Cleland, North Lanarkshire
Encyclopedia
Cleland is a small village near Motherwell, North Lanarkshire
, Scotland
- see http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&num=10&lr=&safe=images&q=cleland&ie=UTF8&z=14&g=cleland&iwloc=addr. The two nearest towns are Wishaw
and Motherwell. The village has a strong mining
heritage and is a typical example of a working class village in North Lanarkshire
and the Glasgow
area. Due to its location, despite being at the heart of North Lanarkshire
, the village is very much removed, geographically and culturally, from surrounding towns such as Wishaw
, Motherwell and Shotts
.
Various data, comparing Cleland and Scotland's averaged population results from the 2001 census are available from Scotland's Census Results OnLine (SCROL) and are quick linked below:
The first results from Scotland's 2011 Census are planned for publication in the second half of 2012 http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/en/faqs/detailed/other.html#q2
) to the East and the junction of Swinstie road and Wishaw high road to the south.
Cleland is also in the UK parliamentary constituency of Motherwell and Wishaw, and the Scottish parliamentary constituency of Motherwell and Wishaw http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file=/1st_holyrood/final_rec/const_maps_with_wards/motherwell_and_wishaw.pdf in the Scottish Parliament Region of Central Scotland http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file=/1st_holyrood/final_rec/region_maps/central_scotland.pdf.
Cleland's Member of the Scottish Parliament
is John Pentland
(Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw
) and he can be contacted via the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/MSP/MembersPages/john_pentland/index.htm
Cleland's United Kingdom MP is Frank Roy
(Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw
), and he can be contacted via the following link: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/frank_roy/motherwell_and_wishaw
Scotland's European Members of Parliament can be contacted via the following link: http://www.europarl.org.uk/section/your-meps/findmep?filter0=Scotland&filter1=**ALL**&filter2=**ALL**&filter3=**ALL**&filter5=**ALL**&filter4=**ALL**&submit=Submit
Post Codes: Cleland addresses have the ML1 5 postcode.
Refuse Collection: Dates for domestic, garden and glass refuse can be accessed via the following link: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=7451
Council Winter Services:
Churches: Saint Mary's Roman Catholic church is located on Main Street. Contact details are via the following link: http://www.rcdom.org.uk/parishes_stmarys_cleland.htm
The Church of Scotland is located on Bellside Road, and its contact details are via the following link: http://live.cos-vps01.squiz.co.uk/contact/contactmap17.htm
Cleland Baptist Church is situated on Thistle Street, and its contact details are via the following link: http://www.clelandbaptistchurch.org.uk
Library: Cleland has its own library. Its services can be seen via the following link: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6345
Housing: Cleland has three traditional areas (the centre of Cleland), Parkside (hill area located next to the main area of Cleland) and Bellside (from Cleland railway station out towards A73 dual carriageway).
Glen Noble estate is a recent completion in Cleland and is close to the Main Street. The new development of Calder Mains is also adjacent to the Main Street. Windyedge is a new housing scheme in Parkside. Captain's Walk is a newly completed development in Bellside, and across from it is the newly started development of Bellside Brae.
Pubs/ Bars/ Clubs: Cleland has a Celtic supporters' bar called Kelly's at the "Cross" (see also Reference #3 under Cleland Timeline below for info on photograph of Chassel's/ Kelly's around 1905).
Cleland Club is actually an old miner's meeting place and rest house, now used for parties after birthdays, weddings, Christenings, etc. It has one large main hall, with stage for entertainment, and a smaller hall for entertainment before the main event.
The village is also served by the Station Bar and the Bellside Inn.
, offering road connections to England and the M6.
Cleland railway station
is situated on Bellside Road and is a stop on the Glasgow - Edinburgh via Shotts Line
. It is around a 30 minute journey to Glasgow and an hour to Edinburgh. The trains run Monday to Saturday - there is no Sunday service. The timetable is available via the ScotRail website http://www.scotrail.co.uk/content/timetables-connections, or below is a link to the timetable in PDF format (please check that the timetable is up-to-date as it changes in Summer and Winter):
Several bus services operate into Glasgow, Wishaw, Motherwell and the surrounding areas - click on the associated links below for their timetables (again, please check that the timetable is up-to-date as routes and/ or timetables can change):
St Mary's is located on Chapel Street and Cleland Primary is on Main Street.
St Mary's is the larger of the two schools with a roll of around 145 (excluding nursery) compared with Cleland Primary's roll of almost 100. St Mary's Primary School also includes the nursery which is non-denominational.
After primary school, pupils of St Mary’s usually attend Taylor RC High Schoolhttp://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5934 in New Stevenston
and pupils of Cleland Primary usually attend Coltness High School
http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5920 near Wishaw.
1) "Historic Notices and Domestic History of the Parish of Shotts”, by William Grossart, published by Aird and Coghill in 1880 (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
2) “Old Newmains and the Villages Around Wishaw”, by Lewis Hutton, published by Stenlake Publishing in 1999 (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre). This book also has 11 excellent photographs of Cleland from around 1900, including Omoa Square, Omoa Road (showing horse carriages), Main Street at Cleland Cross and at the Post Office, Bellside Road, Aldersyde/ Biggar Road and Fraser Street in Parkside, and Omoa Poorhouse. Can be purchased from Stenlake Publishing http://www.stenlake.co.uk.
3) "Images of Scotland: Wishaw", Compiled Helen Moir, Published by Tempus Publishing Limited (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre). This has one photograph of Cleland - a photograph of Chassels Old Castle Bar (what is now Kelly's Bar) from around 1905.
4) The Wishaw Herald (microfilm available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
5) The Wishaw Press and Advertiser (microfilm available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
6) Ordnance Survey Old Maps http://www.old-maps.co.uk/
7) The Scottish Pottery Society http://www.scottishpotterysociety.co.uk/
8) Scottish Mining Villages http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/
9) Scran http://www.scran.ac.uk/
10) RailScot Railway History http://www.railscot.co.uk/
11) The National Archives of Scotland http://www.nas.gov.uk/
12) The National Library of Scotland http://www.nls.uk/pont
13) The Workhouse http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Cambusnethan/Cambusnethan.shtml
14) Statistical Accounts of Scotland: 1791–1799; and 1843-45 http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/sas/sas.asp?action=public (From the menu option: Choose from county lists: Lanark; then Choose report: Bertram Shotts)
15) "A Musical History of Shotts" (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
16) "Lanark's Mining Industry in 1896 - A List of Coal Mines" from Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd http://www.pdmhs.com/1896%20Lists/1896-08.htm
Timeline
1296: The first Cleland on record is Alexander Cleland of that Ilk whom married a cousin of Sir William Wallace. Their son, James Cleland joined William Wallace in battle in 1296 at Loudonhill; at Stirling in 1297; Falkirk in 1298; Glasgow in 1300; and in France in 1301. James Cleland and his son John Cleland fought at Bannockburn in 1314. For his loyalty and good service, Robert the Bruce gave James Cleland the lands of Calder-clere, now East Calder.
1450: The Cleland line later extends down to James Cleland, son of William Cleland of that Ilk. James marries a Lord Somerville’s daughter in 1450, and their line branches out to be the Clelands of Faskin, Monkland and Gartness.
