..........The famous Quarter
antiquarian Mr. Andrew Hamilton computed that the family of Torrance had
occupied the farm of Crooked Stone on the Hamilton estates for over nine
hundred years, being related to the House of Torrance in East Kilbride.
That seems a long period, but if all the Torrances had been as long lived
as the grandfather of Alexander born in 1865 then the number of tenants
in that period would not have been so great after all, for he attained
to within three months of one hundred years of age.
..........Mr. Alexander Torrance, born in
1865, was educated at Quarter school under the schoolmasters whose memories
were still revered in the district being Mr. Alexander Lamont who was
succeeded by Mr. Hugh Jack. Both men were greatly interested in local
history and biography and there is little doubt that they instilled some
of their local patriotism into their pupil as he was keen on anything
historical or legendary that pertains to his history and interesting surroundings.
..........Down the line of Torrances have
run the christian names alternately, Abraham and John. The departure in
the case of Alexander is due to the fact that his brother Abraham did
not take to farming and became the trusted and respected forman joiner
at Quarter Colliery. Mr. Alexander Torrance, contrary to the tastes of
his brother took a great interest in farming and all that pertains to
the scientific industry. Every field of the 127 acres comprised in the
farm was in the best of condition as were the stock, house and steading.
One could not help being stuck by the byres, which were well ventilated
and contained less extraneous matter than many dwelling houses of the
time. Winter and summer the floors were dry and clean as the floors of
a human dwelling house and the whole apartment sweet smelling.
..........But Mr. Torrance notwithstanding
his busy life in watching and taking advantage of the weather, manages
to give some rope to his most refined tastes and had one of the prettiest
flower gardens it is possible to picture. He was a worthy vice-president
of Quarter Horticultural Society and was also a director of for the well-being
of his neighbours and was a member of the committee that manages the Duchess
Nina Institute. He was born into the Free Church and had always attended
the St. John's U.F.Church in Hamilton.
..........It may be easily understood that
the family Torrance, being so long connected with the district, could
scarcely escape a connection with the broils in the times of the Covenanters.
There is on the farm a rock under which one of his forefathers went to
hide in these troubled times. But Mr. Torrance did not allow the absorbing
industry of farming and his duty to semi-public institutions to take up
all his time. He was fond of sport and delighted in curling, having been
the treasurer of the Thorniehill Curling Club. He Skipped the rink that
won the gold medal in the last two contests, his brother Abraham was also
a member of the same rink. Mr. Torrance was a highly respected amongst
his neighbours and his constant good nature gained him friends wherever
he went.
James was the illegitimate son of Mary a farm servant
in rural Bothwell, Lanarkshire in 1856. Mary went on to marry David
Hardie and had eight sons and two daughters. They lived for a time
in 1870's at Quarter then moved to Low Waters where they had a Stationers
shop.
James, after being down the pits at 10 years old,
was blacklisted by the colliery owners for his later union activities
and in 1881 was the Secretary for the Miners Union in Scotland.
He was largely self-educated and determined to improve himself and
his fellow workers. He was one of the leading figures in the unionism
movement among the miners in the West of Scotland.
He became a journalist and ran the Labour Leader
paper. He went to London, where in 1892 and sat for the constituency
of West Ham. Hardie in many respects was the principal architect
of the political stategy which brought socialists and trade unionists
together in the cause of independent labour. He died in 1915
George Downie Hardie, James's brother, was a socialist
MP for Springburn and was born in 1874 at Quarter but died in London
in 1937.
David Hardie another brother was for a short period
MP for Rutherglen and a county Councillor in 1937.