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Friday 11:30am - 4pm Saturday 11:30am - 4pm

Lanark Museum

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Lanark Museum

Lanark Museum is open Friday & Saturday, April - September, in the YMCA Bloomgate 11.30-4.00. Car parking is available nearby. Lanark ML11 9HD.

Lanark Museum houses a collection of items which illustrate the ancient and varied history of the town. Lanark is one of Scotland's oldest burghs, and from the time of King William the Lion was a favoured hunting area of the Kings of Scotland. It also has associations with two of Scotland's greatest heroes: William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce. Location
Lanark can be reached with ease from mo

st places in central Scotland and is signposted on all major routes. It is situated nearly half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh and can be reached from both in under an hour. Lanark Museum is within 5 minutes drive of the World Heritage Village of New Lanark and is situated on the main A73 road within 300 yards of the town centre. The headquarters of the museum are at 8 Westport. This property serves as the office, workshop and archive for the museum. An illustrated timeline of Lanark's history and an exhibition of historical artefacts are housed in the YMCA building, 29 Bloomgate, less than 100 yards from 8 Westport and on the other side of the road. Exhibition Opening Hours
11:30 - 16:00; Fridays & Saturdays; April to September

Collection Opening Hours
The volunteers work throughout the year managing the collection. From September to April, when the exhibition is closed, they take down the current exhibition, pack everything into storage in the Westgate premises and begin planning and setting up the next. Individual researchers and group visits (including schools) are welcome at any time by appointment. Admission
Admission is free, although a donation towards the running expenses of the museum would be much appreciated. A donation box is placed at the exit of the exhibition. Funding
The museum is a charitable organisation, managed and staffed by volunteers. The work of the museum is financed through grants, donations given by visitors to the museum and the fund-raising activities of the Friends of Lanark Museum, also a purely voluntary organisation.

18/06/2026

Showman’s Road Loco “His Lordship” at Lanark Steam Engine Rally, 1979.

Held at Lanark Market on the 4th and 5th of August under the auspices of the Scottish Traction Engine Society this event a wide range of exhibits and exhibitors. The exhibits included everything from the large, loike the traction engine depicted to the small such as antique hand tools. Some exhibitors were local but others had travelled to attend including some from Aberdeen, Sunderland and Kent.

“His Lordship” is a Burrell 8 HP (No.3444) and was built new for Greens of Glasgow in 1913. The Greens referred to are probably better known as the later owners of Green’s Playhouse, Glasgow. The engine was later transferred to Preston and later sold to Silcocks of Warrington. It fell into a poor condition when the new owner, at the time of the Lanark Show, Mr Tom Varley completely restored Loco.

17/06/2026

Slaters view of Lanark. c.1848.

James Slater, although a house painter and decorator also turned his hand to painting of a more artistic kind as can be seen in this work. It contains a wealth of detail but does take some liberties with the perspective of the view. It is a rare lithograph printed by the well-known Glasgow firm of Allan & Ferguson.

James Slater ran his Painters and Decorators business from 100 Wellgate from the early 1840s until his death in 1859 aged forty-three. His wife Margaret took over and later their eldest son, Robert carried on the trade until the mid-1870s when he and his family removed to Govan where he was employed as a ship painter.

16/06/2026

The Cross, featuring Lanark Post Office. c.1925.

The Post Office building featured in this photograph was opened on Monday 2nd July 1900 and It was opened by Mrs Finlay of Bonnington House who after the usual round of speeches and thanks despatched the first telegram from the new office.

It replaced the earlier location in the nearby Bloomgate which had become much too small to accommodate the greatly increased postal traffic and of a telephone call office - telephone exchange.

The building was erected by Mr J. F, Shirley and consisted of three storeys which on the ground floor accommodated the public postal and telephone offices, telegraph, telephone, postmistresses’ offices and a bicycle store and ladies cloakrooms. On the second floor were stores and the men’s cloakroom. The Postmistress was Miss Ballantyne. The building was leased to the Post office for an initial fourteen-year period however it remained there until June 1928 when, due to the sale of the High Street building, the business, with the exception of the telephone exchange, removed to the newly built Offices in St. Leonard Street. The telephone exchange moved across the road to the floor above the Clydesdale Bank.