The Cleland family lands were therefore a number of areas which included current day Cleland village. There was no defined village of Cleland as it is known today. Rather there was a Cleland House where the Cleland family lived, and the land where present day Cleland stands was part of the Cleland family’s estate.
1478: Langbyre, Wyndyegis, Knochkublis farms (now Langbyre near Bellside, Windyedge in Parkside, Knowenoble in Cleland) discussed in rent accounts for James, Lord Hamilton.
c.1596: Timothy Pont
produces a map of Scotland, clearly showing what is now Lanarkshire, with the places of Kneeland and Kneelandtoun (see the National Library of Scotland http://www.nls.uk:8080/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=Pont&item=/pont34.sid&style=maps.xsl&wid=800&hei=600&browser=win_ie&plugin=false).
Kneeland is an olde alternative name for the Cleland family surname. Over time, Kneeland would eventually become Cleland (and Cleland used to be pronounced as Clee-land in the same way as Knee-land).
1702: Alexander Cleland of Cleland finds himself in debt and sells the Cleland Estate to William and Archibald Hamilton.
1711: William and Archibald Hamilton sell Cleland Estate to Gavin Hamilton of Inverdovat. The link between the Cleland families and the Cleland lands is therefore broken. The sale of the Estate was described as follows:
All and Haill the lands Clelandtoun, called the five pund land of Clelandtoun with the tower and fortalice, &c. – in the barony of Bothwell – All and Haill the fortie shilling land of Little Hareshaw, in the parish of Shotts – All and Haill the lands of Newarthill and Whitagreen – All and Haill the Mains and Mill of Carphinc- Excepting threfra the feu ferm rights if Little Hareshaw.
1755: A map for General Roy’s expeditions into Jacobite Scotland shows Cleland Toun (see Scran http://www.scran.ac.uk/000-000-595-078-C).
1763: First colliery in what is present day Cleland is in operation at Swinstie.
1766: Alexander Inglis Hamilton of Murdoston sells Cleland Estate to Captain Hew Dalrymple of Fordal.
1789: Colonel William Dalrymple (the second son of Sir William Dalrymple, third baronet of Cousland, and the nephew of Captain Hew Dalrymple), distinguishes himself by helping to capture both the Fort of San Fernando de Omoa and the port town of Omoa, in Honduras, Central America (see William Dalrymple (British Army officer) and Battle of San Fernando de Omoa
).
1797–1866: Omoa Iron Works is erected on Cleland estate by Colonel William Dalrymple on returning to civilian life. Colonel Dalrymple’s uncle, Hew, left him the Fordal estate in Mid-Lothian, and Cleland estate in Bothwell and Shotts parishes.
At first there was only one furnace at Omoa, employing about 40 miners, 40 smelters and other workmen, and 12 horses. The furnace consumed nine tons of calcined ironstone per day, with casts every eighteen hours, yielding about two tons of pig-iron each cast.
Omoa claimed to be the second oldest iron works in Scotland (to Wilsontown). Originally prospering enough to create the new community of Omoa Town, the Omoa Works suffered a downturn through several changes in ownership and a slump in trade following the outbreak of Civil War in America in 1861. Omoa Works would change proprietors several times, the last being to Robert Stewart, Esq., of Murdoston. Shortly after the death of Robert Stewart in 1866 (see later), operations ceased, with the furnaces eventually becoming ruins.
The procurement of ironstone for the Iron Works was reported as follows:
An interesting circumstance connected with the early history of Omoa, and perhaps applicable to other iron-works at the same period, was the scarcity of ironstone and how it was procured. Any balls found in a stream, or cropping-out by its margin, were carefully collected, and in the case of Omoa, ironstone was collected in streams or otherwise by farmers and others in the neighbourhood, and taken to the ironworks and sold - many a ton went from Shotts parish in this way. The transaction was never called in question, but if practised at the present day, would be called thieving.
1802: Shotts Ironworks is established by a company of private gentlemen, under the control of Mr. John Baird, as managing partner, for upwards of 40 years. The manager, Mr. Ormiston, is noted as having introduced many improvements.
Connected with the works was an extensive Foundry which was long celebrated for its superior castings, and was one of the few places in Scotland for the making of tinned hollow ware.
The coal works in the parish at the time were numerous. In the south-west, from Knowenoble to Greenhill and Linrig, the highest beds in the section were wrought, but these did not extend to other parts of the parish. They were mostly thick-bedded coals, and consist of the “Ell” in small patches, the “Main” and the “Splint” Coals. Also large fields of “Virtuewell” which was also found in other parts of the parish.
For the working of coal works, pits were sunk on the lands of Knowenoble, Longbyers, Spindleside, Knowenoblehill, Windyedge, Greenhill, Linrig, and other places. The supply from these was exhausted after a few years. There was a good black-band ironstone, six inches (152 mm) thick, wrought at Bellside and Greenhill, but confined to these localities, and nearly all wrought. In the district large fields of Drumgray coal was still to be worked, and only partially wrought at Greenhill, Little Hareshaw, North Linrig, and Peatpots.
1810–1866: Robert Stewart (see http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/mlemen/mlemen087.htm). On the death of his father, who for several years had carried on the business of an iron and coal master at Omoa on the estate of Cleland, belonging to the family of Stair, Robert Stewart reconstructed the works, and acquired a lease to an extensive mineral field, which was found to contain an excellent seam of blackband ironstone, he in the course of a few years acquired a considerable fortune, to which after years of great success were to make great additions.
He became a member of Glasgow Town Council in 1842, becoming Lord Provost, 1848–1854, and drove the initiative to supply Glasgow with a freshwater supply from Loch Katrine. In 1856 Mr. Stewart acquired from Mr. Baillie Cochrane, now Lord Lamington, at a cost of £55,000, the estate of Murdostoun, situated in the parish of Shotts, Lanarkshire, and immediately began to improve it upon an extensive scale. This property belonged down to the middle of the fifteenth century to the Scotts of Buccleuch, and was then exchanged by them for part of the lands of Branxholme in Roxburghshire, belonging to a family of the name of Inglis.
In later times Murdostoun belonged to James Inglis Hamilton, who commanded the Scots Greys at Waterloo, and who was killed at the head of his regiment in the somewhat reckless charge which our heavy cavalry made on Marshal Ney's “grand battery.” It then passed to Admiral the Hon. Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane, captor of the Danish West India Islands, and next, in 1832, to his son the late Admiral Sir Thomas Inglis Cochrane, the father of Lord Lamington. This estate Mr. Stewart added to in 1865 by the purchase of the lands of Langbyres, situated in the vicinity of Murdostoun.
1813: The Omoa Waggonway is opened from Newarthill collieries to Omoa Iron Works by Col. Dalrymple.
1837: The Coltness Iron Company is established in Newmains by Henry Houldsworth.
It was estimated that the 2000 acres (8.1 km²) site at Newmains on Coltness Estate could produce 18,000 tons of coal and 1,000 tons of ironstone per acre. Henry Houldsworth had no difficulty, therefore, in attracting experienced labour from the iron works of Yorkshire as well as from Omoa and Wilsontown in Lanarkshire (see Scran http://www.scran.ac.uk/000-299-988-916-C).
