Village Life: 1900-1920

Some of the families coming in to work for the Lothian Coal Co. at Newtongrange came from other Lothian pits, some came from South Yorkshire (Higginson is a fairly common name in the village) and many came from the West of Scotland. Significant amongst this last group was a large number of Lithuanians or 'Poles' as they were called. Lithuania had been under Polish role for centuries but was under the rule of Czarist Russia in the 1890s when Lithuanians first began arriving in Scotland. Many were escaping from conscription or persecution by the Russians. Some were actively recruited by Lanarkshire ironmasters to work in the pits and a sizable community grew up in Bellshill. By 1906 there were about 200 Lithuanians in Newtongrange. In the West of Scotland, it appears the Lithuanians were regarded with suspicion and hostility, but they were popular in Newtongrange and were generally very well treated. The one thing the Lithuanians hated was to be called Poles - it was as bad as calling a Scotsman an Englishmen.

The Lithuanian names caused some difficulty at the pit. Some were given any Scottish name (Joe Sunelaitis became Joe Campbell), some got a name that was similar to their own (the Maliejus family was called Molloy) and some families kept their Lithuanian name (e.g. Dubickas). They were free, of course, to revert to their original name if they had chosen but mostly they were content with their new identity.
The Lithuanians were quiet hard-working, law-abiding citizens but some were notably violent after a heavy drinking bout. Jim Barton remembers, "Albert the Pole was a muckle big strong man. My granny wis a wee wummin and she could quieten him like a moose. If they were drunk at the pub he used tae take a stab oot o' yin o' the gairdens and he would wowf them a'. We wis just wee, ye ken, at the time. My granny came oot, "Pit it doon, Albert." and he pit it doon and lifted her up and walked intae the hoose and put her on a chair and geen her a clap and went away."

These are some of the commonest surnames in Newtongrange - Holgate, Cornwall, Reid, Thomson, Walkinshaw, Moffat, Purves, Duncan, Peacock, Mclntosh, Lockhart, Allan, Wilson, Neilson and Bryson. Nicknames used to be popular amongst the men, though they're not so common now. There was Bander Bob, Band Broon, Oomp McLeod and Tommy Blaw, who were all bandsmen. There was Scrappie Gray, Scoop Crichton (a reporter), Trekkle Moffat and Chip per Young who had a chip van that was always parked at Mansfield Avenue (and it was called Chipper Avenue). There was Sweerie Tarn, Cleeckie Walkinshaw (who had no hands), Rob Roy (Rob King, the farmer, who was in the drama club and played that part once), Star Blue and Beer or no Beer. Some were not complimentary, like Chimpy, Tat-tie and the Pups. Certain nicknames run in families. The Reids are usually called Kim and a branch of the Moffats are always called Dobie. In one family there were two brothers called Dobie (Auld Dobie and Young Dobie) and their father was Faither Dobie.

Up until 1902 the only shops in Newtongrange were on John Roman's property. In the Loan there was a grocer, a chemist, a draper, a tailor, a shoemaker and a baker with another grocer in Newbattle Road. Numerous vans served the village. There were milk carts, fish carts and 'soor dook' carts. There were pedlars, fish wives and rag and bone men. The Co-op vans from Gorebridge, Dalkeith and Tranent did especially good business at the beginning of the century. Sandy Fairlie writes "The trade in Newtongrange had by this time reached large proportions with a van service three times a week. Indeed, on what was known as the 'Pay Saturday', Geordie Smith was in the village the whole day starting off with grocery orders. Most of the customers paid their books to him and so saved themselves the trouble of traveling up to the Central to do so. A lorry followed up with potato and beer orders. This completed, an order of bread was then served to the customers and so quite a busy day for the vanman was completed. It might also be stated that the premises were open on Pay Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m."

There was a need for more shops in the village and two plots of land one at each end of the village were reserved by the Coal Co. for feuing to shopkeepers. The one at the bottom end of Newtongrange was first to be taken up. Johnston Armistead built a shop there in 1902. He was a boot and shoemaker who had had a shop for many years on the Loan. His new shop was also the post office. His daughter looked after the shop and post office and Mr. Armitstead had a wee hut at the back where he mended shoes. Tom Stewart was another local tradesman who feued a plot to build his own shop. He had had the licensed grocer's at Hope House but he never sought a licence for his new premises next to the Dean.
Willie Reid built a block of six shops in 1906 in Station Road and ran one of them himself as Reid's Beehive Stores. Close by, the Gorebridge Co-op opened extensive new premises in 1908. Their five shops included a grocery, a bakery, a furniture shop, a drapery and a butcher. Round the back were workshops for tailors and bootmakers, delivery van sheds and stables. The Dalkeith Co-op built shops in Station Road before the War. In the 1920s the Dalkeith Co-op was taken over by the Musselburgh and Fisherrow Co-op.

