Speaker Tom Wilson

Rotary club of Stirling meeting of the 21st June.

President Sandy Farquharson welcomed members to our Friday meeting. At last week's council meeting it was decided to contribute to Plus Stirling, and the Stirling school of English, both were approved by the members.

One of our own members P.P. Tom Wilson spoke on the topic, Times Past, expanding on his, my job talk of many years ago to cover other employment, especially in his early years. Like many of us Tom was employed by The Post Office at Xmas, mainly sorting letters, not always, he is sure accurately.  Living in Clydebank which was dominated by Singers with 16,000 employees, and John Brown with 12,000, casual work was usually available, Tom favouring Singers. Established in Clydebank in 1897,{slightly before Tom's time} on a 46 acre site it became one of the largest factories in the world, with the largest clock in the world, two and a half miles of railway track, and a 13 platform station. The plant was completely self-sufficient. During both world wars it also produced armaments, and in 1941 it was bombed, the main target being John Brown next door. As well as the factory tenement housing was hit with great loss of life. Singer's wood yard containing high quality hardwood burned for several days. Tom's role was dealing with this wood, destined for the tops of the sewing machines, initially stacking, then in the cabinet shop and lastly in the japanning of the wood when it was finished with very high-quality varnish. As a resident of Clydebank Tom was very well aware of how central Singers was not only to employment, but to the social and recreational activities of the town. The Singer sewing machine invented by Isaac Merrick Singer revolutionised women's lives with a machine in most homes, but in time new technology and imports from the Far East undermined the business and Clydebank closed in 1980, both the factory and its great tower being demolished.

Next week 28th June a fellowship meeting, visitor's host Tom Thomson.

Ian Richardson