The Iron Company, needing coal, was also aware of the coal mines in Ireland. When coal was being mined in Shotts, Cleland and the surrounding areas, the Iron Company sent representatives over to Ireland to hire miners for the Scottish mines. This is a primary reason why so many Irish families came to Shotts, Omoa, etc. Many came from County Donegal, and the Castlecomer coal fields in what is now north County Kilkenny/ south County Laois.
1861: Omoa and Cleland population of 1233: Cleland has 190 males and 175 females; Omoa has 509 males and 359 females.
1864: 25 June. Omoa Iron Works Brass Band competed at Brass Band Competition, College Green, Glasgow.
1868: The Omoa Iron Works closes, two years after the death of its penultimate Owner, Robert Stewart of Murdostoun (Murdostoun Castle being near Bellside in Cleland).
1869: Omoa and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway) is opened.
Note that Cleland would be served with two train stations. The first station was Omoa Station (across from what is now Cleland Hospital), and the second was Cleland Station (behind what is now Cleland Cross). After Cleland Station was closed, Omoa Station was then renamed Cleland Station.
1869: List of mines (under Holytown) includes Cleland Collieries owned by Wm. Dixon, Monkland Iron Co., Trustees of late Robert Stewart; Wyndedge owned by Robert Dick.
1870: Omoa Fireclay Works (brickworks) opens.
1871: Omoa/ Cleland population of 819.
1876: Cleland and Omoa Public School opens.
1877: St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, a Free Church and a Chapel of Ease are established.
1881: Omoa/ Cleland population of 1626.
1881: St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church presbytery is built, designed by Messrs Peyin.
1882: Omoa and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway) Addiewell is opened.
1885: The “Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland” states:
Cleland, a village of N Lanarkshire, chiefly in Shotts parish, but also partly in Bothwell. With a station on the Morningside branch of the Caledonian, it stands near the left bank of South Calder Water, 3¾ miles ESE of Holytown, 7 E of Bothwell village, and 3½ E by N of Motherwell, under which it has a post office. It mainly depends on the large neighbouring collieries of the Omoa and Cleland Coal and Iron Company; at it are an Established chapel of ease (1877), a Free church, and St Mary's Roman Catholic church (1877), to the last of which, designed by Messrs Peyin, a presbytery was added in 1881. Cleland and Omoa public school and Cleland Roman Catholic school, with respective accommodation for 300 and 254 children, had (1880) an average attendance of 199 and 240, and grants of £190, 7s. 2d. and £182. Pop. (1861) 1233, (1871) 819, (1881) 1626.
As the Gazetteer suggests, Omoa and Cleland were separate villages, and parts of Omoa and Cleland villages came under the District of West Shotts, and the remainder came under the District of Bothwell (a point to note when searching for Census information). However, both were within the Parish of Cleland.
1889–1915: Omoa Greenhill Works brickworks opens (R. Young Greenhill).
1895–1911: Cleland Pottery opened (across the small "gorge" from the swingpark off Lithgow Drive/ Chapel Street). It later closed down in 1911, (search at Old Maps http://www.old-maps.co.uk/indexmappage2.aspx for location and see Scottish Pottery Society http://www.scottishpotterysociety.co.uk/imageuploads/cleland_butter_pot_copy-4359.jpg showing stoneware buttery crock produced in Cleland).
1896: The coal mines in Lanark listed in "Tables compiled by J.B. Atkinson, H.M.Inspector for the East Scotland District in his Report for 1896" is provided by Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd http://www.pdmhs.com/1896%20Lists/1896-08.htm. For Cleland and Omoa, the list includes: Beggarford, Omoa owned by Robert Young's Trustees, Greenhill, by Holytown; Brownhill, Cleland owned by Barr and Higgins, 75, Bothwell St., Glasgow; Greenhill, Omoa owned by Robert Young's Trustees, Greenhill, by Holytown; Hareshaw, Omoa owned by Hareshaw Coal Co., Cleland; Knownoble, Cleland owned by Kerr and Mitchell, Glencleland, Wishaw; Knownoblehill, Cleland owned by Robert Dick, Cleland; Murdostoun Cleland owned by John McAndrew and Co., Cleland; Sunnyside, Cleland owned by Coltness Iron Co. Ltd., Newmains.
1901: The 1901 Census takes place. The 1901 Census for Omoa and Cleland can be viewed for free at Motherwell Heritage Centre, and prints of pages can be purchased. Alternatively, ScotlandsPeople http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ can be searched - but to search and purchase from ScotlandsPeople is relatively more difficult and more expensive than going to Motherwell Heritage Centre.
Note that the area of Omoa comes under the Village of Omoa, Quoad Sacra Parish of Cleland, Part Parish Ward of West Shotts, Civil Parish of Shotts, School Board District of Shotts and Parliamentary Division of North East Lanark. This Shotts connection sometimes misleads people researching Omoa and Omoa Square, as they look towards the village of Shotts today, rather than Omoa in the Parish of Cleland, in the District of Shotts from the past.
1905: Cleland Poorhouse opens.
1906: Cleland streets named and numbered. For information: when later built, Lithgow Drive would be named after Dr Lithgow, and Gibb Street would be named after the mid-wife Mrs Gibb, who both served Omoa and Cleland.
1910: The Annual Report of the County & District Medical Officer for Lanarkshire, 1910, describes Omoa Square:
This group of 114 single-apartment and 24 two-apartment houses, is situated in the Parish of Shotts. These houses were inspected by the Committee on 27 September, and have since been the subject of considerable correspondence and several meetings. A specification, showing the repairs necessary to make the houses reasonably fit for human habitation, was prepared and submitted to the proprietors' agents, who replied that the suggestions were extremely expensive and far beyond any reasonable requirement, and asking a meeting at the property. At this meeting the proprietor was strongly urged to provide domestic and sanitary conveniences of an approved type for the front one-storey block as an experiment in the first instance, but his agent objected very strongly to these proposals, on the ground that the expense was not warranted and the class of tenants would not make proper use of the conveniences. He, however, promised to consider the matter further. No definite proposals were put forward for the improvement of the housing conditions, and to facilitate matters I was afterwards instructed by the Committee to submit a Representation under the Housing Acts. [reproduced from http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/41.html]
"The Housing Condition of Miners" Report by the Medical Officer of Health, Dr John T. Wilson, 1910, summarises the Square as:
Originally built by Omoa Iron and Coal Co, but now privately owned. The houses are occupied by miners employed at Cleland, Howmuir, Westwood, Murdostoun and quarrymen employed at Auchinlea – 114 houses of one apartment, rental, £5 4s. and £6 10s; and 24 houses of two-apartments, rental £7 16s and £10 8s – one story, brick – erected about 70 years ago – no damp -roof course – plastered on solid – brick floors, some floors cement – internal surfaces of walls and ceilings irregular, broken and patched – walls mostly damp – several houses unoccupied.
No overcrowding – apartments large.
No gardens – one wash house in centre of square – coal cellars recently erected for each house, but many have been broken down by tenants.
7 privy midden, in centre of square, in rear and in front, at distances of 20 feet (6.1 m) to 30 yards (27.4 m); doors and windows of these have been destroyed.
No sinks – drainage by surface channels.
