From The Times, December 24, 1924
Five evictions were carried out in Dalmuir this morning. Shortly before half-past eight a large party of sheriff officers escorted by a strong force of police, numbering about 60, visited the property owned by the Dalmuir and West of Scotland Estates company. No 9 Kitchener Street was tackled first and, as the eviction officers and the police walked along the street, large crowds of women and children joined in a chorus of taunts. “Where are the police to do the house factors’ dirty work,” and “You didn’t need eviction officers in 1914” were choice examples.
The ugliest incident of the morning was that which culminated in a savage attack on a Press photographer. A section of the crowd was subdued by the firm tactics which the police displayed. After this incident they cleared the streets and the sheriff officers carried out their duties without hindrance. The house at 9 Kitchener Street is occupied by a family named Donaldson, and figured in the last raid. The tenant was restored to his house on the last occasion. He is a plates helper and has been unemployed for two years. He has a wife and four children.
In less than an hour the Donaldsons were evicted, and their household belongings were deposited in the back yard. Moving further along the street, the officers evicted two families from houses in No 15. The family of Frank Harvey, who is stated to be working in England, were put out. Syme is the name of the other family. From Kitchener Street the officers moved to No 1, Castle Square, where the family of James McFarlane, a clerk, were next evicted. There is a girl and a boy in the family. The boy is an invalid who is wheeled about in a chair.
The final eviction scene took place at 72 Jellicoe Street, which is tenanted by Alex S Dickson. The rent is 9s a week and one room is understood to be sublet at 7s a week. This is a typical case of many which the factors are anxious to deal with where tenants are paying no rent but are taking good care to exact a weekly rent on the spot from sub-tenants. Late tonight four of the five families evicted were restored to their homes. The fifth tenant indicated that he had made other arrangements for his family. Police officers were present when the families returned to their houses, but did not interfere.
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