15/06/2026

Children’s Labour Gala, Lanark 25th June 1925.

This snapshot taken by an onlooker is the only photograph of this event that we know of. The event was open to the children associated with the organised Labour movement within the Lanark Division. The procession which was led by Lanark Town Band was marshalled in St. Leonard Street and with close to 2,000 “smartly dressed” children taking part made its way through the town. The procession included one decorated vehicle representing “the home” and included numerous banners and flags depicting Labour devices.

The event ended at Smyllum Field where Mr Thomas Dickson, Larkhall the then prospective Labour Candidate for Lanark Division addressed the crowd. He made reference, amongst other topics, to the “political foolishness of 1918” and commented on the suffering caused during 1921, when many employers (mostly mine owners), announced a cut in wages and an increase of working hours.

14/06/2026

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12/06/2026

Mediaeval re-enactment, Castlebank Park. August 1997.

One of the numerous events held in the town to mark the 700th anniversary of the start of the Wars of Independence. These activities were organised by local people under the banner of “Wallace 700.”

11/06/2026

To celebrate Lanimer Day 2026 here are some images from 100 years ago.

1. Lanimer Queen 1926 Patricia Clarke of St. Mary’s School
2. Lanimer Queen and Maids of Honour – Nora McAllister, Cathie McPhail, Margaret Rourke, Helena Seeley, Teresa McCafferty and Annie Higgins all of St. Mary’s School.
3. The scene at the Cross Lanimer Day 1926.

Lanimer Day 1926 was certainly not normal as it became the first occasion, since the introduction of the Lanimer Queen and her court in 1893, on which the Lanimer Queen was not crowned at the usual time and place.

The day started wet and there was hope that the usual order of events would continue as in previous years however the weather progressively became worse, so much so that many children could not stay on the lorries during the procession round the town. There had been a good turnout of seventeen decorated lorries in addition to which there were the usual array of decorated motors, decorated cycles, fancy dress parade, stand bouquets.

When it came to the point where the crowning ceremony should have taken place the downpour had increased to the extent that it was decided to hold the crowning in the Memorial Hall and postpone it until that evening prior to the Queen’s Reception. Despite the weather the children were still presented with their “new pennies" at the Grammar School.

There are countless photographs of Lanimer in years past but the year 1926 is unusual as, with the exception of three, rather poor quality, snapshots taken at the Cross by an onlooker, there are, as far as we know, no photographs of the actual event. One of these is posted (No.3). The usual images of the Lord Cornet, Queen and Court etc. do exist as these were taken as studio portraits.

10/06/2026

“Barnum” part of Lanark Floral Art Club Display, 1988.

Based on the theme of “Musicals” members of the Club staged a large display in Greyfriars (then Cairn’s) Church. The display was one of the events the Club were involved with during the year of their 30th Anniversary.

09/06/2026

Lanimer ride-out 1976.

Previously held on the evening before Lanimer Day the riding of some of the marches is nowadays held on the Tuesday evening of Lanimer Week and includes some fun at the Racecourse in the form of a variety of horse chases.

The first image is of the ride-out heading for New Lanark coming along the Lady Mary and the second is the party leaving New Lanark.

08/06/2026

To mark the Perambulation of the Marches and the installation of the Lord Cornet for 2026 we are having a look at a few images from 100 years ago and 50 years ago.

1. Lord Cornet 1926, Alexander Carse Wilson. Draper & Clothier 65 High Street 1921 and 35 High Street 1930.

2. Shifting of the Standard at Lanark Cross 1976. Lord Cornet Jimmy Watson receiving the standard.

3. Foot races at Castlebank 1976. At this time, they were held after the Shifting of the Standard.

Address

29 Bloomgate (YMCA Building)
Lanark
ML119ET

Opening Hours

Friday	11:30am - 4pm
Saturday	11:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+441555666680

Website

https://www.lanarkmuseum.co.uk/

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