Gravitation water from standpipes in centre and back of square, from 2 to 10 yards (9.1 m) distant.
These houses have been frequently inspected, and sanitary improvements have been carried out with no satisfactory results.
Notes on Omoa Square - Closing order made under Section 17 of Housing &c Act, 19. Partly demolished. [reproduced from http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/237.html]
By 1910, the Square’s houses were semi-abandoned and considered not properly fit for human habitation, with a recommendation for demolition. See “Old Newmains and the Villages Around Wishaw”, by Lewis Hutton, for a photograph of the outside of Omoa Square around 1900.
1920–1947: Auchinlea Brickworks opens/ closes.
1920–1930: Hardship means many Cleland families leave for other mining areas or emigrate to America and Canada. Search Ellis Island http://www.ellisisland.org/ records for free, and view electronic scans of ship manifests which include many Cleland families arriving in New York.
1920s-30s: Recollections of Cleland in the late 1920s and 1930s by Anthony Brown is provided at his family website http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/r/o/Anthony-M-Brown/FILE/0002page.html and recalls some of the Omoa and Cleland families from that period.
1930: The latest census taken in Cleland by the police shows a reduction in the population of 552 compared with the census taken in 1928. The total population now is 4274, made up of 2240 males and 2030 females.
1930: Wishaw and Coltness Railway Newmains to Cleland Junction is closed to freight.
1930: Wishaw and Coltness Railway Morningside to Holytown (Cleland Junction) is closed to passengers.
1930: What is now Cleland Station collapses, due to a local mine running under it caving in. It requires major repairs before re-opening. (Need to confirm year - MK).
1934: Cleland War Memorial erected after public subscription, to the memory of the men of Cleland and District who fell in the Great War 1914–1918. See listing of those who died at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~miningvillages/clelandwar.html. See Scottish Mining Villages http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~miningvillages/clelandwar.jpg for photograph of memorial. (Need to confirm year - MK).
1934-35: Electricity comes to Cleland.
1935: Cleland Public Park opened, to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in May 1935.
1939: Recollections of Cleland during World War II by Joseph J Brown is provided at the BBC's Scotland on Film website http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/scotlandonfilm/forum/home_front/thread55.shtml
1966: Airdrie and Newhouse Line (Caledonian Railway) Chapelhall to Bellside junction is closed.
1986: Cleland (previously Omoa) and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway) Polkemmet Colliery line lifted.
Other: If you are researching Omoa and Cleland families, ScotlandsPeople http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ does allow searching and purchasing of birth, marriage and death certificates online, but only between certain years. Motherwell Heritage Centre does not provide this service.
Alternatively visit the General Register Office for Scotland in Edinburgh (see http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/ for details), where for an admission fee, you can freely search all certificates, across all years, and purchase the ones you want.
And again, an alternative is the Strathclyde Area Genealogy Centre (see http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/BirthDeathMarriage_Citizenship/GenealogyCentre for details).
For Irish families coming to Cleland, the Irish censuses of 1901 and 1911 can be searched for free via The National Archives of Ireland.
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- see http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&num=10&lr=&safe=images&q=cleland&ie=UTF8&z=14&g=cleland&iwloc=addr. The two nearest towns are Wishaw
Wishaw
Wishaw is a large town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the edge of the Clyde Valley, 15 miles south-east of Glasgow....
and Motherwell. The village has a strong mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
heritage and is a typical example of a working class village in North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
and the Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
area. Due to its location, despite being at the heart of North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
, the village is very much removed, geographically and culturally, from surrounding towns such as Wishaw
Wishaw
Wishaw is a large town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the edge of the Clyde Valley, 15 miles south-east of Glasgow....
, Motherwell and Shotts
Shotts
Shotts is a small rural town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located almost halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh . As of the 2001 census, the population was 8,235...
.
Various data, comparing Cleland and Scotland's averaged population results from the 2001 census are available from Scotland's Census Results OnLine (SCROL) and are quick linked below:
The first results from Scotland's 2011 Census are planned for publication in the second half of 2012 http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/en/faqs/detailed/other.html#q2
Geography
Geographically, the village of Cleland is roughly bounded by the junction of Cleland Road and Chapleknowe road (B7029) to the west, the junction of Biggar Road and the B7033 Newhouse to the North, the junction of Bellside Road and Carlisle Road (A73A73 road
The A73 is a former trunk route in Scotland, that connects the M74 at Abington, Jct. 13 to the M80 motorway at Cumbernauld. Running for approximately , it passes through the towns of Lanark, Carluke, Newmains, Chapelhall and Airdrie...
) to the East and the junction of Swinstie road and Wishaw high road to the south.
Parliament and Council Representatives
Cleland falls under Ward 19 Murdostoun of North Lanarkshire Council: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1. Cleland's councillor is James "Jimmy" Martin and can be contacted via the following link: http://councillors.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/coins/allMembers.asp?sort=0&page=4. For Cleland related council documents, a search can be made via the following link: http://mars.northlan.gov.uk/intradoc-cgi/idc_cgi_isapi.dll?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_PAGE&PageName=index&coreContentOnly=1Cleland is also in the UK parliamentary constituency of Motherwell and Wishaw, and the Scottish parliamentary constituency of Motherwell and Wishaw http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file=/1st_holyrood/final_rec/const_maps_with_wards/motherwell_and_wishaw.pdf in the Scottish Parliament Region of Central Scotland http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/includes/downloadfile.asp?file=/1st_holyrood/final_rec/region_maps/central_scotland.pdf.
Cleland's Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
is John Pentland
John Pentland
John Pentland is a Scottish politician representing the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in the Scottish Parliament.He has been a member of the Labour Party for over 30 years, holding numerous branch and CLP positions....
(Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw
Motherwell and Wishaw (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Motherwell and Wishaw is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election...
) and he can be contacted via the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/MSP/MembersPages/john_pentland/index.htm
Cleland's United Kingdom MP is Frank Roy
Frank Roy
Frank Roy is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Motherwell and Wishaw since 1997...
(Labour, Motherwell and Wishaw
Motherwell and Wishaw (UK Parliament constituency)
Motherwell and Wishaw is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1974, mostly from Motherwell...
), and he can be contacted via the following link: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/frank_roy/motherwell_and_wishaw
Scotland's European Members of Parliament can be contacted via the following link: http://www.europarl.org.uk/section/your-meps/findmep?filter0=Scotland&filter1=**ALL**&filter2=**ALL**&filter3=**ALL**&filter5=**ALL**&filter4=**ALL**&submit=Submit
Policing
Cleland falls under Murdostoun Community Policing Team, who can be contacted via the following link: http://www.strathclyde.police.uk/index.asp?docID=5770Other Administration
Dialing Codes: The dialing code for Cleland is 01698. Prior to other telephone operators, Cleland phone numbers began with 860 or 861, and due to expansion 862 numbers have also been created.Post Codes: Cleland addresses have the ML1 5 postcode.
