JOHN WHITE
The father of
local history in the Monklands
JOHN WHITE,
the respected local
historian of Monklands, died on 1st
January 2000, in his 85th year.
His death brought sadness and loss
to the many people in Monklands and
far beyond with whom John had shared
his unrivalled knowledge of the
area.
John was brought up in the Langloan
area of Coatbridge. His working life
was spent with British Steel at
Stewarts and Lloyds. He was blessed
with two happy marriages - to his
first wife Cathie and then, on her
death, to Mamie.
Donald McDonald, of Monk lands
Historical Society, and Craig Geddes,
the North Lanarkshire archivist,
have paid generous tribute to Mr
White's efforts over many years to
share his vast knowledge of the area
with others.
Mr Geddes described him as "the
father of local history in Monklands".
In particular, they referred to Mr
White's rescue of dozens of maps,
account books, inventories, and
other documents from the Old
Drumpellier House and elsewhere. All
this material John first housed in
his home in Old Monkland. Then, for
a time, he was given a room in the
Carnegie Library where those
interested could inspect the
materials under John's expert
guidance. Finally, all this rich
collection was housed in the History
Room at Airdrie Library and in the
Mitchell Library, for use by future
researchers. In addition, John
toured the Monklands area for years
with cameras and slides, giving
lectures to schools, church groups,
social clubs, nursing home
residents, and the like.
It was his practice over the years
to keep pictorial records of the
area and particularly of buildings
that were about to be altered or
demolished. He wrote several
pamphlets - on Janet Hamilton, on
the Drumpellier Estate, for example.
His services were constantly in
demand from visitors to Monklands,
particularly from those whose
ancestors had come from the area.
It was obvious that he knew the
Monklands intimately, not as one who
had studied maps and books, but as
one who had lovingly traversed every
mile of the area on foot - along
Calder's banks, through the glens in
Whifflet, and all around the
Drumpellier and other estates. He
could take parties on conducted
tours of Drumpellier and elsewhere
and could talk to them of the
flowers, the plants, the trees of
his beloved Monklands.
Among those adding their tributes
was Margaret Anderson university
historian well-known locally for her
history lectures over the years in
Coatbridge and Airdrie, and
Westminster MP Mr Tom Clarke.
Mrs Anderson commented: "In 1991
Glasgow University's Adult Education
Department - in co-operation with
Coatbridge Community Education -
began a class in local history
regarding the Importance of
Monklands in the context of
industrial and transport history. To
this class came John White, maybe
without any official academic
historical background but with a
.knowledge of his local area and its
history which was Wide, personal,.
Enthusiastic, intimate, and
detailed. His contributions to the
class were relevant helpful, and
enlightening. It was sad when ill
health forced him to curtail his
interests.
A later class of Sights and Sites of
Lanarkshire would have benefited
from his input for the Monklands
area. So many people knew him from
his talks on local history to clubs
and organisations or from his walks.
and tours of the important
historical sites of the area. His
links With the Drumpellier Estate
and Gartsherrie Work’s papers
provided the foundation for the work
of later scholars. It was with
sorrow that notice of his death was
received. For many he had been the
local historian of the district and
for that many will remember him with
gratitude."
Mr Clarke said: "John White was
unique. Countless people myself
included, were often entranced by
his deep knowledge of our local
history and by the sheer treasures
he acquired over the years. It is
fortunate that he carefully
catalogued all of this so that
present and future generations would
get the benefit of the tireless
life's work of a dedicated man who
loved everything he was doing."
Despite his immense work for the
community, Mr White did not receive,
during his life, the public acclaim
from the civic or national
authorities that he so richly
deserved. Many of his friends
believe there is still time to right
this omission - for example by a
plaque to his honour in Carnegie or
Airdrie library, or by naming the
History Room at Airdrie, to which he
was far and away the greatest
contributor.
.jpg)
Langloan Pupils c1925 John White
sits next the Teacher
The
John White Memorial History Room?
see Calder Man
