craigsheen House and although the boys of the village conveniently seem to have found other interests, the girl’s group was still being run under the local Branch’s auspices.
Among the most active post-war organisations in Britain was the newly-formed Royal British Legion. Founded by Earl Haig in 1921 principally to help ex-servicemen settle and co-operate in a world of peace again, the Legion set out to encourage the camaraderie already formed during the War. In addition, men demobilised from the armed forces dedicated themselves to helping their less fortunate comrades who were victims of enemy action or war nerves. Functions held throughout the country raised funds for their work and this district was no less active in the cause.
Carmunnock’s men, accepted as a contingent in September 1930 under the leadership of Lt. Col. Keelan of Windyriggs, with Mr. Spooner the Secretary, decided that a hall be built for their meetings. At Mr. Robertson’s house Carnbooth, Busby Road, a bazaar was held in October 1931; £431 was made all in a day and in a few years the small brick-built Royal British Legion Hall went up on ground bought for £50 from Mrs Helen Craig at the foot of the north Glebe on Pathhead Road, some yards south-east of the cottages there.
In 1931 Carmunnock Literary and Debating Society was formed; but while it drew great interest with some fine lectures accompanied by lantern slides, the Society only lasted three years. Even Carmunnock Amateurs, the village Football team re-formed after the Great War, with quite a good record in the late 1920s and early 1930s, fell on hard times a few years later and closed down before the end of the decade.
But Carmunnock had other players. In the days long before television, when few people even had radios and when transport out of the village was limited, much locally raised musical, drama and concert entertainment was organised and encouraged. In addition to his role as headmaster of Carmunnock School, Mr. William Low who had followed Mr. Rankin in 1906 was especially interested in teaching music and singing. He encouraged the highest quality of talent from among his pupils and from teenage and older villagers too.
Soon Carmunnock was enjoying some wonderful concerts, cantatas and operettas produced by him. Funds from one even bought the Clason Hall’s first piano.
And it was Mrs Ross Brown, teacher of elocution, who formed the Amateur Dramatics Society and regularly staged plays, soliloquies and recitations. Many a winter’s evening before and during the 1920s and 1930s, folk here had the privilege of these excellent, enjoyable, well-attended occasions, times which are still remembered with the greatest appreciation.
Carmunnock Players in A. P. Wilson’s Crony o’ Mine, 1949, including on left William Ritchie, producer (standing), John Jamieson and Elspeth Close (sitting), Belle Crawford and Margaret McColl, centre, and on the right Mrs McNiven.
Mr. Baillie was another keen supporter, giving valuable help with the amateur productions. Employed on the staff of Glasgow’s School of Art and knowing Elizabeth Petrie there, he and his wife had come to live in The Studio on Windlaw Road now that the Petries had left to live in town. Then in the 1930s Mrs Ross Brown became ill, unable to continue and a retired actor newly come to live in Carmunnock, a Mr. William Ritchie, took over the work.
So popular did the Carmunnock Players become in the earlier time, that the participants got keener. A certain Miss Crawford told me herself that she insisted every year on being given the principal role - or she would walk out in a huff! In addition, a concert group calling itself The Claptraps gave light-hearted variety shows and there was one that was known as The Pierrots and other groups of local talent.
But the annual Balls held in the Castlemilk Hall were really something, it seems. Evening dress was the rule and you scrimped and saved to get a new ball gown every year. Everyone, yes everyone in the village attended, I’m told. Dance tickets including supper cost 3/6d. The Cinderella was held in October and there was another just as exciting Ball in February near the end of the winter.