Refuse Collection: Dates for domestic, garden and glass refuse can be accessed via the following link: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=7451
Council Winter Services:
- General winter services (gritting, school closures, etc.) can be accessed via the following link http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=17121 and via Twitter http://twitter.com/nlcwinter
- Gritting routes: Primary and secondary gritting routes via http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=20194
- Ward 19 Murdostoun gritting route map via http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=3484&p=0
- Location of grit bins via http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=20161
Local Amenities
Shops: Cleland has a collection of shops: Londis, Scotmid, Chapmans Butchers, Fruit, veg and Florists, Barbers, one chip shop two Chinese take-aways one called "The Jade House" and the other "Richmond Inn" and one Indian take-away called "Shandar Tandoori". Baxters garage has been established in Cleland for over two generations and a branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland also serve the village. Two other small corner shops are located around Cleland.Churches: Saint Mary's Roman Catholic church is located on Main Street. Contact details are via the following link: http://www.rcdom.org.uk/parishes_stmarys_cleland.htm
The Church of Scotland is located on Bellside Road, and its contact details are via the following link: http://live.cos-vps01.squiz.co.uk/contact/contactmap17.htm
Cleland Baptist Church is situated on Thistle Street, and its contact details are via the following link: http://www.clelandbaptistchurch.org.uk
Library: Cleland has its own library. Its services can be seen via the following link: http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6345
Housing: Cleland has three traditional areas (the centre of Cleland), Parkside (hill area located next to the main area of Cleland) and Bellside (from Cleland railway station out towards A73 dual carriageway).
Glen Noble estate is a recent completion in Cleland and is close to the Main Street. The new development of Calder Mains is also adjacent to the Main Street. Windyedge is a new housing scheme in Parkside. Captain's Walk is a newly completed development in Bellside, and across from it is the newly started development of Bellside Brae.
Pubs/ Bars/ Clubs: Cleland has a Celtic supporters' bar called Kelly's at the "Cross" (see also Reference #3 under Cleland Timeline below for info on photograph of Chassel's/ Kelly's around 1905).
Cleland Club is actually an old miner's meeting place and rest house, now used for parties after birthdays, weddings, Christenings, etc. It has one large main hall, with stage for entertainment, and a smaller hall for entertainment before the main event.
The village is also served by the Station Bar and the Bellside Inn.
Travel Services
Cleland is situated within close proximity to the M8 motorway, offering road connections to Glasgow, Edinburgh, between and beyond. It is 6 miles from the M74 motorwayM74 motorway
The A74 and M74 motorways form a major motorway in Scotland. Following an extension opened on 28 June 2011, it connects the M8 motorway west of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna, creating an alternative route for traffic moving from the south to the west of the city...
, offering road connections to England and the M6.
Cleland railway station
Cleland railway station
Cleland railway station is a railway station serving the village of Cleland, near Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Built on the Cleland and Midcalder Line it was originally named Omoa, after the nearby ironworks, until on the Wishaw and Coltness Railway closed in 1930.It is located on...
is situated on Bellside Road and is a stop on the Glasgow - Edinburgh via Shotts Line
Shotts Line
The Shotts Line is a suburban railway line linking Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley via Shotts in Scotland. The route from Glasgow to Shotts is part of the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport network...
. It is around a 30 minute journey to Glasgow and an hour to Edinburgh. The trains run Monday to Saturday - there is no Sunday service. The timetable is available via the ScotRail website http://www.scotrail.co.uk/content/timetables-connections, or below is a link to the timetable in PDF format (please check that the timetable is up-to-date as it changes in Summer and Winter):
Several bus services operate into Glasgow, Wishaw, Motherwell and the surrounding areas - click on the associated links below for their timetables (again, please check that the timetable is up-to-date as routes and/ or timetables can change):
- First No.X11 (Newmains-Cleland-Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station) Monday-Friday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=1&source_id=2&service=X10/X11&routeid=815521&operator=10&source=sp and Saturday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=2&source_id=2&service=X10/X11&routeid=815521&operator=10&source=sp
- First No.N240 Night Service (Glasgow City Centre-Cleland) Saturday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=2&source_id=2&service=N240&routeid=815531&operator=10&source=sp and Sunday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=3&source_id=2&service=N240&routeid=815531&operator=10&source=sp
- First No.241 (Cleland-North Motherwell) Monday-Friday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=1&source_id=2&service=241&routeid=815661&operator=10&source=sp, Saturday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=2&source_id=2&service=241&routeid=815661&operator=10&source=sp and Sunday http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/scotland/swscot/timetables/timetable.php?day=3&source_id=2&service=241&routeid=815661&operator=10&source=sp
- Henderson Travel No.193 (Parkside, Cleland-Wishaw General HospitalWishaw General HospitalWishaw General Hospital is a district general hospital in the Craigneuk area of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire.-The Hospital:Wishaw General Hospital opened on 29 May 2001. It is a 633-bedded hospital, with the second-largest maternity unit in Scotland, delivering 5500 babies each year...
-Pather) http://www.spt.co.uk/wmslib/Bus/service193_jul09.pdf - Henderson Travel No.248 (Cleland-Wishaw General Hospital) http://www.andypreece.co.uk/timetables/hen248.pdf
- Hutchison No.9X (Cleland-Coltness-Wishaw-Motherwell-Glasgow Buchanan Street Station) http://home2.btconnect.com/hutchisons-coach/bus9x.htm
- Irvines No.X2 (Cleland-Coltness-Wishaw-Glasgow) http://www.irvinescoaches.co.uk/ServiceX2.htm
- McKindless No.9 (Hamilton/ North Motherwel-Wishaw-Cleland) http://www.andypreece.co.uk/timetables/mck9.htm
NOTE: As of the end of February 2010, McKindless ceased trading (see http://www.wishawpress.co.uk/wishaw-news/local-wishaw-news/wishaw-news/2010/02/24/over-80-left-unemployed-after-lanarkshire-bus-group-mckindless-cease-trading-76495-25898938/). - McNairn No.248 (Coatbridge-Holytown-Wishaw) http://www.andypreece.co.uk/timetables/mcn248.htm
Schools
Cleland is served by two primary schools. St Mary's Roman Catholic (RC) Primary School http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5874 and Cleland Primary http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5775.St Mary's is located on Chapel Street and Cleland Primary is on Main Street.
St Mary's is the larger of the two schools with a roll of around 145 (excluding nursery) compared with Cleland Primary's roll of almost 100. St Mary's Primary School also includes the nursery which is non-denominational.
After primary school, pupils of St Mary’s usually attend Taylor RC High Schoolhttp://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5934 in New Stevenston
New Stevenston
New Stevenston is a small village situated outside Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.SchoolsThe village is served by two primary schools: St.Patrick's Primary School & New Stevenston Primary School which share a joint campus incorporating New Stevenston Library.Secondary education is...
and pupils of Cleland Primary usually attend Coltness High School
Coltness High School
Coltness High School is a comprehensive school that is located in Coltness, the largest suburb of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The school was opened in 1966, and currently has a school roll of under 1,000 pupils...
http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5920 near Wishaw.
Cleland Timeline
The timeline and history of Omoa and Cleland below is based upon extracts from:1) "Historic Notices and Domestic History of the Parish of Shotts”, by William Grossart, published by Aird and Coghill in 1880 (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
2) “Old Newmains and the Villages Around Wishaw”, by Lewis Hutton, published by Stenlake Publishing in 1999 (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre). This book also has 11 excellent photographs of Cleland from around 1900, including Omoa Square, Omoa Road (showing horse carriages), Main Street at Cleland Cross and at the Post Office, Bellside Road, Aldersyde/ Biggar Road and Fraser Street in Parkside, and Omoa Poorhouse. Can be purchased from Stenlake Publishing http://www.stenlake.co.uk.
