A look at Larbert’s epic year of 1919

The Great War was over, the survivors had come home, and Larbert folk were looking forward to an era of peace and prosperity under the victorious British Empire.
By Roy Beers
Published 3rd May 2019, 12:24 BST
Updated 3rd May 2019, 13:00 BST
The German fleet was interned at Scapa Flow, but scuttled by its crews.The German fleet was interned at Scapa Flow, but scuttled by its crews.
The German fleet was interned at Scapa Flow, but scuttled by its crews.

But as local historian Russell MacGillivray will be explaining next week, things didn’t turn out as many had hoped.

In a free talk to be staged at Larbert Library on Tuesday (6.30pm) he will be outlining some of the epic events of the year that was supposed to herald a brighter future.

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In January the Riot Act was read in Glasgow’s George Square while troops massed around the city in anticipation of a full scale Bolshevik revolution.

Then there was the Iolaire Disaster, the Amritsar Massacre, the scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet at Scapa Flow, the Treaty of Versailles ... and a rash of brutal civil wars across Russia and Eastern Europe.

Since the Falkirk Herald was literally the only news medium consulted by most local people in those days the Jottings column of the newspaper for 1919 will be used as the basis for a fascinating look at Larbert life on the cusp of the Roaring Twenties.

Related topics:LarbertGlasgowGeorge SquareRussia