Other tradesmen moved into the Loan. Burgari Quinto opened his first shop there in 1905. Jim Barton remembers, "Quinto had a chip shop up the Loan. Ye jist went in. It wis jist a wee room an' a lobby. Ye went in yin at a time an' ye got yer fish supper. Then at the other side o' the pend he hud an ice-cream shop. They hud a billiards hall at the back. That’s where the Poles held their weddin’s. It went on for a week. They jist got drunk and sobered up an' startit again."

In 1908 Newtongrange got its first railway station. A Dalkeith Advertiser reporter wrote, "During the last dozen years at least the question of providing proper railway facilities has been mooted again and again. The Dalhousie railway station, which since the days of the horse railway has served the population of Newbattle parish, is now closed, and while some slight inconvenience which the people of Newtongrange are now afforded. The fare from Eskbank to Newtongrange in now 1½d (½p). third class (as compared with 1d.(<½p) formerly to Dalhousie) the distance to the new station being three quarters of a mile longer to the old. The fares to Edinburgh have not been altered, and from Newtongrange to Gore-bridge the charge is 2½d (1p). Mr. Thomas Balmer, formerly of Gretna, who recently took up duty at Dalhousie, has been transferred to the new station."

(Dalkeith Advertiser, 6 September 1908).
People seldom traveled far from their own village in those days and Newtongrange folk were no exception. The Trades Holidays lasted a week but were unpaid and, as no one could afford to go away, a day's excursion to Portobello beach by train was the most anyone could expect. Traditionally, visits to friends the village were made at New Year, and on the Saturday after Play Day.

All the organisations had an annual excursion by train, bus or farmer's cart to destinations near and far. In 1913 the Gorebridge Co-op trip was to Oban, the Burns Club took 400 to Melrose and the United Free Church chartered a special train to Penicuik for 350 trippers. The Easthouses Sunday School went to Heriot, the Camper's Club reached Peebles in two 'four in hand brakes,' the Baptist Church traveled to Habbies Howe and the Church of Christ Bible Class went to Gullane. Every trip took a musician or two, or even the silver band, to entertain the happy travelers who raced, danced, played and picnicked as long as they were able.

Back home, a popular entertainment for men was provided at regular Sunday afternoon concerts organised by the P.S.A. Brotherhood in the Lothian Halls, P.S.A. stood for 'Pleasant Sunday Afternoon.' This is the report in the Dalkeith Advertiser of one meeting. "The president, Mr. Walkie, presided over a good attendance on Sunday afternoon when Mr. Moffat's orchestra as usual opened the proceedings with spirited selections. The Rev. Robert Ballantyne, M.A. Peebles, in the course of a straight talk to the men as man to man, pointed out the sure evil consequences that would ensure to anyone indulging in strong drink. He urged upon his hearers the value and importance of total abstinence. Mr. Welsh, Musselburgh, rendered two sacred solos with an expression and power that evoked the heartiest appreciation of his hearers. Rev. A. Hardie read the lesson and conducted the devotions, while the President thanked speaker and singers in the name of the meeting." After the picture house opened in 1915 the P.S.A. meetings were held there for many years.

A big occasion in 1913 was the first annual Children's Gala Day. Eighteen hundred children in their best clothes assembled in the public park before marching in procession proudly round the village, led by the Lothian Silver Band. Prizes were awarded to the children carrying the best floral bouquets. The procession finished up at Victoria Park where the children enjoyed sports and refreshments.

A lot of miners enlisted during the First World War. the Durham Light Intantry took over the Lothian Halls and the Band Hall was also commandeered. Many people worked to raise money for the war effort. There was the Our Heroes Fund for Newbattle Parish, a P.O.W. Fund, the National Relief Fund, the Red Cross and there were Christmas War Parcels to be sent to every local man on active service. At home, the Newtongrange Volunteers were organised by Mungo MacKay.

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