3) "Images of Scotland: Wishaw", Compiled Helen Moir, Published by Tempus Publishing Limited (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre). This has one photograph of Cleland - a photograph of Chassels Old Castle Bar (what is now Kelly's Bar) from around 1905.
4) The Wishaw Herald (microfilm available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
5) The Wishaw Press and Advertiser (microfilm available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
6) Ordnance Survey Old Maps http://www.old-maps.co.uk/
7) The Scottish Pottery Society http://www.scottishpotterysociety.co.uk/
8) Scottish Mining Villages http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/
9) Scran http://www.scran.ac.uk/
10) RailScot Railway History http://www.railscot.co.uk/
11) The National Archives of Scotland http://www.nas.gov.uk/
12) The National Library of Scotland http://www.nls.uk/pont
13) The Workhouse http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Cambusnethan/Cambusnethan.shtml
14) Statistical Accounts of Scotland: 1791–1799; and 1843-45 http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/sas/sas.asp?action=public (From the menu option: Choose from county lists: Lanark; then Choose report: Bertram Shotts)
15) "A Musical History of Shotts" (copy available in Motherwel Heritage Centre).
16) "Lanark's Mining Industry in 1896 - A List of Coal Mines" from Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd http://www.pdmhs.com/1896%20Lists/1896-08.htm
Timeline
1296: The first Cleland on record is Alexander Cleland of that Ilk whom married a cousin of Sir William Wallace. Their son, James Cleland joined William Wallace in battle in 1296 at Loudonhill; at Stirling in 1297; Falkirk in 1298; Glasgow in 1300; and in France in 1301. James Cleland and his son John Cleland fought at Bannockburn in 1314. For his loyalty and good service, Robert the Bruce gave James Cleland the lands of Calder-clere, now East Calder.
1450: The Cleland line later extends down to James Cleland, son of William Cleland of that Ilk. James marries a Lord Somerville’s daughter in 1450, and their line branches out to be the Clelands of Faskin, Monkland and Gartness.
The Cleland family lands were therefore a number of areas which included current day Cleland village. There was no defined village of Cleland as it is known today. Rather there was a Cleland House where the Cleland family lived, and the land where present day Cleland stands was part of the Cleland family’s estate.
1478: Langbyre, Wyndyegis, Knochkublis farms (now Langbyre near Bellside, Windyedge in Parkside, Knowenoble in Cleland) discussed in rent accounts for James, Lord Hamilton.
c.1596: Timothy Pont
Timothy Pont
Timothy Pont was a Scottish topographer, the first to produce a detailed map of Scotland. Pont's maps are among the earliest surviving to show a European country in minute detail, from an actual survey.-Life:...
produces a map of Scotland, clearly showing what is now Lanarkshire, with the places of Kneeland and Kneelandtoun (see the National Library of Scotland http://www.nls.uk:8080/StyleServer/calcrgn?cat=Pont&item=/pont34.sid&style=maps.xsl&wid=800&hei=600&browser=win_ie&plugin=false).
Kneeland is an olde alternative name for the Cleland family surname. Over time, Kneeland would eventually become Cleland (and Cleland used to be pronounced as Clee-land in the same way as Knee-land).
1702: Alexander Cleland of Cleland finds himself in debt and sells the Cleland Estate to William and Archibald Hamilton.
1711: William and Archibald Hamilton sell Cleland Estate to Gavin Hamilton of Inverdovat. The link between the Cleland families and the Cleland lands is therefore broken. The sale of the Estate was described as follows:
All and Haill the lands Clelandtoun, called the five pund land of Clelandtoun with the tower and fortalice, &c. – in the barony of Bothwell – All and Haill the fortie shilling land of Little Hareshaw, in the parish of Shotts – All and Haill the lands of Newarthill and Whitagreen – All and Haill the Mains and Mill of Carphinc- Excepting threfra the feu ferm rights if Little Hareshaw.
1755: A map for General Roy’s expeditions into Jacobite Scotland shows Cleland Toun (see Scran http://www.scran.ac.uk/000-000-595-078-C).
1763: First colliery in what is present day Cleland is in operation at Swinstie.
1766: Alexander Inglis Hamilton of Murdoston sells Cleland Estate to Captain Hew Dalrymple of Fordal.
1789: Colonel William Dalrymple (the second son of Sir William Dalrymple, third baronet of Cousland, and the nephew of Captain Hew Dalrymple), distinguishes himself by helping to capture both the Fort of San Fernando de Omoa and the port town of Omoa, in Honduras, Central America (see William Dalrymple (British Army officer) and Battle of San Fernando de Omoa
Battle of San Fernando de Omoa
The Battle of San Fernando de Omoa was a short siege and battle between British and Spanish forces fought not long after Spain entered the American Revolutionary War on the American side...
).
1797–1866: Omoa Iron Works is erected on Cleland estate by Colonel William Dalrymple on returning to civilian life. Colonel Dalrymple’s uncle, Hew, left him the Fordal estate in Mid-Lothian, and Cleland estate in Bothwell and Shotts parishes.
At first there was only one furnace at Omoa, employing about 40 miners, 40 smelters and other workmen, and 12 horses. The furnace consumed nine tons of calcined ironstone per day, with casts every eighteen hours, yielding about two tons of pig-iron each cast.
Omoa claimed to be the second oldest iron works in Scotland (to Wilsontown). Originally prospering enough to create the new community of Omoa Town, the Omoa Works suffered a downturn through several changes in ownership and a slump in trade following the outbreak of Civil War in America in 1861. Omoa Works would change proprietors several times, the last being to Robert Stewart, Esq., of Murdoston. Shortly after the death of Robert Stewart in 1866 (see later), operations ceased, with the furnaces eventually becoming ruins.
The procurement of ironstone for the Iron Works was reported as follows:
An interesting circumstance connected with the early history of Omoa, and perhaps applicable to other iron-works at the same period, was the scarcity of ironstone and how it was procured. Any balls found in a stream, or cropping-out by its margin, were carefully collected, and in the case of Omoa, ironstone was collected in streams or otherwise by farmers and others in the neighbourhood, and taken to the ironworks and sold - many a ton went from Shotts parish in this way. The transaction was never called in question, but if practised at the present day, would be called thieving.
1802: Shotts Ironworks is established by a company of private gentlemen, under the control of Mr. John Baird, as managing partner, for upwards of 40 years. The manager, Mr. Ormiston, is noted as having introduced many improvements.
Connected with the works was an extensive Foundry which was long celebrated for its superior castings, and was one of the few places in Scotland for the making of tinned hollow ware.
The coal works in the parish at the time were numerous. In the south-west, from Knowenoble to Greenhill and Linrig, the highest beds in the section were wrought, but these did not extend to other parts of the parish. They were mostly thick-bedded coals, and consist of the “Ell” in small patches, the “Main” and the “Splint” Coals. Also large fields of “Virtuewell” which was also found in other parts of the parish.
For the working of coal works, pits were sunk on the lands of Knowenoble, Longbyers, Spindleside, Knowenoblehill, Windyedge, Greenhill, Linrig, and other places. The supply from these was exhausted after a few years. There was a good black-band ironstone, six inches (152 mm) thick, wrought at Bellside and Greenhill, but confined to these localities, and nearly all wrought. In the district large fields of Drumgray coal was still to be worked, and only partially wrought at Greenhill, Little Hareshaw, North Linrig, and Peatpots.
1810–1866: Robert Stewart (see http://gdl.cdlr.strath.ac.uk/mlemen/mlemen087.htm). On the death of his father, who for several years had carried on the business of an iron and coal master at Omoa on the estate of Cleland, belonging to the family of Stair, Robert Stewart reconstructed the works, and acquired a lease to an extensive mineral field, which was found to contain an excellent seam of blackband ironstone, he in the course of a few years acquired a considerable fortune, to which after years of great success were to make great additions.
He became a member of Glasgow Town Council in 1842, becoming Lord Provost, 1848–1854, and drove the initiative to supply Glasgow with a freshwater supply from Loch Katrine. In 1856 Mr. Stewart acquired from Mr. Baillie Cochrane, now Lord Lamington, at a cost of £55,000, the estate of Murdostoun, situated in the parish of Shotts, Lanarkshire, and immediately began to improve it upon an extensive scale. This property belonged down to the middle of the fifteenth century to the Scotts of Buccleuch, and was then exchanged by them for part of the lands of Branxholme in Roxburghshire, belonging to a family of the name of Inglis.
In later times Murdostoun belonged to James Inglis Hamilton, who commanded the Scots Greys at Waterloo, and who was killed at the head of his regiment in the somewhat reckless charge which our heavy cavalry made on Marshal Ney's “grand battery.” It then passed to Admiral the Hon. Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane, captor of the Danish West India Islands, and next, in 1832, to his son the late Admiral Sir Thomas Inglis Cochrane, the father of Lord Lamington. This estate Mr. Stewart added to in 1865 by the purchase of the lands of Langbyres, situated in the vicinity of Murdostoun.
1813: The Omoa Waggonway is opened from Newarthill collieries to Omoa Iron Works by Col. Dalrymple.
1837: The Coltness Iron Company is established in Newmains by Henry Houldsworth.
It was estimated that the 2000 acres (8.1 km²) site at Newmains on Coltness Estate could produce 18,000 tons of coal and 1,000 tons of ironstone per acre. Henry Houldsworth had no difficulty, therefore, in attracting experienced labour from the iron works of Yorkshire as well as from Omoa and Wilsontown in Lanarkshire (see Scran http://www.scran.ac.uk/000-299-988-916-C).
The Iron Company, needing coal, was also aware of the coal mines in Ireland. When coal was being mined in Shotts, Cleland and the surrounding areas, the Iron Company sent representatives over to Ireland to hire miners for the Scottish mines. This is a primary reason why so many Irish families came to Shotts, Omoa, etc. Many came from County Donegal, and the Castlecomer coal fields in what is now north County Kilkenny/ south County Laois.
1861: Omoa and Cleland population of 1233: Cleland has 190 males and 175 females; Omoa has 509 males and 359 females.
1864: 25 June. Omoa Iron Works Brass Band competed at Brass Band Competition, College Green, Glasgow.
1868: The Omoa Iron Works closes, two years after the death of its penultimate Owner, Robert Stewart of Murdostoun (Murdostoun Castle being near Bellside in Cleland).
1869: Omoa and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway) is opened.
Note that Cleland would be served with two train stations. The first station was Omoa Station (across from what is now Cleland Hospital), and the second was Cleland Station (behind what is now Cleland Cross). After Cleland Station was closed, Omoa Station was then renamed Cleland Station.
1869: List of mines (under Holytown) includes Cleland Collieries owned by Wm. Dixon, Monkland Iron Co., Trustees of late Robert Stewart; Wyndedge owned by Robert Dick.
1870: Omoa Fireclay Works (brickworks) opens.
1871: Omoa/ Cleland population of 819.
1876: Cleland and Omoa Public School opens.
1877: St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, a Free Church and a Chapel of Ease are established.
1881: Omoa/ Cleland population of 1626.
1881: St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church presbytery is built, designed by Messrs Peyin.
1882: Omoa and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway) Addiewell is opened.
1885: The “Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland” states:
Cleland, a village of N Lanarkshire, chiefly in Shotts parish, but also partly in Bothwell. With a station on the Morningside branch of the Caledonian, it stands near the left bank of South Calder Water, 3¾ miles ESE of Holytown, 7 E of Bothwell village, and 3½ E by N of Motherwell, under which it has a post office. It mainly depends on the large neighbouring collieries of the Omoa and Cleland Coal and Iron Company; at it are an Established chapel of ease (1877), a Free church, and St Mary's Roman Catholic church (1877), to the last of which, designed by Messrs Peyin, a presbytery was added in 1881. Cleland and Omoa public school and Cleland Roman Catholic school, with respective accommodation for 300 and 254 children, had (1880) an average attendance of 199 and 240, and grants of £190, 7s. 2d. and £182. Pop. (1861) 1233, (1871) 819, (1881) 1626.
As the Gazetteer suggests, Omoa and Cleland were separate villages, and parts of Omoa and Cleland villages came under the District of West Shotts, and the remainder came under the District of Bothwell (a point to note when searching for Census information). However, both were within the Parish of Cleland.
1889–1915: Omoa Greenhill Works brickworks opens (R. Young Greenhill).
1895–1911: Cleland Pottery opened (across the small "gorge" from the swingpark off Lithgow Drive/ Chapel Street). It later closed down in 1911, (search at Old Maps http://www.old-maps.co.uk/indexmappage2.aspx for location and see Scottish Pottery Society http://www.scottishpotterysociety.co.uk/imageuploads/cleland_butter_pot_copy-4359.jpg showing stoneware buttery crock produced in Cleland).
1896: The coal mines in Lanark listed in "Tables compiled by J.B. Atkinson, H.M.Inspector for the East Scotland District in his Report for 1896" is provided by Peak District Mines Historical Society Ltd http://www.pdmhs.com/1896%20Lists/1896-08.htm. For Cleland and Omoa, the list includes: Beggarford, Omoa owned by Robert Young's Trustees, Greenhill, by Holytown; Brownhill, Cleland owned by Barr and Higgins, 75, Bothwell St., Glasgow; Greenhill, Omoa owned by Robert Young's Trustees, Greenhill, by Holytown; Hareshaw, Omoa owned by Hareshaw Coal Co., Cleland; Knownoble, Cleland owned by Kerr and Mitchell, Glencleland, Wishaw; Knownoblehill, Cleland owned by Robert Dick, Cleland; Murdostoun Cleland owned by John McAndrew and Co., Cleland; Sunnyside, Cleland owned by Coltness Iron Co. Ltd., Newmains.
1901: The 1901 Census takes place. The 1901 Census for Omoa and Cleland can be viewed for free at Motherwell Heritage Centre, and prints of pages can be purchased. Alternatively, ScotlandsPeople http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ can be searched - but to search and purchase from ScotlandsPeople is relatively more difficult and more expensive than going to Motherwell Heritage Centre.
Note that the area of Omoa comes under the Village of Omoa, Quoad Sacra Parish of Cleland, Part Parish Ward of West Shotts, Civil Parish of Shotts, School Board District of Shotts and Parliamentary Division of North East Lanark. This Shotts connection sometimes misleads people researching Omoa and Omoa Square, as they look towards the village of Shotts today, rather than Omoa in the Parish of Cleland, in the District of Shotts from the past.
1905: Cleland Poorhouse opens.
1906: Cleland streets named and numbered. For information: when later built, Lithgow Drive would be named after Dr Lithgow, and Gibb Street would be named after the mid-wife Mrs Gibb, who both served Omoa and Cleland.
1910: The Annual Report of the County & District Medical Officer for Lanarkshire, 1910, describes Omoa Square:
This group of 114 single-apartment and 24 two-apartment houses, is situated in the Parish of Shotts. These houses were inspected by the Committee on 27 September, and have since been the subject of considerable correspondence and several meetings. A specification, showing the repairs necessary to make the houses reasonably fit for human habitation, was prepared and submitted to the proprietors' agents, who replied that the suggestions were extremely expensive and far beyond any reasonable requirement, and asking a meeting at the property. At this meeting the proprietor was strongly urged to provide domestic and sanitary conveniences of an approved type for the front one-storey block as an experiment in the first instance, but his agent objected very strongly to these proposals, on the ground that the expense was not warranted and the class of tenants would not make proper use of the conveniences. He, however, promised to consider the matter further. No definite proposals were put forward for the improvement of the housing conditions, and to facilitate matters I was afterwards instructed by the Committee to submit a Representation under the Housing Acts. [reproduced from http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/41.html]
"The Housing Condition of Miners" Report by the Medical Officer of Health, Dr John T. Wilson, 1910, summarises the Square as:
Originally built by Omoa Iron and Coal Co, but now privately owned. The houses are occupied by miners employed at Cleland, Howmuir, Westwood, Murdostoun and quarrymen employed at Auchinlea – 114 houses of one apartment, rental, £5 4s. and £6 10s; and 24 houses of two-apartments, rental £7 16s and £10 8s – one story, brick – erected about 70 years ago – no damp -roof course – plastered on solid – brick floors, some floors cement – internal surfaces of walls and ceilings irregular, broken and patched – walls mostly damp – several houses unoccupied.
No overcrowding – apartments large.
No gardens – one wash house in centre of square – coal cellars recently erected for each house, but many have been broken down by tenants.
7 privy midden, in centre of square, in rear and in front, at distances of 20 feet (6.1 m) to 30 yards (27.4 m); doors and windows of these have been destroyed.
No sinks – drainage by surface channels.
Gravitation water from standpipes in centre and back of square, from 2 to 10 yards (9.1 m) distant.
These houses have been frequently inspected, and sanitary improvements have been carried out with no satisfactory results.
Notes on Omoa Square - Closing order made under Section 17 of Housing &c Act, 19. Partly demolished. [reproduced from http://www.mining-villages.co.uk/237.html]
By 1910, the Square’s houses were semi-abandoned and considered not properly fit for human habitation, with a recommendation for demolition. See “Old Newmains and the Villages Around Wishaw”, by Lewis Hutton, for a photograph of the outside of Omoa Square around 1900.
1920–1947: Auchinlea Brickworks opens/ closes.
1920–1930: Hardship means many Cleland families leave for other mining areas or emigrate to America and Canada. Search Ellis Island http://www.ellisisland.org/ records for free, and view electronic scans of ship manifests which include many Cleland families arriving in New York.
1920s-30s: Recollections of Cleland in the late 1920s and 1930s by Anthony Brown is provided at his family website http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/r/o/Anthony-M-Brown/FILE/0002page.html and recalls some of the Omoa and Cleland families from that period.
1930: The latest census taken in Cleland by the police shows a reduction in the population of 552 compared with the census taken in 1928. The total population now is 4274, made up of 2240 males and 2030 females.
1930: Wishaw and Coltness Railway Newmains to Cleland Junction is closed to freight.
1930: Wishaw and Coltness Railway Morningside to Holytown (Cleland Junction) is closed to passengers.
1930: What is now Cleland Station collapses, due to a local mine running under it caving in. It requires major repairs before re-opening. (Need to confirm year - MK).
1934: Cleland War Memorial erected after public subscription, to the memory of the men of Cleland and District who fell in the Great War 1914–1918. See listing of those who died at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~miningvillages/clelandwar.html. See Scottish Mining Villages http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~miningvillages/clelandwar.jpg for photograph of memorial. (Need to confirm year - MK).
1934-35: Electricity comes to Cleland.
1935: Cleland Public Park opened, to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in May 1935.
1939: Recollections of Cleland during World War II by Joseph J Brown is provided at the BBC's Scotland on Film website http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/scotlandonfilm/forum/home_front/thread55.shtml
1966: Airdrie and Newhouse Line (Caledonian Railway) Chapelhall to Bellside junction is closed.
1986: Cleland (previously Omoa) and Midcalder Line (Caledonian Railway) Polkemmet Colliery line lifted.
Other: If you are researching Omoa and Cleland families, ScotlandsPeople http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ does allow searching and purchasing of birth, marriage and death certificates online, but only between certain years. Motherwell Heritage Centre does not provide this service.
Alternatively visit the General Register Office for Scotland in Edinburgh (see http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/ for details), where for an admission fee, you can freely search all certificates, across all years, and purchase the ones you want.
And again, an alternative is the Strathclyde Area Genealogy Centre (see http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/BirthDeathMarriage_Citizenship/GenealogyCentre for details).
For Irish families coming to Cleland, the Irish censuses of 1901 and 1911 can be searched for free via The National Archives of Ireland.
Cleland People
- Jimmy DelaneyJimmy DelaneyJames "Jimmy" Delaney was a Scottish football player who enjoyed a 24-year playing career.- Career :...
- Glasgow Celtic & Manchester United. Scottish cup, FA cup and Irish cup winner. - John Kennedy (Scottish footballer)John Kennedy (Scottish footballer)John Kennedy is a retired Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre back for Celtic and Norwich City. He was also a Scotland international, but suffered a horrific knee injury on his Scotland debut in March 2004...
- Glasgow Celtic defender (retired by injury) and grandson of Jimmy Delaney. - Joe JordanJoe Jordan (footballer)Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
- Leeds United, Manchester United and A.C Milan. Scored in 3 world cups. Currently (Aug 2010) Assistant Manager at Tottenham Hotspur FC. - Chris McCartChris McCartChristopher 'Chris' McCart is a Scottish former footballer who played as a defender. McCart spent most of his career with Motherwell, spending twelve seasons with the Fir Park club before a short spell with Falkirk...
- ex-Motherwell captain and now head of youth development at Glasgow Celtic. - Sydney DevineSydney DevineSydney Devine is Scotland's very own rhinestone cowboy, a singer whose career began with a television appearance in 1953 at the age of thirteen, developed during eight years touring with the White Heather Group...
- Singer. - Geraldine O'Neill - Author.
- Dr Eamonn O'Neill - Investigative journalist and academic.